Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by Professor the Hon Priscilla Leung and a written reply by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, in the Legislative Council today (May 7):
Question:
It has been reported that the traditional agriculture and fisheries industry is facing the challenges of transformation and sales promotion. Regarding the measures to support the agriculture and fisheries industry, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) given that the Government currently assists fishermen and farmers in overcoming the problem of capital shortfall through various measures (e.g. the Sustainable Fisheries Development Fund and the Farm Improvement Scheme), which enable them to enhance production efficiency and product quality with the use of modernised equipment or technologies, whether the Government has assessed the effectiveness of such measures; if so, of the details;
(2) as there are views pointing out that fishermen and farmers generally lack market information and marketing skills to sell agricultural and fisheries products, whether the Government has, apart from organising the FarmFest annually and developing the “Local Fresh” mobile app and shopping website, considered providing them with training related to sales and promotion, as well as establishing more platforms and channels for selling agricultural and fisheries products; and
(3) as there are views that the supply chain of local agricultural and fisheries products is plagued by the problem of insufficient preservation and transportation facilities, how the Government improves the logistics infrastructure in areas for agriculture and fisheries uses, especially the cold chain logistics and transport network; of the Government’s plans in place to assist fishermen and farmers in setting up a modern storage and distribution system, thereby reducing the loss of and damage to their products and expand their sales network?
Reply:
President,
The Government is actively taking forward the various initiatives under the Blueprint for the Sustainable Development of Agriculture and Fisheries, with a view to promoting the upgrading and transformation of the agriculture and fisheries industries towards modernisation and sustainable development. Such initiatives include providing financial support and technical support, as well as improving the marketing environment, thereby meeting the development needs of the industries on various fronts.
The reply to the question raised by Professor the Hon Priscilla Leung is as follows:
(1) In terms of financial support, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), through the Sustainable Fisheries Development Fund and the Sustainable Agricultural Development Fund (SADF) of HK$1 billion each, assists the local agriculture and fisheries industries to switch to sustainable and high value-added mode of operations, thereby boosting the overall competitiveness of the industries. The Equipment Improvement Project and the Farm Improvement Scheme under the two respective Funds have also been providing financial assistance to eligible local fishermen/farmers for purchasing modernised and mechanised operational equipment and materials to enhance their competitiveness.
Since the establishment of the two Funds, progress has been made with initial achievements, benefitting more than 4 570 fishermen/farmers. The AFCD reviews from time to time the effectiveness of approved or completed projects under the two Funds in fostering the sustainable development of the agriculture and fisheries industries. Upon project completion, the grantee should submit a final report and an audited account, specifying the project’s financial position and benefits brought to the industry, and should share the achievements with the industries. In addition, the AFCD will also organise seminars and sharing sessions for the trade.
Besides, the Government, through the AFCD, the Fish Marketing Organization (FMO) and the Vegetable Marketing Organization (VMO), manages six fisheries and agricultural loan funds which provide fishermen/farmers with low-interest loans to help them switch to more sustainable operations or further enhance and expand their business. The AFCD and the FMO/VMO have been monitoring the operation of these funds on a continuous basis. Over the past five years, a total of about HK$500 million of loans were approved under these fisheries and agricultural loan funds, benefitting more than 1 660 fishermen/farmers.
(2) The AFCD and the FMO/VMO have been providing proactive assistance to the industries to promote their local premium agricultural and fisheries products, including the organisation of major events such as the 75th National Day Farm and Gourmet Festival and the FarmFest, participation in food exhibitions (e.g. Vegetarian Food Asia, Food Expo, HOFEX and Organic Aquaculture Festival), development and setting up of the “Local Fresh” e-commerce platform and a physical store, collaboration with retailers to establish regular sales channels, and organisation of holiday bazaars and thematic sales activities in supermarket chains. The AFCD and the FMO/VMO will continue to explore online and offline sales channels, identify more partners for collaboration and step up the promotional efforts. We are also actively promoting leisure farming and fisheries, including allowing the public to taste fresh local agricultural and fisheries products at farms and fish farms, which will help publicise and promote the products.
To further enhance the competitiveness of local agricultural and fisheries products and strengthen sales and promotion, the AFCD plans to establish a unified new brand for safe, low-carbon and premium local agricultural and fisheries products covering various locally produced agricultural and fisheries products, and to establish production standards, farming methods as well as a certification and traceability system for these products to ensure that the quality is up to standard. The AFCD is carrying out preparatory work with the local certification body, agricultural and fishermen organisations and other stakeholders. The AFCD and the certification body will make reference to international experiences when formulating a certification system that applies to the local agricultural and fisheries products and will fully consult the industries and relevant stakeholders before launching the new brand to ensure that the system standards are widely accepted by the industries. The AFCD is actively striving to build the unified new brand in 2025/26.
In addition, the AFCD has in recent years offered courses on practical skills, such as business start-up, business operation, simple clerical and accounting processing, to fishermen with a view to enhancing their marketing and administrative knowledge. The AFCD also plans to organise training courses related to brand building and online marketing in future to enhance farmers and fishermen’s knowledge and understanding of various marketing practices, tools, sales channels, etc, so as to assist the industries in enhancing the competitiveness and market visibility of their agricultural and fisheries products.
(3) The FMO/VMO have established a fish processing centre and the Premium Vegetables Section respectively to provide processing, freezing and packaging services for local agricultural and fisheries products, enhancing product value and extending shelf life of the products. In recent years, the FMO has actively introduced the vacuum skin packaging technology to enhance the freshness and appearance of products and facilitate logistics and transportation. For agricultural products, the “Pilot Scheme on Marketing and Branding of Graded Local Vegetables”, which is financially supported by the SADF, has been launched to grade local “accredited vegetables” and establish regional packaging and distribution centres with a view to providing a steady supply of premium vegetables and enhancing the consumers’ awareness of and demand for “accredited vegetables”. In addition, the FMO/VMO will review the utilisation and planning of existing wholesale markets, such as studying the feasibility of expanding the processing and cold storage facilities at Tai Po Wholesale Fish Market and other suitable locations.
Regarding logistics, the existing logistics distribution services in Hong Kong can generally meet the needs of the local agriculture and fisheries industries. Local farms and fish farms usually arrange their own logistics and distribution services to deliver the harvested agricultural and fisheries products to customers or sell them through wholesale markets. Meanwhile, the FMO/VMO also provide logistics, delivery and marketing support to some farmers and fishermen.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Fraudulent websites related to Octopus Cards Limitedhttps[:]//floatingasia[.]com/RBgbKYBH https[:]//maxigatest[.]com/ZnZxHC8L https[:]//cendeadeiza[.]com/FGLhjys4 https[:]//www[.]facebook[.]com/share/1BHqsrpBCi/Issued at HKT 18:40
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by the Hon Lam So-wai and a reply by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, in the Legislative Council today (May 7):
Question: It has been reported that earlier on, due to the severe inadequacy of ancillary transport facilities at the East Dam of the High Island Reservoir (East Dam), numerous visitors were left stranded there in the evening. Some taxi drivers even took advantage of this situation by overcharging. Furthermore, some members of the public have relayed insufficient mobile network coverage in the area, which has adversely affected public communications and their ability to seek assistance. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
India Showcases SVAMITVA as Country Champion at the Ongoing World Bank Land Conference 2025 in Washington DC Sessions on “Good Practices and Challenges in Land Tenure” & “Securing Land Rights for a Billion People” to Foster Dialogue on Inclusive Land Governance
Posted On: 07 MAY 2025 4:26PM by PIB Delhi
India, took center stage at the prestigious World Bank Land Conference 2025, held in Washington D.C., reaffirming its global leadership in inclusive land governance and grassroots empowerment. Participating as a Country Champion in the Plenary Session on 6th May 2025, Shri Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, delivered an address during the High-Level Plenary on “Good Practices and Challenges in Land Tenure and Governance Reform”, articulating India’s leadership in land rights, tenure reforms, and technology-driven spatial planning.
At the World Bank Land Conference 2025 in Washington D.C., Shri Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, MoPR, shared insights on the #SVAMITVA Scheme’s success in scaling across India. He emphasized the challenges posed by India’s vast population, strong regional identities, and the… pic.twitter.com/gt4fBhw7El
— Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India (@mopr_goi) May 7, 2025
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India’s pioneering SVAMITVA Scheme (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) has emerged as a transformational initiative in rural land governance. Shri Bharadwaj shared deep insights into the scheme’s journey – beginning with onboarding States, amending State laws and survey rules, and establishing critical technological infrastructure like Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) to enable accurate drone-based mapping. He explained how India’s federal structure requires strategic cooperation, coordination, and community involvement to drive reforms on a national scale.
In his address, Shri Bharadwaj mentioned the Peruvian economist Hernando de Soto’s observation about the untapped economic potential locked in informal land holdings. He emphasized that India has surveyed 68,000 square kilometers of rural land under SVAMITVA, unlocking $1.16 trillion worth of assets, thereby offering millions of rural families legal title, dignity, and access to credit and opportunity. Through anecdotes of individuals like a dairy farmer in Madhya Pradesh who expanded his business, or a mother in Rajasthan who funded her daughter’s overseas education, he highlighted how land ownership is being converted into real empowerment.
At the World Bank Land Conference 2025, Shri Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, eloquently highlighted India’s achievements in land governance under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
— Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India (@mopr_goi) May 6, 2025
The Special Event scheduled on 7th May 2025, titled “Securing Land Rights for a Billion People,” is set to further amplify India’s model of inclusive and technology-driven land governance. Led by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, the session will open with welcome and opening remarks by Dr. Klaus W. Deininger, Lead Economist, World Bank, followed by an introduction by Mr. Somik V. Lall, Senior Advisor, DECVP, World Bank. The event will spotlight the design, impact, and scalability of the SVAMITVA Scheme, with presentation by Shri Vivek Bharadwaj. An interactive Q&A session will follow, reflecting the growing global interest in India’s transformative approach to rural land governance. The side event will be attended by all delegates of the World Bank Land Conference 2025, including Advisors and Senior Advisors to seven Executive Directors representing regions across Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), Central Asia, South Asia, and South East Asia, offering a valuable opportunity for cross-regional dialogue and exchange. The side event will provide a focused platform to discuss the implementation methodology and transformative benefits of the SVAMITVA Scheme with countries that share similar land administration systems. The objective is to explore avenues for collaboration, enabling the Ministry of Panchayati Raj to support and partner with these nations in adopting and adapting similar models in their respective contexts.
On 8th May 2025, the focus will be on Gram Manchitra, India’s advanced GIS-based spatial planning platform. Shri Alok Prem Nagar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, will present how the platform is facilitating spatially informed decision-making at the Panchayat level, showcasing the integration of cutting-edge technology with grassroots governance to foster sustainable, resilient, and self-reliant villages.
India’s interventions across these sessions aim to serve not only as a model for participatory and technology-enabled land governance, but also as a call to action for other nations striving to achieve SDG Target 1.4.2 which aims to ensure legal ownership and control over land for all, especially vulnerable communities. Through its presence at the World Bank Land Conference 2025, India has been positioned as a global thought leader in land tenure reforms, rural development, and inclusive governance demonstrating that a data-driven, people-centric approach can effectively bridge centuries-old land insecurity and usher in a new era of legal recognition, dignity, and prosperity for rural citizens.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ9: Public healthcare services in Hong Kong East Question:
The Hospital Authority (HA) has earlier on announced its plan to merge the Hong Kong East Cluster (HKEC) and the Hong Kong West Cluster in anticipation of a decline in the demand for healthcare services due to a reduction in the catchment population in the two clusters to about one million in future. It has also indicated that it is necessary to re-examine the plan to expand the Ambulatory Care Block of the Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital (PYNEH) under the Second Ten-year Hospital Development Plan. However, there are views that population is not the only indicator of service demand, and if the decline in population is accompanied by an increase in the proportion of the elderly population, this may lead to an increase in the demand for chronic disease treatment, long-term care and services of the accident and emergency departments, etc, and there are concerns about whether the suspension of the expansion project of PYNEH will adversely affect the local community. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
The catchment population of HKEC in 2024(3) whether it knows the following information on the services provided by PYNEH in the past three years: (i) the numbers of beds for ambulatory services and beds for inpatient services and (ii) their utilisation rates, (iii) the ratio of the use of these two types of beds by elderly people aged 65 and above to the total number of people using such beds, (iv) the average waiting time for patients to be admitted to wards and (v) the average inpatient days;
(4) given that HA has proposed in the Hospital Authority Strategic Plan 2022-2027 to re-orientate service models to reduce the reliance on inpatient care by promoting ambulatory care to cut down on unnecessary hospital stay and enhance the efficiency of bed usage, whether the Government knows if HA has assessed the impact of suspending the expansion project of the Ambulatory Care Block of PYNEH on the efficiency of bed usage and patients’ waiting time for admission to wards, and of the relevant corresponding measures; and The catchment area population of the HA clusters (including the HKEC) in 2024 and 2031 are set out in the table below (Note 1 and 2):
Hospital clusters and the catchment areaEastern, Wan Chai, Islands (excluding Lantau Island)Central & Western, Southern (For reference) Kowloon City, Yau Tsim Mong, Wong Tai Sin Kwun Tong, Sai Kung Sham Shui Po, Kwai Tsing, Tsuen Wan, Lantau Island Sha Tin, Tai Po, North Tuen Mun, Yuen Long
Year(General (acute and convalescent)) (as at March 31 of respective year)(General (acute and convalescent))(General (acute and convalescent))(acute and convalescent))(including cases of unknown age)
YearNote 3: The HA had adjusted its services to cope with the outbreak of COVID-19 in Hong Kong in early 2020. The above situation should be taken into consideration of when comparing the volume of services provided by the HA in the relevant years. As the COVID-19 epidemic situation in Hong Kong gradually subsided and various epidemic control measures were lifted in early 2023, the HA had been dovetailing with the Government’s measures in resumption of normalcy and gradually resuming its public healthcare services.
Note 4: Bed information covers only the general beds in the HA. Infirmary, mentally-ill and mentally-handicapped beds are special in nature and the 400 mentally-ill beds at PYNEH are hence not included herein. As the public hospitals will deploy the hospital beds flexibly having regard to service needs, the number of beds for in-patients and day in-patients are combined in the compilation.Issued at HKT 17:51
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by the Hon Kingsley Wong and a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, in the Legislative Council today (May 7):
Question:
According to government data, in 2024-2025 (as at February 2025), among the approved cases under the General Employment Policy and the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals (Two Talent Schemes), nearly 50 per cent of the applicants earned a monthly salary of less than $20,000. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the number of applications received, approved and rejected by the Government respectively under the Two Talent Schemes in 2023-2024 and 2024-2025, with breakdowns on “short-term employment” and “non-short-term employment” cases;
(2) among the non-short-term employment cases approved by the Government in 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 as mentioned in (1), of (i) the distribution of the industries/sectors in which the applicants are employed and the median wage, and (ii) the minimum and maximum monthly salaries of the applicants and the respective industries/sectors in which they are employed (broken down by year and talent scheme); and
(3) among the short-term employment cases approved by the Government in 2024-2025 as mentioned in (1), of the minimum and maximum daily wages of the applicants, and the respective industries/sectors in which they are employed (set out by talent scheme)?
Reply:
President,
The General Employment Policy (GEP) and the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals (ASMTP) are market-driven employment-tied admission schemes. Where a job vacancy arises, an enterprise, having through the market availability test proved difficulties to fill the vacancy in local recruitment, may apply to employ an outside talent via one of the aforesaid employment-tied admission schemes. The employed outside talent should have a good education background, normally a bachelor’s degree or higher qualification in the relevant field, and have been engaged in a job relevant to his/her academic qualifications or work experience. The remuneration package should also be commensurate with the local prevailing market level for professionals. As the professions on the Talent List are in local manpower shortage, enterprises could be exempted from the market availability tests if the positions for recruiting outside talents under the aforesaid admission schemes fall within the professions on the Talent List. The Immigration Department (ImmD) has put in place mechanisms for assessing applications under the talent admission schemes in a rigorous manner to ensure that approved applications meet the eligibility criteria of the schemes, including that their remuneration packages are broadly commensurate with the prevailing market levels for relevant professions at the time of applications.
Our reply to the Member’s questions, in consultation with the ImmD, is as follows:
(1) In the past two years, over 67 000 applications were received under the GEP, and the numbers of applications approved and refused during the same period were nearly 63 000 and 1 000 respectively. Among the approved applications, around 70 per cent were in respect of short-term positions with contract duration of less than 12 months, while the remaining applications, around 30 per cent, were long-term positions with contract duration of 12 months or more. Over 53 000 applications were received under the ASMTP in the past two years, and the numbers of applications approved and refused during the same period were about 47 000 and 600 respectively. About 46 per cent of the approved applications were in respect of short-term positions, while long-term positions accounted for about 54 per cent of the approved applications. The breakdowns of the statistics are at Annex I.
(2) and (3) In the past two years, among those approved to take up long-term positions in Hong Kong under the GEP, most were engaged in the tourism industry, followed by academic research and education, and financial services. As for those approved under the ASMTP to take up long-term positions in Hong Kong, most were engaged in commerce and trade, followed by financial services, and academic research and education. Among the approved incoming talents, most have monthly remuneration falling within the range of $20,000 to $39,999, followed by those in the range of $40,000 to $79,999. As the job nature, job type and contract duration of individual cases are different, their salary levels also vary and should not be put in direct comparison.
The breakdowns of the numbers of approved applicants taking up long-term positions in Hong Kong under the aforesaid employment-tied admission schemes by industry/sector and monthly remuneration are at Annex II.
The ImmD does not maintain the other statistical breakdowns sought in the question.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by Reverend Canon the Hon Peter Douglas Koon and a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, in the Legislative Council today (May 7):
Question:
The 2023 Policy Address announced the launch of a three-year Re-employment Allowance Pilot Scheme (the Pilot Scheme), targeting at elderly and middle-aged persons aged 40 or above who have not been in paid employment for three consecutive months or more. To encourage these persons to rejoin the workforce, those who have worked for six consecutive months will be provided with a maximum allowance of $10,000, while those who have worked for 12 consecutive months will be given an additional maximum allowance of $10,000. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it will further improve the Pilot Scheme, such as increasing the amount of allowance, and strengthening employment counselling, job referral and post-placement follow-up services; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(2) whether performance indicators have been set for the Pilot Scheme, and whether the effectiveness of the Scheme in promoting re-employment among elderly and middle-aged persons is reviewed in a timely manner; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
Launched by the Labour Department (LD) on July 15, 2024, the three-year Re-employment Allowance Pilot Scheme (REA Scheme) encourages persons aged 40 or above who have not been in paid employment for three consecutive months or more to join the employment market. Each eligible participant who has worked full-time for six consecutive months will be provided with a re-employment allowance (REA) of $10,000, while those who have worked full-time for 12 consecutive months will be given an additional allowance of $10,000. Half-rate REA will be given to those who have worked part-time. Each participant may receive a maximum REA of $20,000 during the implementation of the REA Scheme. In response to the Member’s question, the reply is provided below.
The response to the REA Scheme is very favourable. From July 15, 2024 to March 31, 2025, over 38 000 participants and more than 16 000 placements were recorded, far exceeding the original target of benefiting 6 000 employed persons during the three-year implementation period.
The LD has been providing free and diversified employment services for participants of the REA Scheme. Participants may search for jobs through the LD’s Interactive Employment Service website (www.jobs.gov.hk), job centres across the territory, the Telephone Employment Service Hotline (2969 0888) or other channels. In addition, the LD from time to time stages large-scale job fairs targeting the elderly and middle-aged as well as district-based job fairs on part-time employment, etc, to promote the employment of the elderly and middle-aged. In tandem, the Government has commissioned two service providers, which have set up 12 service spots across the territory and two telephone hotlines, to assist with the implementation of the Scheme.
The LD will closely monitor the implementation of the REA Scheme and make timely adjustments to the implementation arrangements in light of the employment market situation and the views of the stakeholders.
The LD plans to conduct a mid-term review on the REA Scheme in the first quarter of 2026 to evaluate the effectiveness of the Scheme and map out the way forward. As the number of employment placements may be affected by various factors such as the economy, labour market situation and the personal circumstances of job seekers, it is not appropriate to set key performance indicators for the REA Scheme.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by the Hon Leung Man-kwong and a written reply by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, in the Legislative Council today (May 7):
Question:
It has been reported that recently, after admission tickets of a concert held in the Main Stadium of the Kai Tak Sports Park (KTSP) were put on sale through the ticket sales platform, there has been a spate of disputes involving the chaotic ticket exchange arrangements and obstructed views of some seats located in areas where the view was obstructed but the relevant platform had not marked prior to sale, etc., which have aroused strong dissatisfaction among the public. There are views that such situations may affect the confidence of the public and tourists in Hong Kong’s capability in hosting large-scale performances. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether the authorities have required organisers of commercial performances held at government venues to provide the relevant departments with clear ticketing plans in renting venues, such as information on the ticket-vending mechanisms, the number of tickets available for sale, the ticket collection arrangements, and the disclosure standards for seating information (including marking of areas with obstructed views); if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2) as it is learnt that ticket sales platforms collected handling charge from ticket buyers but failed to offer proper post-sale arrangements for those affected by the aforesaid situations, of the regulatory measures currently put in place by the Government on the platforms responsible for selling tickets of activities held at public venues, and how it would assist consumers in recovering loss;
(3) whether the authorities will study requiring ticket sale companies responsible for selling tickets of commercial performances held at government venues to adopt “identity-bound ticket limit” and “delayed ticket transfer mechanism” (e.g. ticket transfer must be processed through the official platforms), so as to curb the problem of ticket scalping; and
(4) whether consideration will be given to including a requirement of providing the electronic ticket exchange function in the new contract between government venues (such as the KTSP) and ticketing agencies, so as to ensure that members of the public are not required to go to the venues in person to exchange their tickets?
Reply:
President:
In consultation with the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, the consolidated reply to the question raised by the Hon Leung Man-kwong is as follows:
Hirers of performance venues under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) are required to obtain the LCSD’s approval on the ticket price scale, the seating plan and the ticketing system before the commencement of ticket sales. The seating plan shall indicate seats that are available for sale with prices specified, those with sightline problems or blocked due to technical reasons, and those for which complimentary tickets are to be issued.
The Kai Tak Sports Park (KTSP) has fully commissioned since March 2025, with the Kai Tak Sports Park Limited (KTSPL) being responsible for its daily operation under a “Design, Build and Operate” contract. The ticketing arrangements for events held at the various venues within the KTSP, including the choice of ticketing platform, are decided by individual event organisers. The KTSPL has already uploaded the seating plan of the three major venues to its website for public reference, and will maintain close liaison with event organisers regarding the arrangements of seats available for sale for individual events. As the stage design and venue usage of different events at the KTSP vary, event organisers will specify the seats with restricted view when selling tickets on the ticketing platform. These seats will also be marked as restricted view on the relevant tickets.
Subject to the requirements of event organisers, ticketing platforms offer different ticket collection arrangements, including the use of physical tickets and/or e-tickets. Some concerts/events held at the LCSD’s performance venues and the KTSP adopt the use of physical tickets, where audiences collect their tickets by such means as ticket delivery or at self-service ticketing kiosks, etc. after their purchase. E-ticket function is also available on URBTIX under the LCSD, events taking place at the KTSP could also use e-tickets as well. If an organiser chooses to adopt the use of e-tickets, their patrons could be admitted to the programmes by presenting either the e-ticket image in the confirmation email received, or the e-ticket QR code stored in the mobile app(s) to the venue staff for scanning and verification. At the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens recently held in the KTSP, the organiser opted to use e-tickets. Audiences had to download the relevant app on their smartphones to redeem their e-tickets and present such tickets upon entry by opening the app concerned.
Apart from ticket collection arrangements, ticketing platforms offer different ticketing proposals to cater to the needs of event organisers. For example, when handling ticketing for large-scale and popular events, URBTIX under the LCSD liaises with the organisers on ticketing proposals which cater to individual programmes (including adopting real-name ticketing arrangement); offering Internet, mobile app and telephone booking services only; setting a cap for the number of tickets each patron can purchase per transaction as well as imposing a limit on the number of tickets that can be purchased with the same credit card on the first day of ticket sales; increasing the transparency of ticketing information; implementing delayed ticket collection arrangement; and encouraging organisers to increase the ratio of tickets for public sale, etc. We note that other ticketing platforms also offer similar arrangements such as real-name ticketing arrangement and setting a cap for the number of tickets that can be purchased, etc.
Each ticketing platform has its own customer services arrangement, such as providing ticketing enquiries and after-sales supporting services. In addition, the Consumer Council (the Council) carries out its statutory functions in accordance with the Consumer Council Ordinance (Cap. 216), including the handling of complaints relating to goods and services of and the provision of advice to consumers, as well as conciliating disputes between consumers and traders. If consumers consider that the organisers and/or ticketing platforms have not handled the matters in relation to event tickets properly or have failed to reach a consensus with them, consumers may lodge a complaint with and seek assistance from the Council on conciliation.
The Security Bureau held an interdepartmental pre-typhoon tabletop exercise today at the Emergency Monitoring & Support Centre (EMSC) in the Central Government Offices.
The exercise aimed to enhance the emergency response and collaboration of bureaus, departments and other parties concerned in handling possible emergency situations if Hong Kong is struck by a super typhoon.
According to the Hong Kong Observatory’s forecast, five to eight tropical cyclones are expected to hit the city this year. The tropical cyclone season will begin in June or earlier, and end in October or later.
To ensure comprehensive preparedness, representatives from around 40 bureaus, departments and other parties participated in this year’s exercise.
The exercise simulated a scenario in which a super typhoon and heavy rainstorm battered Hong Kong, causing widespread destruction, property damage and serious blockage of main thoroughfares.
Participants were required to outline their response measures under different scenarios.
The exercise served as an interdisciplinary platform for the participants to share their experience and expertise, and enabled the participating parties to gain a deeper understanding of the operation of the EMSC as well as their respective roles and responsibilities, with a view to enhancing the preparedness and interdepartmental collaboration in responding to threats posed by super typhoons.
On day three of the Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Milan, Italy, Financial Secretary Paul Chan spoke at the Governors’ Plenary and met ADB President Masato Kanda.
The Governors’ Plenary focused on promoting regional economic integration in the Asia-Pacific through digital transformation.
Mr Chan noted that digital transformation is accelerating at an unprecedented pace; however, the region is facing a digital divide, and the trade war is likely to extend into the technology sector, thereby exacerbating digital fragmentation. Consequently, he stressed that ADB members should work together to address these challenges and strengthen co-operation on digitalisation.
He also shared Hong Kong’s strategy and action plan for digital transformation, which includes advancing digital infrastructure, facilitating digital transformation and cross-boundary data flow, and nurturing talent.
Furthermore, Mr Chan introduced Hong Kong’s strategy of using artificial intelligence to empower digital development and support small and medium-sized enterprises in their digital transformation.
Urging ADB members to collaborate on enhancing digital governance and nurturing talent, Mr Chan said Hong Kong is willing to share its experiences and technological solutions with other members to seize the vast opportunities presented by digital transformation and promote sustainable development in the region.
While meeting Mr Kanda on the same day, they exchanged views on the international economic landscape and regional development issues.
Mr Chan stated that Hong Kong supports the ADB’s work and is willing to share its experiences in areas such as financial innovation, infrastructure financing, green finance as well as innovation and technology (I&T). He also emphasised the importance of strengthening personnel training and exchanges with the ADB.
Yesterday, Mr Chan met Uzbekistan’s First Deputy Minister of Economy & Finance Ilhom Norqulov and Tajikistan’s State Committee on Investments & State Property Management Chairman Sulton Rahimzoda to discuss mutual co-operation.
In addition to highlighting that as an international financial centre, Hong Kong can effectively match funds with infrastructure projects in both countries, provide relevant professional services and support the operation of projects, the Financial Secretary underscored that there is significant potential for co-operation in I&T.
As a result, the Financial Secretary invited delegations from both countries to visit Hong Kong to connect with local industries and explore collaboration opportunities.
Mr Chan is due to depart for Hong Kong today and will arrive in the city on May 8.