The Government announced today (May 3) that in order to fight the coronavirus epidemic, the Environmental Protection Department and the Drainage Services Department in collaboration with the cross-disciplinary team of the University… read more
The Kowloon City District Office together with the Kowloon City Police District and the Department of Health (DH) conducted an enforcement operation today (May 3) at a building in Hung Hom, which was included in a compulsory te… read more
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will present the concert “Generations on the Keys” by star pianists in June. Ten local veteran pianists from different generations will gather to showcase exquisite piano skills that inherit the essence of art, and celebrate the 60th anniversary of Hong Kong City Hall through enchanting music.
This concert features a line-up of excellent pianists, including Gabriel Kwok, Nancy Loo, Eva Lue, Eleanor Wong, and their protégés Chan Sze Yau, Chang Tao, Julie Kuok, Colleen Lee, Shum Kin-wai and Wong Ka-jeng. They will perform several classic compositions, including Liszt’s “Les jeux d’eaux à la Villa d’Este”, Rachmaninov’s “Valse and Romance”, Burchard’s rearrangement of Schubert’s “Theme and Variations from the ‘Trout Quintet'”, and the world premiere of Julie Kuok’s “Joy to the Feast” for four pianos and “Jam But Not Jammed” for five pianos, which is tailor-made for this concert.
Gabriel Kwok has been Head of Keyboard Studies at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) since 1989. Being a fellow of the United Kingdom’s (UK) Royal Academy of Music since 2003, he was awarded a Medal of Honour by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government in 2014 for his contribution to piano education.
Nancy Loo is one of Hong Kong’s most versatile artists, recognised as a pianist, radio programme hostess, actress and writer. As a pianist, she has given solo recitals and performed with orchestras in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia. She is a teacher of the HKAPA and the Chinese University of Hong Kong now.
Eva Lue received her musical education from the Royal College of Music in London, earning scholarships and prizes. She has devoted much of her time in pedagogic and adjudicating work in recent years, and currently teaches at the HKAPA.
Eleanor Wong is a professor at the HKAPA, a visiting teacher professor at the Shenzhen Arts School and Wuhan Conservatory of Music, an honorary professor of the Tianjin Conservatory of Music, and the Chairperson of the Piano Teachers’ Association in Hong Kong. She was awarded the Medal of Honour by the HKSAR Government in 2014 for her contribution to piano education.
The piano concert “Generations on the Keys” will be staged at 8pm on June 6 (Monday) at the Concert Hall of Hong Kong City Hall. Tickets priced at $160, $220 and $280 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 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_1280.html.
In order to comply with the requirements stipulated in the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F) and relevant requirements of administrative instructions, visitors are required to scan the “LeaveHomeSafe” venue QR code with their mobile phones/other mobile devices before being allowed to enter the performing arts venues managed by the LCSD for necessary contact tracing if a confirmed case is found. In accordance with the Prevention and Control of Disease (Vaccine Pass) Regulation (Cap. 599L) and relevant requirements of administrative instructions, all persons entering indoor venues under the management of the LCSD must comply with the requirement of the Vaccine Pass. read more
The Government yesterday (May 2) exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a “restriction-testing declaration” effective from 4pm yesterday, under which people (hereafter referred to as “persons subject to compulsory testing”) within the specified “restricted area” in Tseung Kwan O (i.e. Block 4, Serenity Place, Tseung Kwan O) were required to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing. Persons subject to compulsory testing were required to stay in their premises until all such persons identified in the “restricted area” had undergone testing and the test results were mostly ascertained. All persons in the “restricted area” who have tested positive in the past three months, including positive cases identified either by nucleic acid tests recorded by the Department of Health (DH) or by rapid antigen tests that have been self-declared to the DH, were not required to undergo testing in this compulsory testing exercise.
Moreover, the Government issued a compulsory testing notice yesterday, requiring persons who had been present at the above building for more than two hours from April 26 to May 2, 2022, even if they were not present in the “restricted area” at the time when the declaration took effect, to undergo compulsory testing on or before May 4, 2022.
The Government announced the completion of the compulsory testing exercise at around 8am today (May 3) and carried out enforcement action in the “restricted area” afterwards to verify that all people in the “restricted area” had undergone compulsory testing in accordance with the requirements of the relevant declaration and compulsory testing notice. The Government announced that the enforcement operation ended at around 10.30am today.
The Government provided food packs for persons subject to compulsory testing so as to facilitate the meal arrangements of persons subject to compulsory testing. Rapid antigen test kits, as well as anti-epidemic proprietary Chinese medicines supplied by the Central People’s Government, were also provided to persons subject to compulsory testing to help them fight against the virus.
The Government thanks persons subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding. With everyone’s co-operation and efforts, coupled with the tireless efforts of the testing contractors, residents have been informed about their testing results by SMS notification. After finishing the compulsory testing exercise at around 8am today, the Government took enforcement action in the “restricted area” immediately to verify that all people in the “restricted area” had undergone testing according to the requirements of the declaration and the compulsory testing notice. Persons who could present an SMS notification containing a negative testing result as proof of having undergone the compulsory testing could leave the “restricted area” through the designated exit after providing personal information to a prescribed officer. The enforcement operation was completed at around 10.30am. Test records of about 310 persons subject to compulsory testing were checked. Thirty-three persons were found not having undergone compulsory testing and compulsory testing orders were issued to them. Taking into account the above situation, the Secretary for Food and Health revoked the “restriction-testing declaration” in accordance with Cap. 599J (see attachment).
The Government reminds the 21 households who have not answered the door to contact the Government for arrangement of testing as soon as possible after reading the notices put up by the Government, in the hope of eliminating the possible risk of further spread of the virus in the community.
The Government thanks all participating government staff and the testing agencies for their hard work. The Government is also grateful to those subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding, and their full co-operation during this period in undergoing testing and waiting for the results at home.
The Government will seriously follow up on the compliance situation of the compulsory testing notices and the “restriction-testing declaration” by persons subject to compulsory testing. Any person who fails to comply with the compulsory testing notices commits an offence and may be fined a fixed penalty of $10,000. The person would also be issued with a compulsory testing order requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the compulsory testing order or the “restriction-testing declaration” is an offence and the offender would be liable to a fine of level 5 ($50,000) and imprisonment for six months. read more
A Government spokesman announced today (May 3) that the supply of fresh food from the Mainland yesterday (May 2) was sufficient and stable.
According to the latest information, the quantity of vegetables supplied from the Mainland to Hong Kong yesterday (as of midnight) by land and water transportation was over 2 500 tonnes, comparable to the average daily supply from the Mainland on a normal day. The volume of vegetables supplied from the Mainland to Hong Kong sold through the wholesale markets of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) and the Vegetable Marketing Organization was about 753 tonnes. The average wholesale prices of choi sum and pak choi stood at $7.60 and $6.30 per catty respectively yesterday, largely comparable to the levels of a normal day. The supply of eggs to the wholesale market remained steady, with the average daily supply standing at over 3.2 million for the past week, comparable to the average daily supply on a normal day last year.
The total supply of chilled meat from the Mainland yesterday was over 42 tonnes. The supply of live pigs was plentiful.
The supply of chilled poultry from the Mainland was about 150 000 head yesterday, and over 9 000 live chickens were slaughtered locally. The supply was abundant.
Regarding the rice supply, in compliance with the requirement by the Government, stockholders of rice have to maintain the reserve stock of rice at a level sufficient for consumption by the local population for 15 days. The trade generally stocks double the required amount, which is sufficient for one month’s consumption by Hong Kong citizens. In recent years, the import and consumption of rice in Hong Kong has stood at a steady level of around 320 000 to 330 000 tonnes per year. The import quantity (including reserve stock) as of end-March 2022 was 27 300 tonnes. Suppliers also maintain a reserve for food that can be stored, such as frozen meat, for around three months’ stock generally.
The Government will continue to maintain close liaison with the Mainland authorities and major food suppliers to ensure a stable food supply.
The AFCD updates and publishes the fresh food supply information daily. Members of the public may visit the AFCD website for updates on daily supplies and wholesale prices of fresh food (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/agriculture/agr_fresh/agr_fresh.html). read more