The Government today (June 28) announced the appointment of four members to the Education Commission (EC).

     The newly appointed EC member is the Managing Partner, Greater China of McKinsey & Company, Mr Joseph Luc Ngai. Three incumbent members, Ms Nancy Ho Lan-sang, Professor Alvin Leung Seung-ming and Mr Wong Kam-leung, have been re-appointed.

     The four members have been appointed in their personal capacity for a two-year term, which will take effect on July 1, 2019.

     An Education Bureau spokesman said, "Given their rich experience in the education and professional sectors, we are confident that the four members will provide valuable advice and contribute to the work of the EC."

     The spokesman also thanked the outgoing member, Dr Odalia Wong Ming-hung, for her valuable contributions to the work of the EC.

     The new EC membership list with effect from July 1, 2019, is as follows:
     â€‹
Chairman
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Mr Tim Lui Tim-leung
 
Ex-officio members
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Permanent Secretary for Education, Mrs Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan
Chairman, Committee on Professional Development of Teachers and Principals, Dr Carrie Willis
Chairman, Committee on Self-financing Post-secondary Education, Professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung
Chairman, Curriculum Development Council, Professor Tam Kar-yan
Chairman, Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority Council, Dr Samuel Yung Wing-ki
Chairman, Quality Education Fund Steering Committee, Dr Gordon Tsui Luen-on
Chairman, Standing Committee on Language Education and Research, Mr Lester Garson Huang
Chairman, University Grants Committee, Mr Carlson Tong
Chairman, Vocational Training Council, Dr Roy Chung Chi-ping
 
Non-official members
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Ms Kelly Chan Yuen-sau
Dr Fung Wai-wah
Ms Nancy Ho Lan-sang
Professor Alvin Leung Seung-ming
Mr Joseph Luc Ngai
Dr Halina Poon Suk-han
Ms Shum Siu-fong
Mr So Ping-fai
Mr Henry Tong Sau-chai
Mr Wong Kam-leung
Mr Dieter Yih Lai-tak

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (June 28) released the findings of its food safety report for last month. The results of about 14 000 food samples tested were satisfactory except for seven samples which were announced earlier. The overall satisfactory rate was 99.9 per cent.
 
     A CFS spokesman said about 1 100 food samples were collected for microbiological tests, some 3 700 samples were taken for chemical tests and the remaining 9 200 (including about 8 800 taken from food imported from Japan) were collected to test radiation levels.
 
     The microbiological tests covered pathogens and hygienic indicators, while the chemical tests included pesticides, preservatives, metallic contaminants, colouring matters, veterinary drug residues and others.
 
     The samples comprised about 3 400 samples of vegetables and fruit and their products; 700 samples of cereals, grains and their products; 800 samples of meat and poultry and their products; 600 samples of milk, milk products and frozen confections; 1 700 samples of aquatic and related products; and 6 800 samples of other food commodities (including beverages, bakery products and snacks).
 
     The seven unsatisfactory samples comprised three fresh beef samples found to contain sulphur dioxide; a grass carp sample and a giant salamander sample found to contain traces of malachite green; a fruit sample detected with pesticide residue exceeding the legal limit and a soft ice-cream sample detected with coliform bacteria exceeding the legal limit.
 
     The CFS has taken follow-up action on the unsatisfactory samples, including informing the vendors concerned of the test results, instructing them to stop selling the affected food items and tracing the sources of the food items in question.
 
     Since the Pesticide Residues in Food Regulation (Cap 132CM) came into effect on August 1, 2014, as of May 31 this year, the CFS has taken over 176 400 food samples at the import, wholesale and retail levels for testing for pesticide residues. The overall unsatisfactory rate is less than 0.2 per cent.
 
     The spokesman added that excessive pesticide residues in food may arise from the trade not observing Good Agricultural Practice, e.g. using excessive pesticides and/or not allowing sufficient time for pesticides to decompose before harvesting. The maximum residue limits (MRLs) of pesticide residues in food set in the Regulation are not safety indicators. They are the maximum concentrations of pesticide residues to be permitted in a food commodity under Good Agricultural Practice when applying pesticides. In this connection, consumption of food with pesticide residues higher than the MRLs will not necessarily lead to any adverse health effects.
 
     The spokesman reminded the food trade to ensure that food for sale is fit for human consumption and meets legal requirements. Consumers should patronise reliable shops when buying food and maintain a balanced diet to minimise food risks.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced today (June 28) that the following leisure and sports facilities will be temporarily closed:
 
(a) The turf pitch at Tai Po Sports Ground in Tai Po District will be temporarily closed from July 1 to August 25 for turf maintenance works, while the running track will remain open. During the closure period, the public may use similar facilities at Kwong Fuk Park Football Pitch or Kwong Fuk Football Ground in the same district. 

(b) The turf pitch at Tuen Mun Tang Shiu Kin Sports Ground in Tuen Mun District will be temporarily closed from July 7 to August 31 for turf maintenance works, while the running track will remain open. During the closure period, the public may use similar facilities at Siu Lun Sports Ground in the same district. 

(c) The turf pitch at Fanling Recreation Ground in North District will be temporarily closed from July 30 to September 9 for turf maintenance works, while the running track will remain open. During the closure period, the public may use similar facilities at Kwu Tung Grass Soccer Pitch or North District Sports Ground in the same district. 

     For the most up-to-date closure schedules of the above leisure and sports facilities, the public may refer to the notices at the venues or contact venue staff directly.

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (June 27) announced that malachite green was found in a freshwater grouper sample and a prepackaged frozen roast eel sample. Follow-up is in progress.

     Details of the roast eel sample are as follows:

Product name: Not available in English
Brand: Not available in English
Place of origin: China
Importer: Nisoon Frozen Food Hong Kong
Best-before date: February 27, 2021

     A CFS spokesman said, "The CFS collected the above-mentioned freshwater grouper sample from a stall in Po On Road Market, Cheung Sha Wan and the above-mentioned roast eel sample from a shop in Kwun Tong for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test results showed that they contained malachite green at respective levels of 1.3 parts per billion (ppb) and 26.3 ppb.

     "The CFS has informed the vendors concerned of the irregularities and instructed them to stop sale of the affected products. The importer of the roast eel product has also initiated a recall according to the CFS' instruction. Members of the public may call its hotline at 2850 7568 during office hours for enquiries about the recall," the spokesman added.

     Malachite green is a type of industrial dye and has been used for treating infections in fish. Malachite green is possibly both genotoxic and carcinogenic. According to the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), there is no safe level of residues of malachite green or its metabolites in food that represents an acceptable risk to consumers. Currently, malachite green has been prohibited for use in food producing animals in many countries. According to the Harmful Substances in Food Regulations (Cap 132AF), no food sold in Hong Kong is allowed to contain malachite green. Offenders will be prosecuted and will be liable to a fine of $50,000 and to imprisonment for six months upon conviction.

     The CFS will alert the trade, continue to follow up on the incidents and take appropriate action, including tracing the sources of the affected products. Investigation is ongoing.

     The Outreach Music Interest Courses organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will be held from September 2019 to January 2020. Over 100 courses, ranging from Chinese and Western musical instrument classes to music workshops are now open for members of the public to apply.
 
     The Choral Conducting Workshop receiving an overwhelming response last year and will be rerun this year. Topics on pre-rehearsal preparation, selection of repertoires, rehearsal strategies and basic conducting skills will be covered. School music teachers, conductors and music instructors of community and church choirs are welcome to apply. The course fee is $320.
 
     Following the recent trend of cross-subject education under the STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) approach, the Music Office is introducing the new STEAM Music Workshop. Participants will learn to invent digital music instruments with electronic building blocks, and also to compose and perform simple music pieces. A parent-child workshop and an adult workshop will be held. The incorporation of STEAM into music lessons will also be introduced in the adult workshop so that music teachers participating in the workshop can put knowledge to practice. Course fees for the adult workshop and the parent-child workshop are $160 and $320 respectively.
 
     Courses on ocarina, keyboard, ukulele, classical guitar and classical vocal singing; Western music theory (Grades 1 and 2); aural training; instrumental enrichment courses of yangqin, cello, flute, xiao and clarinet; and ensemble training of Chinese traditional music, saxophone, Western strings and Western chamber music will also be offered. The course fees range from $215 to $1,005.
 
     The Outreach Music Interest Courses also provide basic training on xiao, liuyeqin, zhong-ruan, pipa, yangqin, zheng, dizi, erhu, clarinet, saxophone, flute, trumpet, percussion (glockenspiel and practice pad), violin, viola and cello. The course fee is $1,070.
 
      All courses are conducted in small groups in Cantonese and will be held at different venues throughout Hong Kong, namely the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Sha Tin Town Hall, Tsuen Wan Town Hall, Tuen Mun Town Hall, Sheung Wan Civic Centre, Sai Wan Ho Civic Centre, Ngau Chi Wan Civic Centre, Tai Po Civic Centre, Kwai Tsing Theatre, Yuen Long Theatre, Ko Shan Theatre, Hong Kong Central Library and the Music Office's music centres in Wan Chai, Mong Kok, Kwun Tong, Sha Tin and Tsuen Wan.
 
     Online applications can now be made through the Music Office website www.lcsd.gov.hk/musicoffice. Course prospectuses and application forms are also available at various performance venues of the LCSD and music centres of the Music Office. The deadline for applications is July 25. Oversubscribed courses will be processed by ballot. For courses not fully taken up after the first round of application, places will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis from August 28.
 
     For enquiries, please call 3842 7773, 2598 8335 or 2596 0898.