The Government today (April 29) announced that the Chief Executive has, pursuant to section 4 of the Urban Renewal Authority Ordinance, re-appointed Mr Chow Chung-kong as Chairman of the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) Board, and also re-appointed/appointed 16 non-executive directors of the URA Board, including four official non-executive directors, for a term of three years with effect from May 1, 2022.
 
     The four newly appointed non-official non-executive directors are Mr Chan Ka-kui, Ms Janice Lai Wai-man, Mrs Sylvia Lam Yu Ka-wai and Ms Yvonne Yeung Kin-ha.  The eight re-appointed non-official non-executive directors are Mr Vincent Cheng Wing-shun, Ms Ivy Chua Suk-lin, Mr Ho Wing-cheong, Dr Lee Ho-yin, Ms Elaine Lo Yuen-man, Professor Tang Bo-sin, Ms Judy Tong Kei-yuk and Dr Wong Yuen-shan.
 
     The Secretary for Development, Mr Michael Wong, welcomed the re-appointment of Mr Chow as Chairman of the URA Board. "I am grateful to Mr Chow Chung-kong for continuing to lead the URA. With his rich experience and leadership, I am confident that the URA will continue to take forward urban renewal with innovation and vision," he said.
 
     "The newly appointed non-official non-executive directors come from different sectors of the community. I am sure their expertise and extensive experience in their respective fields will help contribute and provide invaluable insights to the work of the URA," he added.
 
     Mr Wong also expressed gratitude to the four retiring non-official non-executive directors, namely Ms Judy Chan Ka-pui, Mr Roger Luk Koon-hoo, Mrs Cecilia Wong Ng Kit-wah and Mr Michael Wong Yick-kam, for their invaluable contributions to the URA.
 
     The new URA Board will comprise 17 non-official non-executive directors (including the Chairman), four official non-executive directors and three executive directors. All the non-official non-executive directors are appointed in their personal capacity. The membership list was gazetted today.
 
     The membership of the URA Board is set out below:

Chairman
———-
Mr Chow Chung-kong
 
Non-Executive Directors (Non-official)
—————————————-
Mr Evan Au Yang Chi-chun
Mr William Chan Fu-keung
Mr Chan Ka-kui
Mr Vincent Cheng Wing-shun
Ms Ivy Chua Suk-lin
Mr Ho Wing-cheong
Mr Kwok Wai-keung
Ms Janice Lai Wai-man
Mrs Sylvia Lam Yu Ka-wai
Dr Lee Ho-yin
Ms Elaine Lo Yuen-man
Professor Tang Bo-sin
Ms Judy Tong Kei-yuk
Mr Tony Tse Wai-chuen
Dr Wong Yuen-shan
Ms Yvonne Yeung Kin-ha
 
Non-Executive Directors (Official)
———————————–
Director of Buildings
Director of Lands
Director of Planning
Deputy Director of Home Affairs (2)
 
Executive Directors
——————–
Managing Director / Deputy Chairman
Two Executive Directors

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will present the "City Hall Virtuosi Series: Romer String Quartet" concert in May, featuring a selection of classical compositions by a talented local chamber group, the Romer String Quartet.
 
     Three quartets including Milhaud’s "String Quartet No. 1, Op. 5", Mendelssohn-Hensel’s "String Quartet in E-flat" and Mozart’s "String Quartet No. 23 in F, K. 590 (Prussian No. 3)" will be presented in the concert.
 
     Named after Romer's tree frog, which is endemic to Hong Kong, the Romer String Quartet is a local ensemble formed by home-grown musicians including Kitty Cheung (violin), Kiann Chow (violin), Ringo Chan (viola) and Eric Yip (cello). Since its debut in 2013, the quartet has performed at Carnegie Hall and the Eastman School of Music in New York, the Toppan Hall in Tokyo, the Shanghai Concert Hall, the Sabah Art Gallery in Malaysia and the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing over the years. The ensemble is also frequently invited to perform in local festivals such as the Hong Kong Arts Festival, World Cultures Festival, and Beare's Premiere Music Festival.
 
     Giving world-premieres of many commissioned works by young composers frequently, the Romer String Quartet has also staged many cross-genre performances in collaboration with artists. As part of a multimedia project titled "Muted Situations", the Romer String Quartet performed in a pre-recorded video which was featured in the Asia Triennial Manchester in the United Kingdom, Art Basel Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong New Vision Arts Festival. The quartet is also dedicated to promoting chamber music to younger generations in Asia by organising workshops as well as being an ensemble-in-residence for various organisations.

     "City Hall Virtuosi Series: Romer String Quartet" will be staged at 8pm on May 31 (Tuesday) at the Theatre of Hong Kong City Hall. Tickets priced at $200 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone credit card bookings, please call 2111 5999. Package discounts will be available for the "City Hall Virtuosi" Series and "Our Music Talents" Series held from May to August. For discount schemes and programme enquiries, please call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_1313.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" QR code 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. 

     â€‹The Transport Department today (April 29) invited tenders for a contract for telecommunication services (Contract No. TD(T) 8/2021).

     The service period of this contract will be from October 2022 to September 2027. The contract mainly covers the provision of telecommunication services for data transmission among on-street traffic signal control systems and related equipment, regional hubs and traffic control centres.

     Interested contractors can obtain the tender documents and other particulars from the Traffic Control Division, Transport Department, 14th Floor, West Kowloon Government Offices (South Tower), 11 Hoi Ting Road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon.

     Tenders should be deposited in the Government Secretariat Tender Box located at the Lobby of the Public Entrance on the Ground Floor, East Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong. The deadline for submission of tenders is at noon on June 10, 2022 (Friday).

     For enquiries, please call 3842 6122.

     The Government has proposed to construct two permanent stormwater outfalls within an area of approximately 1,670 square metres of foreshore and seabed situated in Sha Tau Kok. The extent of the area of foreshore and seabed affected is described in a notice gazetted today (April 29).

     The proposed works include construction of two stormwater outfalls, installation of flap valves at the existing stormwater outfalls and reconstruction of the affected part of seawall in order to support the operation of the drainage system at Kong Ha and Sha Tau Kok Town, Sha Tau Kok. The proposed works are tentatively scheduled to commence in the third quarter of 2023 for completion in the third quarter of 2028.

     The notice and its related plan are posted near the site. The plan is also available for inspection at:

* Survey and Mapping Office of the Lands Department (23/F, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, North Point, Hong Kong) (where copies can be purchased on order);

* North Home Affairs Enquiry Centre of the North District Office (G/F, North District Government Offices, 3 Pik Fung Road, Fanling, New Territories); and

* Lands Department's website (www.landsd.gov.hk) under Government Notices.

     Any person who considers that he or she has an interest, right or easement in or over the foreshore and seabed involved may submit a written objection to the Director of Lands, 20/F, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, North Point, Hong Kong, within two months from the gazette date, i.e. on or before June 29. The notice of such objection shall describe the interest, right or easement of the objector and the manner in which he or she will be allegedly affected.

     The Lands Department (LandsD) announced today (April 29) that three pieces of government land in Yuen Long and Tuen Mun will be let by way of short-term tenancy through tender to eligible brownfield operators affected by the land resumption and clearance exercises before or within next year under relevant government development projects. 

     The tender commences today and will close at noon on May 31. Details of the three pieces of land and the list of relevant government development projects involved are described in a Government Notice gazetted today.

     Under the prevailing arrangements, business operators affected by government development projects will be offered statutory compensation in accordance with the law, or ex-gratia allowances as an alternative, subject to fulfilment of relevant eligibility criteria. 

     A spokesperson for the LandsD said that in order to facilitate brownfield operators' relocation of businesses or operations, and to optimise the utilisation of land resources, the LandsD has been identifying suitable vacant sites on government land to let through tender by way of short-term tenancy.

     The three pieces of land to be let through tender are suitable for storage and warehouse uses, while one of them is also suitable for use as a fee-paying public car-park.  

     The spokesperson stressed that the LandsD will continue to identify vacant sites suitable for use by those brownfield operators required to be displaced and these sites will be let through tender by way of short-term tenancy.