The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The Hospital Authority (HA) today (July 23) announced that in consideration of the latest composite consumer price index, the service fee for the Participating Service Providers (PSPs) in the General Outpatient Clinic Public-Private Partnership (GOPC PPP) Programme will be increased from $3,283 to $3,408, representing an increase of around 3.8 per cent, per patient per year at the maximum with retrospective effect from July 1, 2019.
 
     The HA spokesperson said calculation of the adjustment was based on the commonly used Composite Consumer Price Index (Medical Services), published in the Monthly Report on the Consumer Price Index by the Hong Kong Government's Census and Statistics Department for the period from July 2018 to June 2019.
 
     "The maximum total payment to PSPs per patient per year, covering up to 10 consultations, will be increased from $3,283 to $3,408. Participating patients, however, will continue to pay only the HA GOPC fee of $50 per attendance," the spokesperson said.
 
     The GOPC PPP Programme has been implemented in all 18 districts in Hong Kong. The territory-wide implementation gives patients more choices in selecting their family doctors all over Hong Kong. As at the end of June 2019, over 400 PSPs are providing consultation services to more than 32 000 GOPC patients who have joined the Programme.
 
     "All HA PPP Programmes work on Electronic Health Record Sharing System (eHRSS) platforms. PSPs and patients have to register for eHRSS if they wish to join the programmes, including the GOPC PPP Programme," the spokesperson added.
 
     The HA will continue to monitor closely the implementation of the GOPC PPP Programme and keep in view closely the feedback from service providers, patients and other parties concerned.

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:

     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department has announced that the lifesaving services at Golden Beach in Tuen Mun District resumed today (July 23). The lifesaving services at the beach were suspended earlier due to an insufficient number of lifeguards on duty. 

     The Government announced today (July 23) the following senior appointments:

(a) Ms Annie Choi Suk-han, Commissioner for Innovation and Technology, will take up the post of Permanent Secretary for Innovation and Technology on July 30, 2019;

(b) Ms Rebecca Pun Ting-ting, Deputy Secretary for Transport and Housing (Transport), will take up the post of Commissioner for Innovation and Technology on July 30, 2019; and

(c) Mr Eddie Cheung Kwok-choi, Deputy Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Financial Services), will take up the post of Special Representative for Hong Kong Economic and Trade Affairs to the European Union on August 26, 2019.

     The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Joshua Law, said, "The three appointees are seasoned Administrative Officers with proven leadership and management skills. I have every confidence that they will serve the community with professionalism in their new capacities."
  
     On the retirement of the former Permanent Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing, who has proceeded on pre-retirement leave, Mr Law said, "Mr Cheuk has rendered 38 years of loyal and dedicated service to the community of Hong Kong. During his tenure as Permanent Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Cheuk made tremendous contributions to developing Hong Kong into an innovation and technology (I&T) hub. He steered government efforts on multiple fronts to drive I&T development and promote the adoption of technology to improve the delivery of public services and daily living in the community. I wish him a fulfilling and happy retirement."

     Brief biographical notes of the four officers are set out below:
 
Mr Cheuk Wing-hing
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     Mr Cheuk was appointed to the civil service as an Inspector of Police in June 1981. He joined the Administrative Service in August 1984 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A1 in April 2017. He has served in a wide range of bureaux and departments, including the former Councils and Administration Branch, the former Administrative Services and Information Branch, the former City and New Territories Administration, the Post Office, the former Finance Branch, the former Monetary Affairs Branch, the former Hong Kong Government Office in London, the Department of Health, the former Civil Service Branch, the former Industry Department, Invest Hong Kong, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, the General Grades Office, the former Health, Welfare and Food Bureau and the Labour Department. He was Chairman of the 2014 Administrative Officer Recruitment Board from February to March 2014, Director of Administration and Development in the Department of Justice from May 2014 to November 2015, and Permanent Secretary for Innovation and Technology from November 2015 to April 2019.

Ms Annie Choi Suk-han
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     Ms Choi joined the Administrative Service in October 1986 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A in April 2017. She has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former City and New Territories Administration, the former Civil Service Branch, the former Health and Welfare Branch, the former Planning, Environment and Lands Branch, the former Industry Department, the former Environment and Food Bureau and the former Environment, Transport and Works Bureau. She was Deputy Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Commerce and Industry) from July 2007 to August 2009 and Commissioner of Insurance from September 2009 to August 2015, and has been serving as Commissioner for Innovation and Technology since August 2015.

Ms Rebecca Pun Ting-ting
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     Ms Pun joined the Administrative Service in July 1987 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade B1 in April 2014. She has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former Civil Service Branch, the former Survey Office, the former City and New Territories Administration, the former Recreation & Culture Branch, the former Central Policy Unit, the former Health and Welfare Branch, Home Affairs Department, the former Housing Bureau and the Judiciary. She was Principal Assistant Secretary for Education and Manpower from June 2003 to March 2006 and Executive Director of the Employees Retraining Board from April 2006 to July 2010, and has been serving in two different posts at Deputy Secretary level in the Transport and Housing Bureau since October 2010.

Mr Eddie Cheung Kwok-choi
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     Mr Cheung joined the Administrative Service in October 1993 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade B in April 2014. He has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former City and New Territories Administration, the former Health and Welfare Branch, the former Financial Services Branch, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Toronto, the former Information Technology and Broadcasting Bureau and the former Education and Manpower Bureau. He was District Officer (Tuen Mun) from March 2008 to May 2012 and Principal Assistant Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Financial Services) from May 2012 to January 2013, and has been serving as Deputy Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Financial Services) since January 2013.

        

     The Secretariat of the Environment and Conservation Fund (ECF) Committee today (July 23) said that the ECF had approved 156 projects in relation to environmental and conservation matters, with a total grant of about $199 million, in 2018-19.

     The ECF provides funding to local non-profit-making organisations, including universities, schools, community bodies and green groups, to support their green projects and initiatives, which are categorised by nature, namely the Environmental Education and Community Action Projects, Community Waste Reduction Projects, Environmental Research, Technology Demonstration and Conference Projects and Nature Conservation Management Agreement Projects. Eligible organisations may keep in view the announcements from the ECF on its website (www.ecf.gov.hk/en/application/index.html) in 2019-20 and submit funding applications under the corresponding funding schemes.

     Details of the approved projects in 2018-19 are available on the ECF website www.ecf.gov.hk/en/approved/index.html.

     Two plastic recycling workshops in Yuen Long and Tuen Mun run by Hankang Recycling Limited and HK Bouteille Resources Recycling Business Company Limited respectively generated excessive noise and constantly emitted dark smoke, causing nuisance to residents nearby. The companies were convicted and fined a total of $11,000 at Fanling Magistrates' Courts on July 16 and today (July 23) for contravening the Noise Control Ordinance (NCO) and the Air Pollution Control Ordinance (APCO).

     In view of a recent increase in the number of complaints about pollution caused by outdoor plastic recycling workshops in the New Territories, and the issues about the poor operation of some plastic recycling workshops, their lack of environmental protection equipment and improper maintenance of their machinery, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) enhanced law enforcement and inspections of such workshops. During an operation in January, EPD officers discovered that two plastic recycling workshops contravened regulations on pollution control. After collecting evidence, the EPD prosecuted the companies that operated the workshops. One workshop in Shan Ha Tsuen, Yuen Long, operated by Hankang Recycling Limited generated noise that exceeded statutory limits due to the lack of noise insulation equipment, contravening the NCO. On the other hand, the workshop in Lam Tei, Tuen Mun, run by HK Bouteille Resources Recycling Business Company Limited constantly emitted dark smoke from a chimney due to the poor operation of its diesel generator, contravening the Air Pollution Control (Smoke) Regulations. In addition to the above cases, two cases of the same nature involving plastic recycling workshops are being processed in court. Moreover, the EPD has issued abatement notices to nine other plastic recycling workshops, requesting them to reduce noise and gas emissions before statutory deadlines. The EPD will continue to follow up on these cases and initiate prosecutions against offenders.

     A spokesman for the EPD reminded operators of plastic recycling workshops that they must properly design their workshops, and install suitable and effective noise and air pollution control equipment to reduce noise and air pollutant emissions. They must also arrange for experienced technicians to carry out regular inspections and maintenance for their equipment. In addition to holding briefings in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Recycling Fund on guidance about the recycling of plastics, the EPD has produced a leaflet (attachment in Chinese only) to explain to members of the plastic recycling sector the related matters of environmental protection and the department's continuous enforcement to curb illegal activities.

     According to the NCO, anyone failing to comply with any requirement of an abatement notice commits an offence. First-time offenders may be liable to a fine of $100,000. A fine of $200,000 may be imposed on second or subsequent conviction. Under the Air Pollution Control (Smoke) Regulations, offenders may be liable to a fine of $20,000 on first conviction, and a fine of $20,000 and three months' imprisonment on second or subsequent conviction.