God called you, and God has a plan for you
An OM worker in Cambodia shares about how a new training she is attending is transforming the way she does ministry.
Discipleship along the Mekong River
OM teams in five countries along the Mekong River in South East Asia are focusing on discipling local believers to see them equipped to share about Jesus with those who have never heard His name.
Making disciples and furniture
An OM worker from Latin America uses his carpentry skills to disciple young men in their faith and give them better employment opportunities for the future.
Visiting an underground church
Despite being aware of the need for discretion when talking about Jesus, Argentinian Cecilia felt no fear while she was in Central Asia.
Alcanzar a la comunidad japonesa en Argentina
Buenos Aires, Argentina :: Miembros de la comunidad japonesa encuentran amigos en un barco de visita y escuchan el evangelio en su lengua materna.
Keinen vergessen
Buenos Aires, Argentinen :: Die Mannschaft der Logos Hope zeigt mit Jugend mit einer Mission alten Menschen Gottes Liebe
None shall be forgotten
Buenos Aires, Argentina :: Logos Hope's crew joins Youth With A Mission to show God's love to elderly people.
The God of India, Singapore and the Middle East
Doron's experience on Logos Hope shows him God's faithfulness and uncovers leadership abilities he is using today in a new role.
Eine Bibel für die Kurden
Eine Bibel-App bietet Tausenden von Kurden Zugang zu Gottes Wort.
The moments that make it all worth it
"If you are starting out on the language and culture learning journey or if you have been at it a while and are feeling tired and despondent, I encourage you to persevere. To stick with it and pray for strength to continue. Keep asking questions and keep learning about the culture," urges Beth.
Not your stereotypical missionary
From age 17, Ana Maria prayed to serve God in Switzerland. While she waited, she became a dance instructor with no idea dance would become her ministry.
Back-to-work training boosts skills
The recent economic downturn has dealt a severe blow to many employees. However, for Shiu Yin-ming and Poon Man-kit, the crisis has brought them skill-upgrading opportunities.
Miss Shiu has over 30 years’ experience in the retail industry. Her last job was a salesperson at a lighting store. Struck by the competition with online stores and a series of protests, the shop closed in October last year and left her unemployed.
“I have got no choice. Many people in Hong Kong have mortgage burdens. It is the most worrying part. And it is frightening to see my account balance drop,” she said.
Miss Shiu spent several months trying to get a job but failed.
“Of course I was frustrated. Perhaps the employers think that young people are more hard-working. It is difficult for middle-aged people like me to get a job. It hurt my confidence and I hesitated to keep going."
Seeing the demand in the healthcare industry, Miss Shiu decided to swap careers. She joined the Love Upgrading Special Scheme and enrolled in the Foundation Certificate in Care-related Support Worker Training.
The course covered basic pathology and healthcare skills. It also arranged recruitment from the Hospital Authority in class. Miss Shiu said the special course helped her to find a job and she will soon work at a nursing home.
“It is like an admission ticket. During an interview at a nursing home, the interviewer asked how I would change a nappy for an elderly person. I answered what I had learnt from the course. Moreover, as I have not participated in an interview after so many years of work, the interview skills that I have learnt from the course have geared me up,” she said.
Better prospects
Young newcomers to the job market are also affected by the economic downturn.
Mr Poon has been engaged in casual work in the catering industry. The 19-year-old said there used to be plenty of casual job opportunities on career websites, but that is no longer the case. He has been underemployed in recent months and feels his family just see him as someone who is not in education, employment, or training.
“The full-time waiters have not got much work to do, and each of them is assigned to be responsible for a few positions. So, the restaurant does not need extra casual manpower. My relatives look down on me like I am a neet,” he said.
Mr Poon has enrolled in the Foundation Certificate in Barista Training to gain experience in different positions in the industry.
"Many coffee shops and hotels need people to make latte art. I think the course will help me get a job more easily. I plan to further enroll in other courses relating to pastry-making," he added.
Skills upgrade
The Love Upgrading Special Scheme, launched in last October, provides free training to employees affected by the recent economic downturn to upgrade their skills. The courses are conducted in full-time or part-time mode and offer special allowances.
According to the Employees Retraining Board, as of the end of March, more than 12,200 people have applied for the scheme. About one-third of them are aged between 50 to 59.
The applicants mainly come from the catering, retail, social and personal services industries.
The most popular course is the Foundation Certificate in Care-related Support Worker Training, followed by courses related to baker and pastry cook, barista and security training.
Employees Retraining Board Executive Director Byron Ng said the 66 courses under the scheme were specially selected.
“We want to help those employees in the hard-hit industries like tourism, catering, retail, hotel, construction, etc. Also, we want to provide courses in industries which demand heavy labour during this period, such as healthcare and innovative technology.”
The scheme does not impose any restrictions on the trainees’ industry and educational attainment.
“We hope to encourage all unemployed or underemployed employees, including those who are highly educated, and take these chances to upgrade their own skills so they can re-enter the market smoothly,” Mr Ng said.
He added that those who have completed a full-time vocational skills course will get a follow-up service that includes three months of employment.
The second phase of the scheme will be launched in July, and the monthly maximum allowance is expected to increase from $4,000 to $5,800.
H2OPE Centre hydrates young minds
Children gain a valuable insight into Hong Kong’s waterworks by directing the flow of water at an attraction designed to emulate the water cycle at the Water Supplies Department’s brand new H2OPE Centre.
They learn how rain passes through catchwaters in mountains and is filtered and distributed to people’s homes at the attraction, one of the 54 games or displays at the water education centre.
Kids can also try their hand at a fishing simulator to learn about tips and advice on fishing in reservoirs and discover ways to recycle and save water at other exhibits of the 720-sq m centre, which opened in December.
“It is extremely fun. We do not have this at school. I know how to save water now,” student Kim Lam said.
“Usually, we sit in a classroom and answer questions. But now we can learn about water in Hong Kong by playing games. It is excellent,” fellow student Alan Zeng added.
Children can also watch immersive videos at the centre’s 3D dome theatre.
Deeper understanding
The department hopes the centre will raise public awareness about water conservation.
“Its exhibits, live demonstrations and interactive games help visitors gain more insight into Hong Kong’s water resources,” Water Supplies Department Senior Engineer Irene Tong explained.
People can also visit the city’s important waterworks facilities such as the Waterworks Heritage Trails and the High Island Reservoir in Sai Kung, by joining the department’s Excursion with Water Save Dave.
Water Save Dave is the department’s mascot to help promote a water conservation culture in the community.
Water Supplies Department Engineer Fion Chan said: “Water Save Dave is blue and shaped like a water drop to encourage us to cherish every single drop of water.
“We hope that guided tours of waterworks facilities will raise the public’s awareness about water resources and conservation.”
Redressing HK with eco-fashion
The modern day phenomenon of fast fashion has completely changed consumer and retailer behaviour.
The latest trends fresh off the catwalk are now available off the rack in record time and for a fraction of the price. But these garments are usually made of cheap, low quality materials that fall apart after a few wears and end up in the landfill.
Fast fashion’s impact on the environment is huge. This is where environmental non-governmental organisation Redress plays a role.
Drawing board
Launched in 2007, Redress works to reduce waste in the fashion industry. It promotes sustainability through organising fashion shows, seminars and exhibitions in Hong Kong and abroad.
In 2011, the EcoChic Design Award was born. Relaunched as the Redress Design Award in 2018, it is open to emerging fashion designers and design students all over the world. The award aims to inspire designers to create mainstream clothing with minimal textile waste.
Redress Circular Fashion Programme Director Kay Liu explained the motivation behind setting up the award came from discovering that 80% of a product’s environmental impact is determined during the design stage.
“That means designers have a lot of influence on how their product is going to impact the environment, so we really want to spread the message for fashion designers to understand the power they have and to positively impact the industry,” Ms Liu added.
The competition works to educate emerging fashion designers around the world about sustainable design theories and techniques to drive growth towards a circular fashion system.
In the space of a decade, the award has evolved from a local competition to the largest global platform for talented fashion game changers to transform the fashion industry worldwide.
Fashion muse
Keith Chan is one of those young design talents. His collection, inspired by Hong Kong’s signature neon signs, won him the Hong Kong Best Prize for 2019.
Mr Chan said his fellow competitors inspired him to try out different sustainable design techniques. A designer from Spain used natural plant dyes to colour her garments and changed his perspective on the industry’s dyeing methods.
“This is not only about design, you also need to consider our society, really think about the materials you use and how to make your outfit better,” Mr Chan noted.
Fashion design students like Jasmine Leung were also inspired through joining the competition.
Each competition cycle takes participants on an educational journey lasting several theory and design-packed months to educate designers about fashion’s negative environmental impacts.
By attending seminars and completing various tasks for her collection, Ms Leung gained a better understanding of eco-fashion.
“The award gave me an opportunity to acquire practical fashion knowledge beyond the classroom. I have learnt about circular design strategy, like applying the concept of zero waste, recycling and upcycling.”
Major milestone
The Redress Design Award marks its 10th cycle this year. Many of its alumni have gone on to establish more than 40 sustainable brands globally, with some already receiving international recognition.
A new addition to this year’s contest is the Redress All-Star design competition which is open to alumni from past cycles to mark the milestone birthday. Applications for the Redress Design Award 2020 officially opened on January 8.
To celebrate the 10th cycle, a retrospective exhibition is also being held at The Mills until January 19, where visitors can get a close-up look at all the winners’ creations.
HK Airport sets green standard
The Airport Authority expanded the scope of its food waste recycling programme in 2011 to cover Hong Kong International Airport business partners, including restaurants and lounges operating in terminal buildings, as well as airline catering companies, hotels and cargo terminals.
In 2017-18, over 2,000 tonnes of food waste from 17 airport business partners were collected for recycling.
Rainie Ho, the supervisor of one participating restaurant, said staff make every effort to collect food waste on a constant basis.
“We have three bins of recycled food waste, including eggs, toast, bread, chicken, meat, pork bones, tea and coffee every day.”
Ms Ho gave kudos to the Airport Authority for making the process simple.
“The Airport Authority provides us with garbage bags every month. We explain to our staff that the red bags are for food waste, while the black ones are for general rubbish. This makes it easier for them to remember and handle.”
Airport Authority Assistant General Manager (Sustainability) Mike Kilburn is the facilitator of the food waste recycling programme. He hoped to encourage more business partners to join by making the scheme as trouble-free as possible.
“This is an example of an easy, useful and free programme because the contractor comes to collect from each company and the contractor provides a clean rubbish bin for the food waste, they take the food waste away, they wash the bin and then they bring it back clean.
“And it is useful because the food waste is not just sent to the landfill, but it is turned into fish meal so it goes back into the food chain because the fish meal is fed to the fish and the people can eat the fish, so it is a very complete system.”
Surplus food collection
In addition to food waste recycling, the authority promotes the Food Rescue Programme in co-operation with a local non-governmental organisation called Food Angel.
In 2013, the authority helped Food Angel to purchase a refrigerated truck and covered the cost of collecting surplus food from business partners on the airport island.
By 2014, a central storage room was set up in the terminal building to collect even more surplus food from catering outlets.
By proving it can reduce its environmental impact by working closely with the entire airport community, the authority was recognised at the 2018 Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence where it won the Gold Award for the Public & Community Services Sector.
Future prep
In 2018, the authority launched a voluntary municipal solid waste charging pilot scheme to achieve waste reduction.
It has assisted more than 200 tenants with measuring their waste generation and calculating what it would cost to dump it in the future.
Another participating restaurant manager Alfred Lau explained that the pilot scheme helps restaurants gear up for the polluter-pays principle.
“A mock monthly invoice was issued to us, showing the quantity of waste disposed and the estimated disposal charge. Now we understand that by reducing our waste, we will pay less in the end.”
Mr Lau believes the pilot scheme encourages eateries to alter their disposal behaviour by recycling as much food waste as possible.
“Our disposed waste amount fell sharply once we learnt useful ways to recycle. Our restaurant is located in the restricted area of the airport where drinks are not allowed to be brought inside. So many passengers buy bottled drinks and create a large amount of plastic waste. Just by recycling plastic bottles, our waste decreased significantly.”
The authority said it is proud to be the driving force behind waste reduction.
“We make it easy for them because we do all the organisation, we make it useful because they can help them to prepare, and it is free for them to join the programme. This is very important for us because as the Airport Authority, our job is to create a concept that other people can follow and if you address those three criteria, you make it very hard for them to say no to you. We take away their reasons to say no, so it is easy for them to join our scheme,” said Mr Kilburn.
The Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence is led by the Environmental Campaign Committee alongside the Environmental Protection Department and in conjunction with nine organisations. The objective is to reduce Hong Kong’s environmental impact by promoting environmental management.
The Airport Authority’s current target is to reduce, recycle and recover 50% of all its waste by 2021.
MacLehose Trail evokes memories
Stretching from Sai Kung on the east coast to Tuen Mun in the west, the whopping 100 km-long MacLehose Trail is the longest and first long-distance hiking trail in Hong Kong.
The trail is divided into 10 sections and traverses eight country parks which embrace magnificent natural scenery, interesting historical relics and a wide range of wild fauna and flora, winding past the coastline, rugged mountains, valleys and reservoirs to provide a diverse outdoor experience for hikers.
It was even named as one of the world's 20 dream trails by National Geographic.
A lot of hard work went into building the trail, with Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department workers out in the elements without much shelter, often carrying heavy equipment uphill and downhill over varied terrain.
Building bonds
Wan Keung and Lai Hing joined the department around 40 years ago. They both took part in the MacLehose Trail project which was started in 1979 to promote hiking activities in Hong Kong.
The project was named after the then-Governor Sir Murray MacLehose - who was himself a keen walker - for his significant efforts to conserve Hong Kong’s countryside.
“I have contributed a lot to the trail. I am happy as it is packed with people now,” said Mr Wan.
While Mr Lai added: “We are going to retire, but the trail will be here for a long time.”
Despite working on the same project, the pair - now in their 60s - only met for the first time recently because they were assigned to different work stations back then. However, they became firm friends instantly.
From setting up the many signposts along the way, to hand-building the heavy stone steps, the two men eagerly shared all the skills and techniques they learnt on the project.
Listening to their conversations now it is hard to imagine that when they first started work, both had little practical knowledge about constructing a trail. They acquired welding, plastering and woodwork skills through hands-on experience and with the support of their seniors. But that was not the biggest challenge they encountered.
“Building the trail was really difficult, as there were so many sections. We were either drowned in sweat or drenched by rain while working,” Mr Lai explained.
One poignant memory for Mr Wan was of working during wildfires that raged through the countryside.
“There was only one thing for it: we stayed until the fire was extinguished. That was really hard.”
Lasting legacy
After nine months’ hard work the MacLehose Trail was finally opened on October 26, 1979.
These days Mr Wan and Mr Lai enjoy the trail for leisure instead of work.
Both said receiving compliments from family and friends or witnessing the sheer enjoyment of hikers on the trail made their hard work worthwhile.
They now hope to pass on their skills to the younger workers, so that a new generation of Hong Kong people can take care of the trail and ensure it lasts for decades to come.
A smart space for innovation
Entrepreneur Ricky Chan’s information technology company has been hard at work developing a virtual reality application that enables designers and their clients to walk through different versions of their home or office without having to physically move a single piece of furniture.
From the colour of the walls to the style of fixtures and fittings, Mr Chan’s app caters to all personal tastes and design ideas.
“We have customers who are interior designers or furniture retailers. Our virtual reality application brings their sketches to life. Designers in the past needed weeks to produce sketches. Now they can make designs instantly,” he explained.
Up to 40% of the application was developed at Smart-Space 8 in Tsuen Wan, Cyberport’s first co-working space outside its main Pok Fu Lam campus.
“Cyberport provides funding that helps to lower our expenses and we can hold seminars here with a rental fee that is much lower than the market price,” Mr Chan added.
The 20,000 sq ft space launched last year was specifically designed with young entrepreneurs in mind and provides workshops and seminars for startups. For companies that wish to join the Smart-Space 8 community, one of its founders must be aged between 18 and 35 and the company itself should not have been in operation for longer than seven years.
Smart-Space 8 users are entitled to comprehensive entrepreneurial support and value-added services to accelerate their businesses such as the Cyberport Creative Micro Fund and Cyberport Incubation Programme.
Mr Chan, who lives in the New Territories, said the added bonus of setting up shop in Smart-Space 8 is the commute, as Cyberport in Pok Fu Lam is farther away for him and his clients.
Cyberport may be expanding beyond Pok Fu Lam, but some entrepreneurs like agriculture technology company CEO and founder Gordon Tam have opted to stay at the home campus because of the incentives available.
“The business network here is unique. There are so many startups and we encourage and learn from each other.”
Mr Tam’s company sells vegetables from an indoor farm to local supermarkets and is now exploring the overseas market. He credits the vibrant community and ecosystem at Cyberport for building up his business.
“Traditional agriculture comes with a host of problems and the efficiency of Hong Kong’s agriculture industry is relatively low. This is why we are looking into indoor agriculture. We want to grow plants in industrial buildings.”
When Mr Tam joined the Cyberport Incubation Programme, his firm was offered two years of rent reduction. But more importantly, he said, the space is a one-of-a-kind ecosystem where his team can brainstorm ideas and continue to innovate.
Other startup owners share the same sentiment. Information technology company CEO and founder Stark Chan noted that with Cyberport as a public body, it offers a lot of support and rents are more stable.
“We have been here since we first started up. My colleagues are familiar with this environment and the atmosphere is good for innovation,” Mr Chan said.
A century of saving lives
The ambulance service has been part of the Fire Services Department since 1919 and its mobile ambulance technology is keeping pace with the evolution of technology in hospitals.
To aid ambulance crews in the race against time to save lives, the department installed automatic chest compression machines in all ambulances in October.
The advanced device helps medics respond to a cardiac arrest by delivering uninterrupted compressions at the right rhythm and the right amount of pressure.
Fire & Ambulance Services Academy Deputy Commandant (Ambulance Services Training) Terence Ng explained that the device enables paramedics to treat patients on their way to the hospital.
“It has other advantages as well, like reducing the compression pause significantly, lowering the risk of injuries suffered by ambulance personnel as a result of performing chest compressions in different environments, allowing ambulance personnel to perform chest compression continuously in a constrained environment, and releasing more ambulance manpower to carry out other treatment procedures.”
Keeping pace
Such advanced equipment was not available to ambulance crews in the past.
Retired Principal Ambulanceman Simon Wong and Assistant Chief Ambulance Officer Conrad Yung visited the Fire & Ambulance Services Education Centre & Museum to discover the century-long history of ambulance services in the city.
Both have witnessed the continuous improvement and development of equipment, knowledge and techniques of ambulance personnel.
Mr Wong joined the Fire Services Department as an ambulanceman in 1978 and retired after 34 years of service. He noted one of the major changes to the department was the implementation of the Paramedic Ambulance Service in 2005.
“When I joined the department, we were well trained to provide ambulance services. We would arrive at the scene and then transport the patient to the hospital as soon as possible. We rarely provided pre-hospital treatment. However, when I retired, there was an obvious change. Ambulance personnel now provide paramedic care for patients in ambulances.”
Mr Ng said the service provides medications and equipment to help improve the survival rate of emergency patients.
“Advanced treatments like airway insertion and defibrillation used to be confined to the hospital. However, paramedics brought them into pre-hospital settings. Paramedics administer advanced treatments and protocols to the patient at the scene or en route to hospital in order to stabilise the patient and increase the patient’s survival rate. This protocol allows ambulance personnel to treat a wide range of emergencies, including cardiac arrest, shortness of breath and cardiac origin chest pain.”
Mr Yung, who joined the Fire Services Department in 1960, noted that treatment methods have come a long way since then.
“I was an ambulanceman when typhoon Wanda hit Hong Kong in 1962. At that time, ambulances were only equipped with respiratory equipment, a medicine box and blankets. These tools are simple but important. But in the past, even though we knew that a patient had internal bleeding, we could not do anything to help. We did not have the tools and equipment for that.”
Ambulances these days are equipped with ultrasound scanners to detect internal bleeding.
Up-close look
The Fire & Ambulance Services Education Centre & Museum, housed inside the Fire & Ambulance Services Academy in Tseung Kwan O, has a four-story exhibition hall offering interactive and multimedia information facilities.
Visitors can get a close-up look at fire appliances and ambulances parked in the large exhibition areas, as well as uniforms and equipment.
The venue is open for group and individual visits which can be booked on its website.
3D mapping unlocks a new world
Residents may have seen a distinctive white car, fitted with advanced imaging and sensory gadgetry, on its journey to create the next generation of Hong Kong maps.
As it travels up and down the city’s streets, it records the three-dimensional shapes of buildings ranging from the iconic Convention & Exhibition Centre to the Customs Headquarters Building, and even primary school campuses.
The vehicle, dubbed the Mobile Mapping System, is one of the latest technologies used by the Lands Department to survey the city.
Five pieces of equipment work in concert to collect detailed information for the 3D City Map - a core component of the digital infrastructure underpinning Hong Kong’s smart city development.
A high-resolution camera on top of the vehicle captures 360-degree images and a 3D laser scanner collects spatial measurements. An inertial navigation system and a global navigation satellite system receiver provide precise positioning.
Lands Department Assistant Land Surveyor Charlie Hung said one of the biggest advantages of this system is its ability to quickly and efficiently acquire data, which can be used to enrich 3D models and enhance existing maps.
“We can enhance the attributed information of our basic map. For example, the lamppost number, the building name or the street number.”
Drones are also used to map the city, she added. However, air surveying may not be suitable for collecting data from ground level. This is where the Mobile Mapping System vehicle comes into play.
Better data
The 3D City Map is part of the 3D Digital Map Development, which aims to contribute to an innovative, sustainable and smart Hong Kong.
Compared with traditional maps, the 3D City Map can provide more accurate and abundantly better spatial data.
The map will cover the entire city by 2023, serving as a handy tool for analysis and planning, according to Lands Department Land Surveyor Ben Fan.
He said: “Based on the 3D digital map, we can develop various kinds of applications such as land administration, environmental assessment, town planning and also transport and engineering studies.”
The latest transport infrastructures such as the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, the Central-Wan Chai Bypass and the Heung Yuen Wai Highway have also been scanned.
In the next stage of the 3D Digital Map Development, the department will create the 3D Indoor Map. As a start, data from 150 buildings in Kowloon East will be collected first before extending to other buildings in the city.
The last stage 3D models of objects such as trees and lampposts for city modelling will be produced.
Celebrating a Cultural Centre star
Mozart once called the pipe organ the “king of instruments” and Hong Kong has musical royalty sitting in the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui.
It is hard to miss the pipe organ when you are inside the Cultural Centre Concert Hall. With its four manuals, 93 stops and 8,000 pipes, it can produce an exceptional array of timbre and volume.
“The pipe organ is the ‘pearl’ of a concert hall,” explained pipe organist Chiu Siu-ling.
“Its enormous range of sounds, coupled with a huge variety of tone colours, creates a remarkable musical experience equivalent to that of an orchestra. It is the king of instruments.”
Star performer
The four-storey tall pipe organ was hand-made by famed Austrian manufacturer Rieger Orgelbau and installed when the Cultural Centre was built 30 years ago. It has attracted several world-renowned performers to Hong Kong over the years.
“When we built it in 1989, it was the first, huge mechanically operated organ in Asia. I think it is still our biggest organ we have ever built in Asia,” Rieger pipe organ maintenance technician Gerhard Pohl said.
He added that the instrument is also remarkably versatile.
“There are many organs they are built just for one musical style. On this organ, you can play everything, even jazz music.”
Mr Pohl comes to Hong Kong once a year to give the 30-year-old organ its annual health check. In between visits by the manufacturer’s technicians, William Wen ensures the Cultural Centre’s star performer remains in tip-top condition.
Top tuner
Mr Wen is Hong Kong’s only pipe organ maintenance technician. He carries out routine checks on the instrument and tunes it every month.
“Keeping it in tune is my responsibility. I take care of it.”
Mr Wen was one of the first in Hong Kong to learn the instrument in the 1980s. He became interested in pipe organ maintenance after a visit to an organ manufacturing company in Europe.
He recalled that in the ‘80s, organists in Hong Kong were few and far between. He was called upon to test the Cultural Centre organ before the grand opening, making him one of the first organists to play it.
“It was dark in the hall, so at first, I only noticed the organ’s keys. When I got closer, I was astounded by just how big the instrument was.”
Mr Wen takes up to five hours per maintenance visit to thoroughly check the pipes and tune the organ. He explained that the organ is regularly updated and was fitted with an electrical coupler system, providing greater flexibility in switching between lighter and stronger key actions as desired by the player.
“It has been updated a few times. In 2010, the organ was installed with an electrical coupler system. I used to get someone to press the keys for me while I would tune it from inside. But now, I just need a mobile phone on which I can tune it by myself.”
Musical legacy
To promote organ music and nurture local organists, the Cultural Centre has been organising the “King of the Instruments” Pipe Organ Education Series annually since 1999. Now the programme’s principal instructor, Ms Chiu has been teaching from the outset.
“People are not allowed to touch the instrument in a lot of other concert halls, and they seldom hold pipe organ concerts. This is actually not good for the organ. It has to be played to keep it in good condition or the keys and parts will become hard and old. This inspires me teach and let more and more musicians learn and play the instrument,” Ms Chiu explained.
More than 300 organists have so far been trained on the Cultural Centre’s organ. But it has also played something other than music - it has played Cupid too.
Like-minded musicians
Pipe organist Simon Chan met his wife, Shirley Cheng, through the programme.
“I joined the Pipe Organ Education Series in 2000. After that, I continued learning the organ with Ms Chiu and eventually became one of the course tutors. I met my wife in 2003 on the course.”
Ms Cheng was also a student on the course. She switched majors from information technology to music and that fateful decision led to meeting her husband.
“He asked me to watch him play. He was playing a big piece which was powerful and loud, and that was when I fell for his charms.”
The couple decided to embark on a life journey together and now hope to pass on their love of music and the pipe organ to their children.
“I wish for my kids to learn music too and to find out more about the pipe organ. This instrument brought their father and mother together and I want them to know our story,” said Ms Cheng.
The organist-music teacher duo also hopes to share the joy of the pipe organ with the rest of the community.
Active ageing with technology
Seventy-year-old Theresa Chan suffers from joint degeneration, which is why she needs a walking stick.
“My joints are severely abraded. They are painful when I walk or stand. My doctor suggested I replace some joints with implants, but I don't want surgery,” she said.
Smart seniors
Interested in how gerontechnology can help improve the quality of life for older adults, Ms Chan joined the Gerontechnology Practitioner Training Course under Lingnan University’s Gerontechnology & Smart Ageing Project.
The course targets elderly people and caregivers. It introduces them to devices that help seniors get around with ease and live more independent lives.
Ms Chan was impressed by a smart walking stick that is equipped with senior-worthy features like a flashlight with an adjustable safety light, a siren for emergency use and a radio.
“I am grateful for the course because I can learn more about gerontechnology in my free time. After class, I can share my knowledge with others who have no idea about this new technology. It is modern and I want to keep up with the times and progress,” she said.
Youth opportunities
Gerontechnology has also opened up career opportunities for young people.
Cecilia Auyeung recently graduated from Lingnan University with a major in marketing. Last year she set up a social enterprise called Gatherly. It provides a platform for the elderly to teach other people handicraft skills and helps them to sell their products online.
Ms Auyeung joined the Socialpreneur Incubation Course under the Lingnan University project. It encourages the development of social enterprises in Hong Kong, gerontechnology and marketing. She quickly drew inspiration from other socialpreneurs.
“I discovered that my social enterprise has to change every two years according to market demands. For example, fabric bags are popular among youngsters. While the elderly at Gatherly are equipped with blue-dye techniques, I make use of their skills to create products that match the market situation.”
University contribution
According to the Census & Statistics Department, in 2036, the proportion of the population aged 65 and over is projected to be 31%. To meet the needs of an ageing population, the Government is promoting gerontechnology, which combines gerontology and technology. It focuses on providing effective solutions to increase vitality and quality of life.
The Lingnan University’s three-year project aims to enhance public understanding of gerontechnology and support smart ageing socialpreneurship development. The project also covers studies with the goal of building a database for gerontech products and services as well as social innovation and startups. The overall vision is to offer policy recommendations to the industry and Government.
Lingnan University Asia-Pacific Institute of Ageing Studies Project Manager Chloe Siu said: “Most of the participating students are willing to think out-of-the-box, using their creativity and knowledge learnt from their courses and to echo the needs of the society. We are trying to facilitate different stakeholders and community partners to create a co-working atmosphere.”
The university has also built a 2,000 sq ft Gerontech-X Lab to display over 40 gerontech products catered to healthcare, dining, living and transport. Anyone interested can book an appointment for a free visit from November 28.
Building rehab energises society
A 53-year-old building on Fa Yuen Street near Prince Edward, like most of the buildings in Yau Tsim Mong District, was in poor condition two years ago. Walls, both inside and out, were worn down, staircases were broken, and with electrical installation panels exposed on the outside.
But with the help of various subsidy schemes launched by the Government and Urban Renewal Authority, older buildings are being given a new lease of life. The schemes include Operation Building Bright 2.0 (OBB 2.0), the Fire Safety Improvement Works Subsidy Scheme (FSWS) and the Lift Modernisation Subsidy Scheme (LIMSS).
Helping hand
Octogenarian owner-occupiers Leung Ting-lam and Chu Lai-chun have lived in this building on Fa Yuen Street for more than two decades. They welcome the improvements, which include a new metal gate and lift.
“Modernising the lift was done so quickly. It only took a few months and that was the most satisfying part,” said Mr Leung. Ms Chu agreed that the lift no longer breaks down so regularly.
It cost $800,000 just to modernise the lift. Add to that the other repair and maintenance works, and the total cost exceeded $3 million. Those who own a flat had to shoulder tens of thousands of dollars in the 10-storey building containing 19 units.
For seniors on a fixed income, it is not easy to cover the full cost of repair works. With the government subsidies, they no longer have to worry about the financial burden of upgrading their buildings on their own.
Popular services
The lift modernisation work under the LIMSS is assisted by the Electrical & Mechanical Services Department. The department’s Assistant Director Raymond Poon said the subsidy can cover up to 60% of the total cost of the works - plus a consultation fee - with a cap of $500,000 per lift for eligible buildings.
For elderly owner-occupiers, they can receive the full cost of relevant works capped at $50,000 per domestic unit.
Up until August 1, the department received around 1,171 applications for the scheme involving nearly 5,000 lifts in the first round of applications. This far exceeded the quota of 1,400 lifts set for the round, a response Mr Poon described as overwhelming.
Apart from the LIMSS, owner-occupiers can also apply for OBB 2.0 and other schemes to cover maintenance costs.
In one 58-year-old Hung Hom building, residents had to spend more than $800,000 to paint the common areas, replace above-ground drainage pipework and other structural upgrades.
The building’s owners’ corporation has applied for several funding schemes to get some financial relief, including OBB 2.0. Under this scheme, elderly recipients can receive the full cost of the work, subject to a cap of $50,000. Other owner-occupiers can receive 80%, capped at $40,000.
As of August, the owners or owners’ corporations of 479 Category One buildings were prepared to carry out the prescribed inspection and repair works for the common areas of their buildings under OBB 2.0. They can do so on a voluntary basis to comply with the Mandatory Building Inspection Scheme (MBIS) statutory notices.
These buildings are in 13 districts. Among them, Yau Tsim Mong has the largest number of applications, followed by Kowloon City and Sham Shui Po.
More help ahead
In the future, another $3 billion will be injected into OBB 2.0. This means a total of $6 billion will be used to benefit 5,000 buildings.
Development Bureau Principal Assistant Secretary Jasmine Choi said they have received feedback from the community which hopes the operation will eventually allow younger buildings to join the rehabilitation schemes.
Upon review, buildings between 40 and 49 years old with an outstanding MBIS statutory notice not yet complied with will be accepted in the next round of applications.
Apart from these younger structures, OBB 2.0 will also accept buildings aged 50 and older, even if they do not have an outstanding notice.
Cavern plan frees up land
The Government is actively exploring sustainable and innovative approaches to expand the city’s land resources. One viable source of land supply is rock cavern development.
The relocation of suitable existing government facilities to caverns can release above-ground sites for housing and other beneficial uses. This would reduce the amount of land occupied by them, as well as relocate facilities which do not need to be above-ground and are incompatible with the surrounding environment and land uses nearby.
Mountain move
Sha Tin Sewage Treatment Works is one such facility. It will be relocated to caverns in Nui Po Shan of A Kung Kok to release the existing site of about 28 hectares for housing and other uses that will enhance Hong Kong’s living quality and bring extended benefits to the community and environment of Sha Tin.
Drainage Services Department Sewerage Projects Division Engineer Brian Chan said that moving the sewage treatment plant to caverns minimises any adverse impact on the environment and community.
“The whole sewage treatment works will be put inside the cavern and the cavern will serve as a natural barrier fully enclosing the sewage treatment works. With the implementation of an effective odour management system, the odour impact to the community will be minimised.”
Mr Chan added that moving the existing plant, which has been in operation for more than 35 years, provides an opportunity to formulate a long-term strategy for the ageing facility.
High-tech solutions
The relocated Sha Tin Sewage Treatment Works will consist of several caverns.
A successful local example of accommodating facilities in rock caverns is Stanley Sewage Treatment Works on which the layout for the Sha Tin treatment plant is based.
To reduce the required cavern space and shorten the construction period, advanced sewage and sludge treatment technologies will be used.
Water recycling is a multi-stage process in wastewater treatment plants.
Mr Chan explained that moving bed biofilm reactors will be used in the secondary treatment process at the relocated Sha Tin plant as they require less space than the traditional wastewater treatment.
“Compared to the conventional method, there will be some biofilm carriers inside the reactor and this biofilm carrier will enlarge the surface area for the biological treatment and therefore, the overall size will be reduced. In terms of the sewage treatment process, there will be about a 20% reduction in the areas.”
Sha Tin Sewage Treatment Works serves a population of about 630,000 in Sha Tin and Ma On Shan, which produce 250,000 cubic metres (m3) of sewage daily. After the relocation, the facility will be able to handle 340,000 m3 of sewage per day.
The first phase of works to relocate Sha Tin Sewage Treatment Works to caverns began in February. The Drainage Services Department hopes to start the second phase from the end of next year to early 2021 with the excavation of the caverns. The department plans to move the whole sewage plant in five stages. The project is expected to be completed by 2031.
Members of the public can visit the department's website for more details about the project and its latest developments.
Exploring HK through creativity
The traditionally blue-collar neighbourhood of Sham Shui Po is home to a kaleidoscopic collection of landmarks, streets and shops.
Participants of the Sham Shui Po Ensemble project explored the area and told its story through video and music production.
One of the project’s creative productions, the short film Collage created by Cobe Yau and her team, documented the daily lives of the area’s residents.
Ms Yau said Sham Shui Po’s diversity inspired her team to combine footage of residents’ daily activities, such as the unloading of meat and vegetables in wet markets and hawkers selling their wares.
“We hope our viewers can realise that although there are some street sleepers and it may be a bit grimy in some parts of Sham Shui Po, there are also many interesting aspects that make this community stand out.”
Creative journeys
Sham Shui Po Ensemble is under the Community Record Company, an 18-month community-based programme which also showcases two other unique locales.
Last year, participants explored Sai Ying Pun under the West Side Re-Discovery project. Sham Shui Po Ensemble was launched in April and concluded in late July, while the Wander in To Kwa Wan project began this month.
Local documentary maker Wong Siu-pong, the Community Curator of the Sham Shui Po project, hopes participants are able to explore the community without bias.
“Apart from the basics of film production, I did not teach them a lot of filmmaking skills. I hope they learn to be humble when making a documentary.
“A lot of the time, we read the news to learn about a community. I hope they can discover these places without prejudice, this is important.”
Project participants were also able to paint a picture of the community with music.
Warren Luk joined the project’s music stream and wrote the song Rich on Life with his team.
“People always have preconceived ideas of Sham Shui Po. But when you walk through the neighbourhood, you can find lots of quirky and interesting landmarks.
“When you observe the interactions between residents there, you can see that although their lives may be tough, they are enjoying themselves a lot. It is very inspiring.”
The Community Record Company programme is organised by non-governmental organisation MaD Institute and sponsored by the Home Affairs Bureau’s Arts Capacity Development Funding Scheme, which seeks to strengthen Hong Kong’s cultural software and build up the arts sector.
Application details for the next funding exercise will be available in November.
HK airport’s fresh approach
In March, Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) became the first in the world to be certified as an International Air Transport Association (IATA) Center of Excellence for Perishable Logistics (CEIV Fresh) Partner Airport.
Two of the airport’s cargo terminal operators, Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (HACTL) and Cathay Pacific Services Limited (CPSL) have achieved IATA CEIV Fresh Certification, while Cathay Pacific recently became the world’s first airline to be certified.
IATA created the Centre of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV) to help organisations involved in the air cargo supply chain achieve handling excellence.
The certification underscores the speed, consistency and efficiency of all HKIA stakeholders when it comes to the treatment and transportation of perishable products.
It also helps to ensure food safety, and reduce food wastage and loss along the supply chain.
Quality benchmark
Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited Chief Executive Wilson Kwong said the main value of the accreditation is that it provides a universally recognised standard.
“It gives assurance to the various stakeholders that we have, and we are adhering to the highest possible standards.”
Both accredited cargo terminal operators HACTL and CPSL have set up perishable cargo handling areas with truck docks next to the apron.
As soon as the perishable goods are unloaded from the aircraft, they are immediately transported to the handling area.
The clearance and sampling checks have been streamlined to minimise the time taken to unload the goods. There are cold rooms set at tailored temperatures for various kinds of perishable cargo.
Their staff training and handling process have also been assessed and certified for their compliance with the global industry standards.
Cathay Pacific Services Limited Chief Executive Officer Jenny Lam noted that one of the challenges in meeting the certification standard is training its 2,000 employees in handling and storing perishable goods.
“They first have to identify what types of perishables they are, such as are they flowers, are they fruits, are they meat, so that they know how to segregate the storage.
“Secondly, they gain knowledge about certain fruits that cannot be put close to each other such as bananas and apples.”
Growth opportunities
In 2018, the airport handled about 380,000 tonnes of perishable cargo - a rise of 12% on 2017, with perishables accounting for about 8% of total air cargo volume.
Airport Authority Commercial Executive Director Cissy Chan explained that temperature-controlled air freight is one of the fastest growing segments in the air cargo market.
She believes with the new certification, the airport is well-placed to capture the increasing growth opportunities in the market for fresh and perishable goods.
“With the opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, the transport time between the airport and the Greater Bay Area, notably the western part of the Pearl River Delta, will be further cut down.
“So this will put us in an even better position to become the transhipment hub for these perishables for the entire bay area.”
Extra backing
To support the growing demand for perishables, the Airport Authority has provided additional cool dollies, so there are now more than 30 for use by the whole airport community. It is also building apron shelters to protect the perishables from ambient weather elements.
Cathay Pacific Cargo Service Delivery General Manager Frosti Lau said they would work closely with the authority and its cargo terminal to see what new investments are required to handle the increasing demand.
Refuse transfer subsidy disbursed
The Government today announced that the Environment Bureau has disbursed about $6.5 million in subsidies to 809 private municipal solid waste collectors by cheque.
Under the Government's latest round of anti-epidemic measures, the bureau launched the Subsidy Scheme for the Refuse Transfer Station Account Holders for Transporting Municipal Solid Waste to provide a one-off relief subsidy of $8,000 to each eligible private municipal solid waste collector.
To provide financial support to the industry as soon as possible, the Environmental Protection Department, following funding approval by the Legislative Council Finance Committee, expedited the subsidy disbursement arrangement by waiving the application procedures.
The cheques have been issued and posted to all eligible private collectors.
Eligible collectors are refuse transfer station account holders who transported municipal solid waste to refuse transfer stations or landfills in the first quarter of the year.
The subsidy will assist them in increasing resources to enhance workers' personal protective equipment and strengthen the disinfection of refuse transport vehicles to curb the risk of virus transmission and maintain environmental hygiene.
Drier, cooler April recorded
With the northeast monsoon over southern China being stronger than normal in April, the month was slightly cooler than usual, the Hong Kong Observatory said today.
The monthly mean temperature was 22 degrees Celsius, 0.6 degrees below normal.
The mean minimum temperature was 20 degrees Celsius, 0.8 degrees below average, while the monthly mean maximum temperature was 25.1 degrees Celsius, 0.1 degrees above normal.
The month was also drier than usual with a total rainfall of 77.8mm, about 55% below the normal figure.
The accumulated rainfall recorded in the first four months of the year was 213.7mm, about 36% below average.
Meteorological dev't plan welcomed
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today welcomed the promulgation of the Meteorological Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (2020-2035) by the China Meteorological Administration.
In a statement, the Hong Kong SAR Government said the promulgation of the plan would further strengthen meteorological co-operation among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau in areas such as data sharing, scientific research and innovation, and training of meteorological personnel.
Such co-operation would in turn enhance the meteorological services in the three places, it added.
The relevant co-operation initiatives will benefit the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) in its development of fine-scale meteorological monitoring, warning and forecasting services, and will further enhance Hong Kong's capability in forecasting extreme weather events, the statement said, adding the HKO will take forward the initiatives in collaboration with the relevant authorities in Guangdong and Macau.
The full text of the meteorological plan is available on the China Meteorological Administration's website. It can also be accessed via the Hong Kong SAR Government's Greater Bay Area and HKO websites.
Rental aid boost helps park tenants
Tenants of the EcoPark, country park refreshment kiosks and the Hong Kong Wetland Park will benefit from increased rental concessions for government premises.
To help tenants cope with the economic impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, rental concessions of government premises from April to September will be increased from 50% to 75%.
The Environment Bureau said tenants of the EcoPark, country park refreshment kiosks and the Hong Kong Wetland Park will receive additional rental concessions of about $3.6 million.
Together with the 50% rental concessions provided by the Government from last October to March, these tenants will receive concessions of more than $17 million within 12 months, the bureau said.
Meanwhile, tenants of the Hong Kong Wetland Park will receive a full rental waiver during the park’s closure.
Shoreline clean-up conducted
Various government departments, together with volunteers today conducted a shoreline clean-up along the remote rocky beach in Kung Pui Wan, Tap Mun to remove two tonnes of refuse.
The Environmental Protection Department, the Food & Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) and the Marine Department participated in the operation.
The Inter-departmental Working Group on Marine Environmental Management said the beach, facing the windy and wavy sea, is not easily accessible by working vessels and the rough terrain connecting the rocky beach also increases the difficulty of routine cleaning work.
FEHD cleaners along with the volunteers packed the refuse and delivered it on foot to a nearby pier for temporary storage. FEHD staff then took the refuse to the Marine Department's collection vessel in batches for onward delivery to a rubbish collection point for centralised handling.
To minimise the risk of spreading COVID-19, the operation was carried out in groups of no more than four participants each. They maintained an appropriate distance from each other and paid heed to personal protection, including wearing masks.
The working group thanked the volunteers for taking part and called on the public to keep the countryside and shoreline clean during outings.
For information on clean shorelines, visit the Clean Shorelines facebook and Instagram pages.
AFCD facilities remain closed
The Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department (AFCD) today announced that its barbecue sites and campsites in country parks will be closed until May 7.
It made the decision in light of the latest development of the COVID-19 epidemic and to reduce social contact.
All of these sites have been closed since 6pm on March 28.
During the closure of these facilities, no one should carry out barbecuing or camping activities in country parks.
AFCD staff will step up patrols of the sites and violation of relevant regulations may be subject to prosecution.
In the past two weeks, AFCD took enforcement action against 34 people who carried out barbecuing or camping activities in country parks.
The department will continue to closely monitor the situation and review the arrangement as appropriate.
For the latest updates on facilities in country parks, visit the Enjoy Hiking website.
Electricity relief details announced
Non-residential and residential electricity accounts are benefitting from government relief measures, the Environmental Bureau announced today.
Under the measures, nearly 90% of non-residential electricity bills obtained a 75% subsidy for electricity charges in March, while 40% of residential electricity accounts enjoyed zero electricity charges in the first quarter of the year.
The Government announced about $2.3 billion in provisions last December to provide an electricity charge subsidy to each eligible non-residential electricity account holder to cover 75% of their monthly electricity charges for four months, subject to a monthly cap of $5,000.
The Budget further provided $2.9 billion to extend the subsidy period to eight months.
According to the bills issued by the two power companies in March, 360,000 non-residential bills obtained a 75% subsidy. This is close to 90% of the total eligible non-residential tariff bills.
To balance the impact on people's livelihood of the recent transition to cleaner electricity generating systems in Hong Kong, the bureau implemented the electricity charges relief scheme in January 2019.
A monthly electricity charge relief of $50 has been granted to each eligible residential electricity account for 60 months.
To help the public cope with the challenging economic environment, the Government implemented a new round of one-off electricity charge subsidy schemes in January.
A subsidy of $160 will be credited to each residential electricity account from January to November, while $240 will be credited in December.
From early this year, over 2.7 million households have been benefitting from both the electricity charges relief measures and the electricity charges subsidy. The bills of the two power companies indicated that 40% of residential electricity accounts, representing 1 million households, enjoyed zero electricity charges.
The bureau called on the community to cherish environmental resources, including saving energy and electricity to mitigate climate change and improve air quality.
Support schemes applications open
The Government today announced that applications are open for several support schemes following the funding approval of the second round of the Anti-epidemic Fund and other relief measures by the Legislative Council Finance Committee.
The Club-house Subsidy Scheme, which provides a one-off subsidy of $100,000 to eligible club-houses, is now open for application. The deadline for application is May 18.
Upon submission of the completed application form and supporting documents, the disbursement of subsidies could generally be made in around two weeks.
The Travel Agents & Practitioners Support Scheme and the Hotel Sector Support Scheme are also open for applications, with the deadlines on June 15 and May 18 respectively.
The Subsidy Scheme for the Refuse Transfer Station Account Holders for Transporting Municipal Solid Waste, which offers a one-off subsidy of $8,000 to each of the eligible private municipal solid waste collectors operating in the first quarter, was also endorsed.
To ease the application procedures, the Environmental Protection Department will post cheques to recipients of this special subsidy in about a week after the funding endorsement.
Meanwhile, the total guarantee commitment of the Special 100% Loan Guarantee under the SME Financing Guarantee Scheme has been increased to $50 billion.
The maximum loan amount per enterprise has been increased to $4 million and the principal moratorium arrangement has been extended to the first 12 months.
The Special 100% Loan Guarantee will start receiving applications from April 20 and the application period has been extended to one year.
Recyclers to get more rental aid
The maximum monthly rental subsidy for each recycler under the One-off Rental Support Scheme will be increased from $25,000 to $37,500, the Environmental Protection Department announced today.
To help the recycling industry cope with the current economic situation and operational difficulties due to the COVID-19 epidemic, the Recycling Fund has allocated $50 million in additional funds to raise the scheme’s subsidy level.
The fund has now earmarked up to $250 million in total funding to fight the virus and help the recycling industry ride out difficult times.
On April 15, the Advisory Committee on Recycling Fund agreed to strengthen support under the scheme by increasing the rental assistance from 50% to 75% for the subsidy period from April to September.
The maximum monthly rental subsidy for each recycler will be increased to $37,500, while the maximum total rental subsidy for the 12 months will be increased from $300,000 to $375,000.
The scheme was launched last year to benefit about 500 street-corner recycling shops and 400 recycling sites.
In the face of current economic difficulties, the fund announced in February an extension of the subsidy period from six months to 12 months, lasting until September.
As of April 9, the scheme has approved 103 applications, involving subsidies of more than $20 million.
The application deadline for the scheme is September 30. Enquiries can be made to 2788 5658 or via email.
AFCD facilities remain closed
The Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department (AFCD) announced today that country park barbecue sites and campsites will remain closed until April 23.
The 163 barbecue sites and 41 campsites managed by AFCD have been closed since March 28. Given the latest development of COVID-19, the department has decided to extend the closure.
During the closure of these facilities, no barbecuing or camping activities are allowed in country parks.
AFCD staff will step up patrols of these sites and violation of relevant regulations will be subject to prosecution.
Call 1823 for enquiries or visit the Enjoy Hiking website for updates.
The department also reminded people visiting country parks to maintain personal and environmental hygiene and maintain social distancing.
Warmer, drier March recorded
With the northeast monsoon over southern China being generally weaker than normal for most of the time in March, the month was much warmer than usual, the Hong Kong Observatory said today.
The monthly mean temperature was 21.3 degrees Celsius, 2.2 degrees above normal and the mean minimum temperature was 19.7 degrees Celsius, 2.5 degrees above average. Both were the joint second highest on record for March.
The monthly mean maximum temperature was 23.8 degrees Celsius, 2.4 degrees above normal and the fifth highest on record for the month.
The month was also drier than usual with a total rainfall of 41.3mm, about half of the normal figure.
The accumulated rainfall recorded in the first three months of the year was 135.9mm, about 16% below average.
Recycler, property sector subsidies set
The Government today said the first batch of subsidies amounting to $5.6 million under two relief measures for recyclers has been disbursed, while $5.6 million in subsidies had been approved under a management sector support scheme.
The two Recycling Fund measures aim to help the recycling industry cope with the current economic situation and recent operational difficulties arising from the COVID-19 epidemic.
The Advisory Committee on Recycling Fund announced in mid-March to reserve $100 million to launch the One-off Recycling Industry Anti-epidemic Scheme.
The scheme provides timely financial support to help with recyclers’ operational costs for six months. The funding limit for each recycler is $20,000 per month from January 1 to June 30, or $120,000 in total maximum subsidy.
The committee has also allocated additional funds to extend the earlier-launched One-off Rental Support Scheme for another six months, providing a total funding of $200 million to fight the virus and help the recycling industry ride out the difficult times.
The rental support scheme, which benefits street-corner recycling shops and recycling sites, originally ran from October to March. It has been extended for six months until September this year, totalling 12 months.
The monthly rental subsidy for each recycler is capped at $25,000, setting the maximum total rental subsidy at $300,000.
Separately, the Anti-epidemic Support Scheme for Property Management Sector has approved 205 applications involving around $5.6 million in subsidies to benefit more than 1,500 building blocks.
The relevant property management companies and owners’ organisations will receive notifications for subsidy disbursement shortly.
The list of properties for which applications have been approved is available online.
Briefing sessions were held earlier to introduce the scheme to the property management sector and owners’ organisations.
AFCD, LCSD facilities to close
The Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department (AFCD) and the Leisure & Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced today that some of their facilities will be closed in light of the latest developments of COVID-19.
Country park barbecue sites and campsites of the AFCD will be closed from 6pm on March 28 for 14 days. There are 163 barbecue sites and 41 campsites under the management of the AFCD.
During the closure of these facilities, barbecue or camping activities in country parks will not be allowed and AFCD staff will step up patrols of the sites concerned and take appropriate action against any violation of relevant regulations.
Call 1823 for enquiries and visit the Enjoy Hiking website for updates on country park facilities.
As for LCSD facilities, its free outdoor leisure facilities will be closed from 6pm on March 28.
Other venues and facilities with services already suspended will continue to be closed until further notice.
All booking applications for the department's recreation and sports facilities, wedding venues, amphitheatres and non-fee charging leisure venues for non-designated use are also suspended.
Meanwhile, the Housing Authority will close its outdoor sports and recreational facilities from 6pm tomorrow until further notice.
Up to 7 typhoons forecast
Hong Kong Observatory Director Cheng Cho-ming today said he expects four to seven tropical cyclones to hit Hong Kong this year.
Presenting the weather outlook at a press briefing in the afternoon, Mr Cheng also said the overall mean temperature for the year will be higher than normal.
“The way that we produce our temperature forecast is based on a couple of things. One is based on the worldwide climate model - what they forecast for this year - and also based on some objective indicators.
“Based on all these indicators we expect that the overall mean temperature this year will be above normal, and very likely, will have a high chance of reaching the top 10 positions.”
Reviewing last year’s weather, Mr Cheng noted Hong Kong experienced its second warmest winter since records began, with a mean temperature of 18.7 degrees Celsius.
There was only one day when the temperature fell below 12 degrees Celsius.
Additionally, Mr Cheng said the new Hong Kong Hiking Trail Weather Service webpage has been launched to provide weather information services to people taking part in outdoor activities.
He added the Observatory also collaborated with the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department to provide weather information at popular hiking hotspots via QR codes.
Dog tests positive for COVID-19
The Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department (AFCD) today said a pet dog has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.
The case involves a German Shepherd dog whose owners live in Pok Fu Lam. This follows an earlier case in which a 17-year-old Pomeranian dog tested weak positive during repeated tests for the virus.
When the German Shepherd's owner was confirmed with COVID-19, it was sent for quarantine with another mixed breed dog from the same residence to the animal keeping facility at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge's Hong Kong Port yesterday.
No positive results were obtained from the mixed breed dog and neither dog has shown any signs of the disease.
The department will continue to closely monitor both dogs and conduct repeated tests on them.
It strongly advises that mammalian pet animals including dogs and cats from households with people confirmed as infected with COVID-19, or close contacts of COVID-19 infected people, should be put under quarantine in AFCD facilities.
The department emphasised that there is currently no evidence pet animals can be a source of COVID-19 for humans or that this virus can cause the disease in dogs.
Pet owners are reminded to maintain good hygiene practices and under no circumstances should they abandon their pets.
Recycling scheme launches
The Advisory Committee on Recycling Fund today announced the launch of the One-off Recycling Industry Anti-epidemic Scheme.
The scheme aims to help the recycling industry cope with the current economic situation and operational difficulties brought by the COVID-19 epidemic.
Around $100 million has been earmarked for implementing the scheme under Enterprise Support Programme, providing financial support for the operational costs of recyclers for six months.
The maximum funding limit for each recycler is $20,000 per month.
The funding period will cover from January 1 to June 30, making a total maximum subsidy of $120,000.
The scheme opens for application from today until June 30. Recyclers with operations on or before January 1 can apply.
The first instalment related to the subsidy for the first three months will be available from April onwards and the rest of the subsidy will be disbursed in the middle of this year.
The committee also decided to extend the earlier launched One-off Rental Support Scheme for another six months.
The scheme, which has been accepting applications for six months of rental support starting from October 2019, will now be extended to September 2020.
Upon the extension, the maximum funding limit for each recycler will be 50% of the rental or $25,000 per month, whichever is lower.
The maximum rental funding limit will be raised to $300,000.
Application eligibility and requirements remain unchanged while the deadline has been extended to September 30.
Call 2788 5658 or email enquiry@recyclingfund.hk for more information.
Heng Tai Hse partially evacuated
People living in units 13 and 14 of the top six floors of Heng Tai House in Fu Heng Estate, Tai Po need to be quarantined as a precaution.
Hong Kong University Chair of Infectious Disease Prof Yuen Kwok-yung made the statement at a media briefing today after an expert team conducted initial epidemiological investigations in the building to find the cause of a new COVID-19 infection.
The new case announced this afternoon involves a 59-year-old man who lives on the 34th floor of the building.
Prof Yuen said: “There is a possibility that when the patients on the 32nd floor are defecating - we know now that the fecal material actually contains the virus - while they’re defecating the fecal material goes into the sewer system.
“There is a vent of air that comes through the venting pipe, which goes to the top floor and maybe aerosolised in the air and then the droplets try to settle but, while at the same time, when there’s a light wind blowing, in which the air current going over the rooftop carries the particles back into the top floors.
“And of course, the 34th floor is the top floor. That is the most dangerous, followed by the 33rd and 32nd floors.”
Prof Yuen added he is uncertain if the venting pipe will continue to produce more infected aerosolised particles.
“So it is just a precautionary measure that we must remove the residents from the top six floors in units 13 and 14 for a period of time.”
For information and health advice on COVID-19, visit the Government's dedicated webpage.
CE visits country park
Chief Executive Carrie Lam today visited Tai Mo Shan Country Park to inspect its management services amid the COVID-19 epidemic.
She was accompanied by Secretary for the Environment KS Wong and Director of Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Dr Leung Siu-fai.
Mrs Lam visited personnel working at the park’s visitor centre and Twisk Country Park Management Centre of Tai Lam Country Park.
She observed how they enhanced campsites and associated facilities, improved hiking trails with natural materials, provided more lookout points for people to enjoy the scenery and strengthened services at visitor centres.
Mrs Lam learnt about the department’s anti-epidemic measures and management work, including running temperature checks on all park visitors.
Noting that the number of visitors in various country parks increased by 25% in February, Mrs Lam praised staff for their commitment to strengthening anti-epidemic work to safeguard public health.
The department enhanced its promotions and public education on anti-epidemic measures and protecting the environment through various means including social media and the networks of partner organisations.
Mrs Lam also visited a refreshment kiosk to learn about its business.
The department has provided rent concessions to all kiosks in country parks and will extend such relief measures until September this year to help shop operators during these difficult times.
Mrs Lam said she appreciated the kiosk’s efforts to protect the environment and reduce waste and disposable plastics, which encourages people to adopt a greener lifestyle.
She also appealed to the public to exercise social distancing while enjoying the countryside amid the epidemic.
Genetic tests being done on dog
(To watch the whole press briefing with sign language interpretation, click here.)
The Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department today said genetic sequencing tests are being carried out on the pet dog of a confirmed COVID-19 patient which could reveal if the virus has mutated or not.
The department's Assistant Director (Inspection & Quarantine) Dr Thomas Sit told a press briefing this afternoon that the coronavirus is what is known as an RNA virus which eventually mutates.
“That is why the University of Hong Kong School of Public Health needs to do a genetic analysis to compare this dog’s genetic sequencing to the virus isolated from the patient so that they can compare. So if it is totally identical, then there is no mutation. The testing is still ongoing.”
Dr Sit reiterated that international experts agreed that the dog has a low level of infection, despite its blood tests not being ready yet.
“From the first sample to our last sample tested, it has already (been) six days. The dog’s nasal or oral mechanism, their secretion they should have - if contaminated - they should have a way to clean the virus, it would not stay for that long if it was just a contamination.
“I think it will take at least five or seven days for the blood results because it is not an easy test, it is not a quick test. We need to grow a virus and then neutralise the serum, so it takes some time.”
He added that it was too early to say whether animal-to-animal transmission was a possibility.
“At this stage, we do not have enough data to have a 100% answer as to whether it is infectious to other dogs or not. But if the dog’s owner is positive, it is better to take precautionary measures to prevent onward transmission.”
Dr Sit also advised dog owners to wash their hands, wear gloves and try to stop their dogs from licking their surroundings to prevent the virus from spreading further.
COVID-19 dog case explained
A pet dog repeatedly tested weak positive for the COVID-19 virus, indicating a low-level of infection with the virus, the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department said today.
The department first collected test samples from the dog on February 26. It detected low levels of COVID-19 virus from its nasal and oral cavity samples on February 27.
The dog also tested weak positive for the virus when the department repeated the test on February 28 and March 2.
Experts from Hong Kong University’s School of Public Health, City University’s College of Veterinary Medicine & Life Sciences and the World Organisation for Animal Health have been consulted, and unanimously agreed that these results suggest that the dog has a low-level of infection and it is likely to be a case of human-to-animal transmission, the department noted.
The dog has not shown any signs of disease related to COVID-19. It is currently under quarantine at the animal keeping facility at the Hong Kong Port of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. The department will closely monitor the dog and repeat the test later.
To ensure public and animal health, the department strongly advises that mammalian pets from households with COVID-19 infected people, or close contacts of infected individuals, should be put under quarantine in the department’s facilities.
The department emphasised that there is currently no evidence that pets can be a source of infection of COVID-19 and under no circumstances should people abandon their pets.
No new COVID-19 cases reported
The Centre for Health Protection announced that as of 4pm today, no new COVID-19 cases have been recorded, leaving the number of confirmed cases in Hong Kong at 1,044 so far.
The centre again urged the public to maintain an appropriate social distance with other people to minimise the risk of infection.
It said people should go out less and avoid social activities such as having meals out or other gatherings to minimise the risk of coronavirus clusters emerging in the community.
As the COVID-19 situation remains severe and the number of cases reported around the world continues to rise, people are strongly urged to avoid all non-essential travel outside Hong Kong as well as maintain strict personal and environmental hygiene.
Additionally, the Hospital Authority reported that there are currently 90 patients under isolation and that 967 patients have been discharged upon recovery.
For information and health advice on COVID-19, visit the Government's dedicated webpage.
$140m approved for support scheme
More than 8,200 applications for the Anti-epidemic Support Scheme for Property Management Sector (ASPM) have been received, with over 3,850 approved, the Government announced today.
The approved applications involve subsidies of more than $140 million and will benefit around 22,000 building blocks and about 35,750 frontline property management workers.
Launched under the Anti-epidemic Fund, the ASPM provides subsidies to owners' organisations or property management companies of eligible buildings to provide hardship allowance to frontline property management workers.
It also provides the Anti-epidemic Cleansing Subsidy to owners' organisations or property management companies.
The scheme’s first phase covers private residential and composite buildings, while its second phase covers industrial and commercial buildings.
The ASPM is still open for applications and continues to disburse subsidies.
Contact the Property Management Services Authority at 3696 1156 or 3696 1166, or visit its website for details.
Aid to food producers disbursed
Subsidies to local primary producers and wholesale traders operating in fresh food wholesale markets are being disbursed from today, the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department announced.
The department said 2,847 applications for the subsidy scheme of $10,000 to each local primary producer under the second round of the Anti-epidemic Fund have been received, with 1,294 approved involving a total of $12,940,000.
A total of 346 applications to the scheme to provide a subsidy of $40,000 to each eligible wholesale trader operating in fresh food wholesale markets were also received with 148 approved involving a total of $5,920,000.
The application periods of the two schemes will end on June 1.
Additionally, 57 borrowers have participated in the arrangement of a one-off interest-free deferral of loan repayment for one year under the Fisheries Development Loan Fund, it said.
Caspar Tsui visits sports association
Secretary for Home Affairs Caspar Tsui visited the Physical Fitness Association of Hong Kong, China today to inspect its work in implementing the Fitness Centre Subsidy Scheme launched under the second phase of the Anti-epidemic Fund.
Mr Tsui said the scheme aims to provide a one-off subsidy of $100,000 to fitness centres to tide businesses over financial difficulties arising from anti-epidemic measures.
He thanked the association for handling the scheme’s applications.
Mr Tsui also expressed gratitude to the fitness industry for complying with the Government’s preventive measures, including suspension of business, in the fight against the virus.
Given the stabilising epidemic situation, the Government has conducted a health risk assessment and will allow premises, including fitness centres, to resume operations, Mr Tsui said, adding that he hopes the fitness industry will soon regain vitality.
The Home Affairs Bureau commissioned the association to assist in implementing the scheme, which opened for applications on May 4.
As of May 7, the association received 397 applications, of which more than half of them have been initially found to be eligible, involving subsidies of about $20 million.
The application period for the scheme will end on June 3.
Call 2302 9089 or send an email for enquiries.
No new COVID-19 cases reported
The Centre for Health Protection announced that as of 4pm today, no new COVID-19 cases have been recorded, leaving the number of confirmed cases in Hong Kong at 1,044 so far.
The centre again urged members of the public to maintain an appropriate social distance with other people to minimise the risk of infection.
It said people should go out less and avoid social activities such as having meals out or other gatherings to minimise the risk of coronavirus clusters emerging in the community.
As the COVID-19 situation remains severe and the number of cases reported around the world continues to rise, people are strongly urged to avoid all non-essential travel outside Hong Kong as well as maintain strict personal and environmental hygiene.
Additionally, the Hospital Authority reported that there are currently 109 patients under isolation and that 960 patients have been discharged upon recovery.
For information and health advice on COVID-19, visit the Government's dedicated webpage.