The Secretary for Development, Mr Michael Wong, visited Wong Tai Sin District this afternoon (October 26) to inspect the improvement works for the Kai Tak River. He also met with local District Council members to exchange … read more
In response to media enquiries on the Cathay Pacific Airways data leakage incident, a spokesperson for the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau said today (October 26) that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKS… read more
The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) Infrastructure Financing Facilitation Office (IFFO) held the second Investors’ and Debt Financing Roundtables on October 25-26, attended by more than 70 senior representatives from international long-term institutional investors, debt financiers, multilateral financial institutions, project owners and developers, and other key stakeholders in infrastructure financing.
The main themes of this year’s Roundtables included collaboration and co-investment in emerging markets, and recent innovations to enhance bankability of infrastructure projects, making use of case studies. The Debt Financing Roundtable also discussed IFFO’s Reference Term Sheet for Non-Recourse Infrastructure Loans in Emerging Markets, which sets out the basic criteria and financiers’ preferences in respect of infrastructure loans’ legal framework, compliance with environmental, social and governance standards, risk mitigation measures and financial structuring. The term sheet is aimed to provide project owners and developers with a tool to make their projects more “bankable” and to facilitate private sector financing into projects in emerging markets.
The Chief Executive of the HKMA, Mr Norman Chan, hosted the two Roundtables. He said, “I am pleased to see the continued strong interest from public and private sector stakeholders at the IFFO Roundtables in infrastructure investments. The discussions on co-investment experiences and on measures that would make infrastructure projects more bankable or investible were very timely. IFFO will continue to serve as a facilitator and catalyst for more effective capital flows into infrastructure projects in emerging market economies.”
IFFO also announced that five new institutions have joined as partners, bringing the total number of IFFO partners to 95. The new partners are (in alphabetical order):
The Transport Department (TD) today (October 26) reminded members of the public who wish to go to Hong Kong Port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) that they should use public transport as far as possible.
A spokesman for the TD said that members of the public can take franchised bus feeder routes from Sunny Bay Station, Tung Chung Station and the Airport to Hong Kong Port. Moreover, a number of airport bus “A” routes also serve Hong Kong Port. Members of the public can also use cross-boundary coaches or cross-boundary hire cars to go to Zhuhai or Macao.
For motorists who wish to drive to Hong Kong Port and then take shuttle bus, the TD appeals to them to make on-line booking for parking spaces at the domestic car parks at Hong Kong Port. Motorists should also pay attention to the traffic signs erected on roads in the vicinity of Hong Kong Port and drive carefully.
The spokesman reminded motorists that cross-boundary private cars registered under the regular quotas for using other boundary crossings cannot use the HZMB at this stage. Members of the public are reminded that if they wish to drive their private cars to or from Zhuhai or Macao, they must be registered under the private car quotas of the three governments for using the HZMB, or have the necessary permits, completed registration with the Mainland Authority and reserved parking spaces for the East Car Park of the HZMB Frontier Post at Macao Port under the HZMB Macao Port Park-and-Ride Scheme.
The TD will continue to implement temporary traffic management measures, including issuing Closed Road Permits progressively to cross-boundary private cars under the regular quotas for using the HZMB, so as to ensure smooth traffic flow at Hong Kong Port, the airport and Tung Chung, to facilitate members of the public going to these areas during the initial period after the commissioning of the HZMB. The TD will closely monitor the traffic situation in the vicinity of Hong Kong Port upon the commissioning of the HZMB, and will issue letters to inform owners of cross-boundary private cars under regular quotas for using other boundary crossings of the arrangements for using the HZMB as soon as possible.
Members of the public and motorists are advised to plan their trips well in advance. They can also check the latest traffic conditions via the TD’s all-in-one mobile application “HKeMobility”.
Details of the traffic and transport arrangements for the HZMB are available at the following dedicated website www.hzmb.gov.hk. read more
Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at the grand opening of International Culinary Institute (ICI) in Pokfulam this afternoon (October 26):
Dr Roy Chung (Chairman of Vocational Training Council (VTC)), Mr Andrew Leung (Chairman of ICI Steering Committee); Mrs Carrie Yau (Executive Director of VTC), distinguished guests, teachers, students, ladies and gentlemen,
I am delighted to join you today for the grand opening of the Vocational Training Council’s International Culinary Institute.
I took part in the groundbreaking ceremony for the Culinary Institute in 2014 as the Chief Secretary for Administration. After four and a half years, I must say it’s gratifying to be here for the formal opening of this purpose-built teaching and training institute in my new capacity as the Chief Executive. It’s gratifying because the results of the planning and remarkable commitment that has gone into bringing this state-of-the-art institute to creative life are simply remarkable.
The beneficiaries are, of course, the Hong Kong students and in-service practitioners eager to become professional chefs. No less important, the beneficiaries are the people of Hong Kong, and all who visit us from around the world to enjoy our great city, the culinary capital of Asia. More than 15,000 restaurants call Hong Kong home, and food and beverage services engage more than 240,000 people in Hong Kong. That speaks resoundingly of the value of our food and beverage industry, and the importance of ensuring a continuing flow of talent to serve Hong Kong.
The Culinary Institute will go a long way toward satisfying that need. Designed to support some 2,000 students, it boasts training kitchens as well as a training café, a wine forum, a hall of gastronomy for event training, a sensory lab for food science education and much more. Equally important, the Institute employs highly qualified teachers with solid industry experience. It also has celebrated international chefs as honorary advisors and an invaluable network of professionals and institutions from Hong Kong and from all over the world. In short, it has what Hong Kong needs to produce talented professionals capable of creating European, Mediterranean, American, Middle Eastern and Asian cuisine. Alongside our Chinese Culinary Institute and the Hospitality and Tourism Institute nearby, there will be a creative confluence of hospitality and culinary education, interaction and collaboration. I am sure that it will become one of the region’s leading international culinary institutes.
The Institute’s opening underlines my Government’s support for Vocational and Professional Education and Training, VPET. Such training offers more than technical and practical knowledge. It also provides whole-person development, soft-skills training and international experience. It aims to equip our students to meet the rising expectations of the industries and of the community.
The Vocational Training Council has, from its very beginning in 1982, served as a valued partner of the Government, building a quality workforce to support Hong Kong’s sustainable development. Indeed, the Culinary Institute is one of 13 VTC member institutions. Together, they provide education and training from post-secondary three to degree levels for some 250,000 students a year, enhancing professional knowledge and skills to meet our employment needs in this 21st century of opportunity.
That said, attracting students into vocational and professional training remains a challenge. The value of such training, and the bright prospects it offers our young people with the interest and suitable attributes, is still not fully appreciated by some in our community. With that in mind, my Government established the Task Force on Promotion of VPET earlier this year. Chaired by Roy, the task force will advise on strategies for building closer collaboration between business and our Vocational and Professional Education and Training. The goal is to promote the value of VPET for our youth in the context of a multiple pathway regime. Given your leadership, Roy, I’m sure the Task Force will deliver recommendations that make a decided difference for all concerned.
My Government will continue to work with the Vocational Training Council in providing the latest learning facilities for its students. Our recent support of the multi-disciplinary campus in Cha Kwo Ling and the Aircraft and Marine Engineering Centre at the IVE Tsing Yi campus reflect that commitment. So does this dynamic new campus. With its inspired salt crystal design, it stands as an essential element and a much welcomed addition to Hong Kong’s splendid vocational offerings.
Finally, my thanks to all those who have over the years contributed to the development of this marvelous new centre of excellence. I wish the International Culinary Institute, ICI, and its students every success in the years to come. Thank you very much.
