The Government announced today (November 9) that Mr Woo Ying-ming, Deputy Commissioner of Correctional Services, will take up the post of Commissioner of Correctional Services on November 25, 2018 when Mr Lam Kwok-leung commences his pre-retirement leave.
 
     The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Joshua Law, said, "Mr Woo Ying-ming has accumulated abundant experience of 29 years in the Correctional Services Department and possesses proven leadership and management skills. I am confident that he will be able to lead the Department to meet the challenges ahead."
 
     On the retirement of Mr Lam, Mr Law said, "As the Commissioner of Correctional Services, Mr Lam has made sustained efforts in providing a secure, safe, humane, decent and healthy environment for people in custody, and working in collaboration with the community and other agencies to provide opportunities for rehabilitation of offenders. We sincerely wish him a fulfilling and happy retirement."
 
     Brief biographical notes on the two officers are set out below:
 
Mr Lam Kwok-leung
———————-
 
     Mr Lam Kwok-leung, aged 56, joined the Correctional Services Department as Officer in March 1984 and was promoted to Senior Superintendent of Correctional Services in January 2008, to Chief Superintendent of Correctional Services in October 2009, to Assistant Commissioner of Correctional Services in September 2010 and to Deputy Commissioner of Correctional Services in June 2015 before being appointed as the Commissioner of Correctional Services in August 2017.
 
 
Mr Woo Ying-ming
——————–
 
     Mr Woo Ying-ming, aged 53, joined the Immigration Department as Assistant Immigration Officer in August 1988. He was appointed as Officer of the Correctional Services Department in February 1989 and was promoted to Senior Superintendent of Correctional Services in January 2011 and to Assistant Commissioner of Correctional Services in May 2012. Mr Woo has been Deputy Commissioner of Correctional Services since August 2017.

    

     The Hong Kong Youth Chinese Orchestra (HKYCO) of the Music Office under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will hold the Singapore Tour Pre-tour cum Annual Concert at 3pm on December 9 (Sunday) at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall. The programme will be a pre-tour performance for the Hong Kong audience to enjoy musical pieces selected from the Singapore concert tour programme. The young orchestra members will showcase their talents by playing a wide-range of Chinese orchestra repertoire.
 
     The concert will be conducted by the instructors of the Music Office Kwok Kin-ming and Tsui Ying-fai. Together with the orchestra, guest soloists Yeung Ka-wai (erhu) and Chew Lixian (sheng) will perform "Ode to King of Western Chu", which was composed for erhu, and "Rhapsody of Tianshan", a musical piece fully demonstrating advantages of keyed sheng, respectively. "Ode to King of Western Chu" praises the Chinese character of courage and loyalty in love, while "Rhapsody of Tianshan" with its strong rhythm, conjures joyful images of the bold Tianshan people.
 
     The repertoire also includes "The City that Never Sleeps" from "Four Seasons", which reflects the vitality of Hong Kong throughout the night; "Commander Mu Guiying" with its heroine spirit and Peking opera musical elements; "June – A Night in Pasir Ris", which was inspired by the spectacular scenery of Pasir Ris, a tourist destination in Singapore; the symphonic poem "Flowing Water", which mimics the sound of water from surging to still; and "Somewhere Far Away – Medley of Folksongs from China's West" arranged by merging four famous songs from "China's West".
 
     Established in 1978, the HKYCO has around 90 members and has toured in Macao, Singapore, Malaysia, the UK, France, Australia, the US and Canada. In mid-December, the HKYCO will once again visit Singapore and stage an exchange performance with the Singapore National Youth Chinese Orchestra (SNYCO). Guest erhu soloist Yeung Ka-wai studies at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts majoring erhu and gaohu. She has won awards in various competitions and is currently principal of the erhu section in the HKYCO. Guest sheng soloist Chew Lixian, an active member in the Chinese orchestra sector of Singapore, performs extensively with various orchestras. She is currently the sheng principal of the SNYCO.
 
     Tickets priced at $55, $75 and $95 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone credit card bookings, please call 2111 5999. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2796 7523 or 2582 5311 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/mo/activities/upcoming/hkycho-singapore.html.

     The Hong Kong Youth Chinese Orchestra (HKYCO) of the Music Office under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will hold the Singapore Tour Pre-tour cum Annual Concert at 3pm on December 9 (Sunday) at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall. The programme will be a pre-tour performance for the Hong Kong audience to enjoy musical pieces selected from the Singapore concert tour programme. The young orchestra members will showcase their talents by playing a wide-range of Chinese orchestra repertoire.
 
     The concert will be conducted by the instructors of the Music Office Kwok Kin-ming and Tsui Ying-fai. Together with the orchestra, guest soloists Yeung Ka-wai (erhu) and Chew Lixian (sheng) will perform "Ode to King of Western Chu", which was composed for erhu, and "Rhapsody of Tianshan", a musical piece fully demonstrating advantages of keyed sheng, respectively. "Ode to King of Western Chu" praises the Chinese character of courage and loyalty in love, while "Rhapsody of Tianshan" with its strong rhythm, conjures joyful images of the bold Tianshan people.
 
     The repertoire also includes "The City that Never Sleeps" from "Four Seasons", which reflects the vitality of Hong Kong throughout the night; "Commander Mu Guiying" with its heroine spirit and Peking opera musical elements; "June – A Night in Pasir Ris", which was inspired by the spectacular scenery of Pasir Ris, a tourist destination in Singapore; the symphonic poem "Flowing Water", which mimics the sound of water from surging to still; and "Somewhere Far Away – Medley of Folksongs from China's West" arranged by merging four famous songs from "China's West".
 
     Established in 1978, the HKYCO has around 90 members and has toured in Macao, Singapore, Malaysia, the UK, France, Australia, the US and Canada. In mid-December, the HKYCO will once again visit Singapore and stage an exchange performance with the Singapore National Youth Chinese Orchestra (SNYCO). Guest erhu soloist Yeung Ka-wai studies at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts majoring erhu and gaohu. She has won awards in various competitions and is currently principal of the erhu section in the HKYCO. Guest sheng soloist Chew Lixian, an active member in the Chinese orchestra sector of Singapore, performs extensively with various orchestras. She is currently the sheng principal of the SNYCO.
 
     Tickets priced at $55, $75 and $95 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone credit card bookings, please call 2111 5999. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2796 7523 or 2582 5311 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/mo/activities/upcoming/hkycho-singapore.html.

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (November 9) released the latest grading of water quality for nine gazetted beaches. Other beaches have been closed to swimmers from November 1 for the winter season. 
        
     Seven beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1) and two as Fair (Grade 2).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:        

 
Grade 2 beaches are:

 
* Big Wave Bay Beach, Clear Water Bay Second Beach, Deep Water Bay Beach, Middle Bay Beach and Stanley Main Beach remain closed until further notice due to the severe damage brought about by Typhoon Mangkhut earlier. 
      
     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades according to the level of E. coli in the water. Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.
      
     A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. The latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the department's websites on Beach Water Quality (www.beachwq.gov.hk and www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline 2511 6666.

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (November 9) released the latest grading of water quality for nine gazetted beaches. Other beaches have been closed to swimmers from November 1 for the winter season. 
        
     Seven beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1) and two as Fair (Grade 2).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:        

 
Grade 2 beaches are:

 
* Big Wave Bay Beach, Clear Water Bay Second Beach, Deep Water Bay Beach, Middle Bay Beach and Stanley Main Beach remain closed until further notice due to the severe damage brought about by Typhoon Mangkhut earlier. 
      
     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades according to the level of E. coli in the water. Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.
      
     A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. The latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the department's websites on Beach Water Quality (www.beachwq.gov.hk and www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline 2511 6666.