Month: March 2026

Police kick off fifth cohort of Leadership Institute on Narcotics       
     Speaking at the kick-off ceremony, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Chow Yat-ming, said that the abuse of etomidate in recent years has posed challenges to anti-drug efforts, reflecting the ever-changing drug scene. As such, the programme curriculum of L.I.O.N. must keep abreast of the times. In addition to training courses covering leadership skills, drug-related legal and medical knowledge, publicity and media response techniques, and adventure-based training, L.I.O.N. has also incorporated generative artificial intelligence training this year to equip mentees with skills to apply innovative technologies for creating impactful anti-drug projects. The Chinese Mainland exchange tour will also be extended to three days and two nights this year, enabling mentees to engage in in-depth exchanges in the Greater Bay Area and broaden their horizons.
      
     He added that this year marks the fifth anniversary of L.I.O.N.’s establishment, and a series of large-scale promotional activities will be launched, including the “L.I.O.N.–mobile”, an anti-drug short video competition, and a large-scale anti-drug carnival, showcasing the creative achievements of mentees of the current and past cohorts, and further promoting a drug-free culture to the community.
      
     Mr Chow expressed his appreciation to the Hong Kong Youth Development Alliance, executive committee members of the past cohorts, professional trainers, as well as school principals and teachers for their support and contributions to L.I.O.N.. He encouraged mentees of the new cohort to cherish every learning opportunity, and work together with all sectors to build a drug-free society.
      
     At the ceremony, awardees from the fourth cohort shared their valuable insights from the exchange tour to New Zealand in February. They said that the trip deepened their understanding of how anti-drug messages were disseminated there through publicity, education and community involvement, which would help them continue to fulfill their mission as anti-drug leaders in the future.
      
     Established by the Police Narcotics Bureau in 2021, L.I.O.N. brings together various community sectors and annually recruits 80 secondary students and 20 undergraduates as mentees. Through various training activities, visits, as well as exchange tours, L.I.O.N. nurtures young people as anti-drug leaders to disseminate anti-drug messages in the community.
Issued at HKT 19:03

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Recognition ceremony commends children and adolescents for outstanding performance and resilience in face of adversity       
     Addressing the event, Mr To said that every award recipient tells a touching story of resilience in the face of adversity, demonstrating extraordinary courage and tenacity amid life challenges as well as forging the qualities of self-discipline, confidence, and self-reliance in a difficult environment. Some of them have all the more attained exceptional achievements, setting a good example for other children and youths. Their performances are truly commendable.
      
     Mr To also expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the caregivers, volunteers, and social workers at the event for their companionship and support in the personal growth of these disadvantaged children and youths. Their care and love have allowed these children and youths to grow up in a nurturing family setting and instilled in them a positive outlook on life, which is of immeasurable value to their future.
      
     At the ceremony today, 42 children and youths were awarded the Best Achievement Award or the Best Progress Award.
      
     Eighteen-year-old Sing is one of the recipients of the Best Achievement Award. Sing lost parental care at a young age and became a ward of the DSW when he was four. Growing up in a devoted foster family, he has been overcoming different challenges in life with resilience and a positive attitude. With excellent academic performance and personal conduct, Sing also has a strong passion for music. He excels in vocal performance and is talented at playing the piano and violin, obtaining a level 4 diploma in singing from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, along with grade 8 piano and grade 5 violin qualifications. In recent years, he has showcased his extraordinary musical talent and earned notable awards in international and local music contests, including the first prize in the piano category at the 2025 Australian International Music Competition – Sound of Music and multiple accolades in three other competitions, namely the 2025 GASCA Japan International Music Competition in Tokyo, IYACC Hong Kong-Taiwan International Music Competition, and the Seventh Hong Kong Youth and Children Music Competition of the Hong Kong Youth and Children Talent Association. Sing received a scholarship from the Changing Young Lives Foundation this year to support his continued development in the musical arena, in which his efforts and talents have been recognised. He plans to give back to society through his music and knowledge in the future and inspire other teenagers with a similar underprivileged background to lead a fruitful life through personal endeavour and a positive attitude.
      
     Another awardee of the Best Achievement Award is 16-year-old Ah Ming (pseudonym). Coming from a single-parent family, Ah Ming has been receiving residential care services since the age of 5 due to his mother’s chronic illness. Under the meticulous care of a small group home of TWGHs, he has gradually developed self-discipline, confidence, and a sense of responsibility. On top of proactively taking care of younger peers at the small group home, Ah Ming has shown significant progress in academics, behaviour, and social skills. He is also enthusiastic about sports and actively participates in his school’s athletics team training. With his persevering character, Ah Ming represented his school in the 16th Hong Kong Tug of War Open Tournament last year and secured the second place in his team’s category, winning glory for his school. His artistic talents are equally outstanding, and his ceramic works have been selected for public exhibitions.
      
     Children and adolescents are made wards of the DSW for various reasons that rendered them unable or unsuitable to live with their family members. Prioritising the best interests of children and adolescents, the Social Welfare Department’s social workers will, depending on individual case circumstances, apply for wardship for a case in accordance with the court procedures stipulated in the Protection of Children and Juveniles Ordinance (Cap. 213 of the Laws of Hong Kong) and draw up appropriate long-term welfare plans for them, such as arranging for adoption or reunion with their families, or preparing them to live independently when they become adults. As at the end of December 2025, a total of 788 children and youths were made wards of the DSW.
Issued at HKT 14:00

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Appeal for information on missing girl in Chai Wan (with photo)                   
     Ip Man, aged 14, went missing after she left her care center in Yiu Tung Estate yesterday (March 6) morning. Staff of the care centre then made a report to Police.
                   
     She is about 1.5 metres tall and of thin build. She has a round face with yellow complexion and short black hair. She was last seen wearing a black and white long-sleeved jacket, green and white T-shirt, black trousers, white sports shoes, and carrying a black crossbody bag.

     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing girl or may have seen her is urged to contact the Regional Missing Persons Unit of New Territories South on 3661 1174 or 6103 4963 or email to rmpu-nts-2@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.
Issued at HKT 13:30

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ROLE Ambassador award ceremony and sharing session held today  
     Delivering his opening remarks at the event, the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, said that today marked an important milestone of the TTL Programme. The 40 ROLE Ambassadors represented the first batch of trainees that completed all the training courses under the TTL Programme since it was launched in November 2023, and also symbolised the beginning of a new stage. Mr Lam emphasised that the key to maintaining Hong Kong’s sound rule of law environment is to cultivate public understanding of the principles of the rule of law and to enhance the public’s basic understanding of Hong Kong’s common law system. He encouraged the ROLE Ambassadors to become dedicated advocates for promoting the rule of law in Hong Kong by passing on the knowledge and experience they gained from the TTL Programme to others in ways that are appropriate to their respective capacities and positions.
 
     Four trainees representing the participating youth uniformed group, district youth committee, secondary school teachers and the Education University of Hong Kong shared their thoughts and experience of becoming ROLE Ambassadors. They said that the courses had deepened their knowledge of the rule of law and boosted their confidence in disseminating messages about the rule of law. They had concrete plans to apply what they had learned in the courses to promote correct information about the rule of law and cultivate the spirit of respecting the rule of law in schools and the community.
 
     Mr Lam; the Deputy Secretary for Justice, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan; the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung; the Chairperson of the Executive Committee of SideBySide, Mr Justice Poon Siu-tung; and the Under Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Mr Clarence Leung, later presented the trainees with certificates and badges of ROLE Ambassadors at the certificate presentation ceremony, commending the trainees’ continuous participation and completion of all the courses under the TTL Programme, and their efforts in actively promoting the rule of law across various sectors within the community.
 
     With the support of the Steering Committee on Rule of Law Education, the TTL Programme was officially launched by the DoJ in November 2023 and consists of three stages of courses: the foundation course, advanced course and extended course. The fourth phase of TTL Programme will be held this year. To promote continual participation in and completion of all courses under the TTL Programme and encourage proactive organisation or participation in activities for promoting the rule of law, the DoJ has launched the ROLE Ambassador recognition scheme to recognise and commend trainees who strive to enhance their knowledge of the rule of law and actively promote information of the rule of law in different sectors of the community, and to encourage the trainees to continue to fulfill their mission of promoting the rule of law.
 
     As at end 2025, a total of about 380 trainees participated in the TTL Programme, including representatives from youth and community work organisations, as well as secondary school teachers and students from the Education University of Hong Kong. Among them, 40 have completed all three stages of courses, thereby qualifying as the first batch of ROLE Ambassadors under the TTL Programme.
 
     The qualification of ROLE Ambassador will be valid for two years, which aims to encourage Ambassadors to continue to participate in the DoJ’s rule of law education activities and to actively organise rule of law promotion activities during the period in order to obtain a renewal of the qualification. The DoJ will keep close contact and build partnerships with the trainees and ROLE Ambassadors to provide timely assistance and support. The DoJ will also continue to collaborate closely with relevant government departments and community stakeholders to promote rule of law education through diverse means and enhance the public’s understanding and practice of the rule of law.
 
     For more details on the TTL Programme and other information relating to the promotion and training on the rule of law, please visit the dedicated website at www.role-ttl.gov.hkIssued at HKT 13:30

More than 1 100 students experience building spectacular horticultural display for Hong Kong Flower Show  
     During the activity, the students assembled the display using a variety of richly coloured flowers of various species, including stocks, carnations, myosotis, chrysanthemums, lavender, pansies, impatiens and more, creating a multihued scene.
 
     The intricately crafted display, made of cut flowers, showcases a historic tramcar, known as the “Ding Ding”, symbolically guiding visitors through the city’s bustling streets and old neighbourhoods. Along the route, visitors can appreciate the dynamic blend of the city’s past and present through iconic landmarks such as the stately Court of Final Appeal Building, the Hong Kong Observation Wheel overlooking Victoria Harbour, and the Bank of China Tower located in the city’s financial hub.
 
     Enriching the display are scenes of local culture and traditions, from the thrilling atmosphere of horse racing at the Happy Valley Racecourse to the vibrant celebrations of the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance. Repulse Bay is also highlighted in the display. The beach-inspired design features plant sculptures of a playful duck-shaped float, a beach ball, a sand bucket, a sand shovel and more, creating a comfortable and relaxing ambience.
 
     After the student experience session, work on the “Floral Trail of the Island” display will continue. Embellished with about 44 000 flowers and plants, the display will be one of the main garden features at this year’s flower show. Visitors can appreciate the display and take photos with the plant sculptures. Illustrating different styles of day and night, the display is enhanced with light effects in the evening, showcasing the unique charm of a city where East meets West and old blends with new, amid floral fragrances in the air.
 
     This year’s flower show will be held at Victoria Park for 10 days from March 20 to 29, running from 9am to 9pm daily, featuring the elegant stock as its theme flower under the theme “A Fragrant Journey through Hong Kong”.
 
     For enquiries, please call 2601 8260 or visit the flower show webpage www.hkflowershow.hk/en/hkfs/2026/index.html 
     The Hong Kong Flower Show is organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust is supporting the flower show for the 14th consecutive year, and has been its major sponsor since 2014.
Issued at HKT 13:16

HKMC enhances Reverse Mortgage Programme and launches Green Promotion 
1. Enhancement to the Reverse Mortgage Programme (RMP) (Note 1) 
Example: A single borrower selecting life payment term