Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at the Business of Design Week (BODW) opening ceremony this morning (December 6):
 
Linda (Governor of Victoria, Australia, Ms Linda Dessau), Eric (Chairman of the Hong Kong Design Centre, Professor Eric Yim), Victor (Chairman of the BODW Steering Committee of the Hong Kong Design Centre, Mr Victor Lo), Margaret (Executive Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Ms Margaret Fong), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
 
​     Good morning. It gives me great pleasure to join you today for the opening ceremony of Business of Design Week, the 17th edition.
 
​     I'm delighted to welcome Melbourne as this year's BODW partner city, which is the first city from the southern hemisphere to partner with Asia's leading annual business design gathering. The catalyst for this creative partnership was a visit I made to Melbourne three years ago, during which I met the Premier of Victoria, the Lord Mayor of Melbourne and, of course, Linda, the Governor of Victoria. We all had the strong desire, and exchanged views on how to forge stronger ties between our two places, particularly in the area of design. Since then I've been following closely the developments, including during my subsequent meeting with Linda in Hong Kong. I was naturally delighted when the Hong Kong Design Centre, organiser of BODW, signed an agreement with the State Government of Victoria in May last year, confirming Melbourne's role as this gathering's partner city.
 
​     And I'm thrilled at the enthusiastic response from Melbourne and the state of Victoria. Creative Victoria's mission includes more than 170 designers, design organisations and institutions. I'm told it is the largest Australian design delegation ever to take part in an international design conference. The Melbourne Pavilion alone boasts more than 130 Victorian design projects. And more than 90 Victorian fashion projects are featured at BODW's 7 Mallory Street site.
 
​     I should just add that our partnership with the city of Melbourne, Australia, this year is particularly meaningful because last month Hong Kong and Australia successfully concluded negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement. So I am anticipating a lot of exciting things to happen on various fronts, of course, including design.
 
​     This creative coming together makes smart design sense. It makes great business sense, too. Melbourne and Hong Kong, after all, offer singular strengths in business and design. Hong Kong, one of the world's leading financial centres and a global research and business hub, is blessed with a distinctive East-meets-West culture. We are designed to create rewarding connections and to help our partners excel.
 
​     As for Melbourne, it is one of the world's most liveable cities. Indeed, as Eric noted, Melbourne has been named the most liveable city in the world for the past seven years in a row. Apart from being a multicultural city, Melbourne is also a global centre for technology, health and education, as well as a hub for arts, culture and innovation. Under the theme of "Think, Collaborate and Create" this year, we all look forward to Melbourne's innovative showcase on how design and innovation are changing contemporary urban landscapes and bringing impacts to our societies and living.
 
​     This year's BODW features a wealth of design intelligence and insight, as Eric has outlined for us. Alongside the BODW Conference and Fashion Asia, there's also the brand new BODW City Programme, which will foster collaboration among local designers and businesses and engage the wider public through workshops, festivals and other happenings in different districts. I look forward, as well, to the Design Centre's collaboration with our Tourism Commission, bringing design and creativity to a wider audience at the community level.
 
​     Ladies and gentlemen, my Government is committed to supporting the design and creative sector. Last year, I announced the addition of HK$1 billion into our CreateSmart Initiative, a dedicated fund for our creative industries. This year, my Government is earmarking another HK$1 billion, this time for our Film Development Fund. It will be used to boost local production, build our film audience and nurture talent, particularly in scriptwriting and script production. It will also help market Hong Kong films as a brand, while focusing on new markets. The Greater Bay Area and the Belt and Road regions, in particular, offer great promise for film and our creative industries in general. And I'm delighted to note that a "Greater Bay Area & Design" discussion was held Monday afternoon as part of BODW.
 
​     My Government is also committed to developing design thinking as a problem-solving capability. In the past year, the Design Centre has been organising classes and seminars both at the community level and within the Hong Kong Government. We are now working with the Design Centre to establish an event space, here in the vibrant community of Wan Chai, to enhance public appreciation of design and design thinking.
 
​     Design thinking can only lead to creative connections. You can see that at work, right here, at BODW. For that, my thanks to Eric, Victor and the Hong Kong Design Centre. I'm grateful also, of course, to Linda and the city of Melbourne, this year's partner city.
 
​     I wish you all a very enjoyable BODW, and the best of business and design in the coming year. Thank you very much.

Police are investigating a murder and suicide case in Aberdeen last night (December 5) in which a 64-year-old man and his 63-year-old wife died.

At about 10pm yesterday, Police received a report from a woman that her father was found hanging and her mother was lying unconsciously inside a unit in Wah Sang House, Wah Fu Estate.

Police officers sped to the scene. The 64-year-old man was found hanging with a rope and his 63-year-old wife was found injured to her head. The duo was certified dead at scene.

Initial investigation revealed that the 64-year-old man committed suicide after attacking his wife inside the unit.

A crowbar in suspected connection with the case was found inside the unit.

Post-mortem examinations will be conducted later to ascertain the causes of their deaths.

Active investigation by the District Crime Squad of Western District is underway.

     Hong Kong Customs seized about 3.16 kilograms of suspected cocaine with an estimated market value of about $3.28 million at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (December 4) and today (December 5).

     A 43-year-old female passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Sao Paulo, Brazil via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia yesterday afternoon. During Customs clearance, 2.16 kilograms of suspected cocaine in one packet was found concealed inside the false compartment of her rucksack. The woman was then arrested.

     A 47-year-old male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Johannesburg, South Africa this morning.  During Customs clearance, the man discharged a batch of suspected cocaine. He was then arrested. Customs officers later escorted the man to hospital and he later discharged another batch of suspected cocaine.

     The 43-year-old arrested woman was charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. She will appear at West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (December 6).

     Investigation of the other case is ongoing.

     Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

     Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to the Customs 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

    

     The Transport Department (TD) held a special meeting today (December 5) with public bus operators to discuss ways to enhance operational safety of non-franchised buses (NFBs). Both the TD and participants agreed that operational safety of NFBs is of vital importance. The discussion at the meeting mainly focused on installation and provision of safety devices, the use of technologies to enhance operational safety of NFBs as well as drawing up guidelines on working hours and rest time for NFB drivers.

     Regarding the installation of seatbelts on NFBs, the trade supported enacting legislation to compulsorily require newly registered NFBs to be equipped with seatbelts. In fact, NFB operators have been purchasing new buses equipped with seatbelts in recent years. As for whether passengers should be compulsorily required to fasten seatbelts, the trade in principle supported but suggested that the Government should exempt drivers from taking responsibilities and should also take into account the issue of safety escape concerning certain types of passengers such as children. The TD also pointed out in the meeting that the department will review the suggestions on installation of seatbelts on NFBs and requiring passengers to fasten seatbelts.

     Regarding the installation of safety devices on vehicles and the use of technology to enhance safety, the NFB trade supported and responded proactively. The participants noted that at present, there are various models of NFBs in operation and they are produced by different manufacturers of different countries. Even the same manufacturer has a number of bus models. Therefore, there is a need to study the feasibility of installing different safety devices on an individual bus model. However, the trade is in support of the installation of various types of safety devices on newly purchased buses, particularly the TD's suggestion of installing speed limiters and tachograph (commonly known as "blackbox"). Moreover, in view of the installation of electronic stability control system by some vehicle manufacturers on existing buses already, the trade will proactively consider installing relevant devices when purchasing new buses. Concerning the installation of bus driver monitoring system (for example, collision prevention alert system), the trade indicated that they would have to study according to the actual operational condition but they agreed to test the system on some NFBs first. Meanwhile, some of the operators in the meeting agreed to search and introduce relevant devices for testing while the TD will offer assistance and advice.

     Moreover, the TD is very concerned about the occupational health of NFB drivers and has all along urged the NFB operators, as responsible organisations, to ensure not only operational safety of NFBs, but also the rest time of their drivers to avoid fatigue driving. The NFB trade has agreed in principle to draw up guidelines on working hours and rest time for their drivers but held that the relevant details should take into account their mode of operation. They have committed to working together with the TD continuously to work on the guidelines.

     "The meeting receives positive response from the NFB operators with effectiveness. We are glad to know that the NFB trade supports the installation and testing of relevant technologies on a trial basis to enhance operational safety, installation of seatbelts on newly registered NFBs as well as formulating guidelines on working hours and rest time for NFB drivers. The TD will set up a special working group under regular meetings with the public bus operators to further discuss and follow up on the aforementioned safety enhancement measures, hoping that consensus can be reached on some concrete measures as soon as possible so that the measures can be formally implemented," a TD spokesman said.

The following is issued on behalf of the Road Safety Council:

     The Road Safety Council (RSC), Traffic Kowloon West Headquarters of the Hong Kong Police Force and the Hong Kong Road Safety Patrol (Kowloon West Region) successfully held the Smart Driving Bus Parade 2018 this evening (December 5), starting at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre's Piazza C.

     The event was officiated by the Chairlady of the Road Safety Campaign Committee of the RSC, Ms Rebecca Ma; the Acting Senior Superintendent of Police, Traffic Kowloon West, Hong Kong Police Force, Mr Chung Hung-yip; the Regional Commander, Kowloon West of the Hong Kong Road Safety Patrol, Mr Gavin Lam; the Chairman of the Yau Tsim Mong Road Safety Campaign Organising Committee, Mr Paul Law; the Chairman of the Sham Shui Po Road Safety Campaign Committee, Mr Wong Kam-choi; the Vice Chairman of the Kowloon City Road Safety Campaign Committee, Mr Sunny Chung; and the Promotion Officer Kowloon West of the Hong Kong Road Safety Patrol, Ms Tse Suet-sum.

     After an opening ceremony, the guests took an open-top bus through the Tsim Sha Tsui area to distribute road safety leaflets to deliver the "No Drug and No Drink Driving" message to road users. A Mobile Breath Test Centre and police motorcycles were also exhibited at the venue.