Minutes of the 5th Meeting of
Culture, Leisure & Social Affairs Committee (2016-17)
Central and Western District Council
Date / : / 22nd September 2016 (Thursday)Time / : / 2:30 pm
Venue / : / Conference Room
14/F, Harbour Building
38 Pier Road, Central, Hong Kong
Present:
Chairman
Mr CHAN Chit-kwai, Stephen, BBS, JP*
Vice-chairman
Mr YEUNG Hoi-wing*
Members
Mr CHAN Choi-hi, MH*Mr CHAN Ho-lim, Joseph / (3:23 pm - 5:06 pm)
Mr CHAN Hok-fung, MH*
Ms CHENG Lai-king*
Mr CHEUNG Kwok-kwan, JP / (2:38 pm - 4:47 pm)
Mr HUI Chi-fung / (2:30 pm - 6:10 pm)
Mr KAM Nai-wai, MH*
Mr LEE Chi-hang, Sidney, MH / (2:30 pm - 5:45 pm)
Miss LO Yee-hang / (2:30 pm - 5:57 pm)
Mr NG Siu-hong / (2:35 pm - end of the meeting)
Ms SIU Ka-yi / (2:30 pm - 5:33 pm)
Mr YEUNG Hok-ming*
Mr.YIP Wing-shing, BBS, MH, JP / (2:30 pm - 4:30 pm)
Co-opted Members
Ms CHEUNG Kai-yin / (2:53 pm - 5:13 pm)
Mr IP Yik-nam / (2:35 pm - 4:23 pm)
Ms LAU Wai-yan, Vienna / (2:30 pm - 3:00 pm)
Mr LEE Man-sing*
Mr SHAM Chi-hang, Christopher / (2:37 pm - end of the meeting)
Remarks: * Members who attended the whole meeting ( ) Time of attendance of Members
Guests
Item 5Dr WONG Man-ching, Anna
Dr C K LEE
Mr Henry MAN / Senior Medical and Health Officer (Community Liaison)2, Department of Health
Chief Executive and Medical Director, Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service
Recruitment and Publicity Manager, Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service
Item 6
Ms CHAN Shuk-hing, Daphne
Ms YIP Wai-ting, Wendy / Senior Librarian (Central & Western), Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Librarian (Shek Tong Tsui Public Library), Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Items 7 & 8
Dr WONG Man-ching, Anna / Senior Medical and Health Officer (Community Liaison)2, Department of Health
Item 9
Ms YANG Ka-yee
Mr CHUI Chi-keung, Chris
Mr CHAN Bak-hang
Mr CHAN Hon-cheung, John
Mr MUI Tung-king, Tony
Mr WONG Cheuk-him, Jason
Ms CHOW Pui-shan, Cindy
Miss YU Yan-yan, Rosanna / Senior Forestry Officer/Tree Management Group, Architectural Services Department
Landscape Architect/Tree Management Group, Architectural Services Department
Senior Property Services Manager/Special Duties 1, Architectural Services Department
Senior Landscape Architect/Vegetation Maintenance (U & Is), Highways Department
Senior Landscape Architect/Vegetation Maintenance (NT), Highways Department
Landscape Architect/Vegetation Management (SD), Highways Department
Deputy District Leisure Manager (District Support) Central and Western, Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Senior Executive Officer (District Management), Central and Western District Office
Item 10
Mr HO Tze-kin / Senior Systems Manager (DI)2, Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, Innovation and Technology Bureau
Item 11
Ms CHOI Suk-kuen, Shirley
Ms LEE Wing-yee, Winnie
Ms CHAN Shuk-hing, Daphne / Senior Manager (Cultural Services) HK West, Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Manager (Hong Kong West) Marketing, Programme and District Activities, Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Senior Librarian (Central & Western), Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Item 12
Mr Richard JOHNSON
Mr Gavin TUN
Mr Simon WONG
Ms LAM Hiu-kwan
Mr Eddie S K YEUNG
Ms May HO
Mr NGAI Chak-man
Mr Edmund KWOK / Associate Dean, Executive MBA Program- Asia, University of Chicago
Director, Design & Project Management, Capital Project Delivery And Interim University Architect, University of Chicago
Senior Project Manager, University of Chicago
Architect, Bing Thom Architects
Contracts Manager, Paul Y. Builders Limited
Conservation Architect, Chinese University of Hong Kong
Landscape Designer, Urbis
Associate Director, MVA Asia
Item 13
Dr CC LUK
Ms Mabel KWONG / Custer Chief Executive, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hospital Authority
Public and Community Relations officer, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hospital Authority
Item 14
Mr CHAN Hon-cheung, John
Mr SO Shui-shan, Isaac / Senior Landscape Architect/Vegetation Maintenance (U & Is), Highways Department
Landscape Architect/ Vegetation Maintenance (HKC&W), Highways Department
Item 15
Ms NG Po-kuen
Ms WONG Yuen-yee
Mr YEUNG Chi-kuk
Ms CHENG Shuk-man / Chairwoman, Raines Cantonese Opera Troupe
Chairwoman, The Standard Platform for Chinese Opera
Chairman, Young Arts Troupe
Assistant, Young Arts Troupe
In Attendance:
Miss LAM Bing-bing, Erica / Assistant District Officer (Central and Western)
Ms BOOK King-shun, Emma / Executive Officer I (District Council), Central and Western District Office
Mr CHU Kam-sing, Daniel / Assistant District Social Welfare Officer (Central Western, Southern and Islands)2, Social Welfare Department
Ms Doris CHUN / Senior Community Relations Officer (Hong Kong West/Islands), Independent Commission Against Corruption
Dr WONG Man-ching, Anna / Senior Medical and Health Officer (Community Liaison)2, Department of Health
Ms CHOI Yi-ting, Christal / Neighbourhood Police Co-ordinator, Police Community Relations Office, Central District, Hong Kong Police Force
Mr CHAN Chun-wah / Neighbourhood Police Co-ordinator, Police Community Relations Office, Central District, Hong Kong Police Force
Ms CHOI Suk-kuen, Shirley / Senior Manager (Cultural Services) HK West, Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Ms LEE Wing-yee, Winnie / Manager (Hong Kong West) Marketing, Programme and District Activities, Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Ms CHOW Pui-shan, Cindy / Deputy District Leisure Manager (District Support) Central and Western, Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Secretary
Miss MAN Sum-yi, Annie / Executive Officer (District Council) 5
Central and Western District Office
Opening Remarks
The Chairman welcomed Members, officials and guests to the fifth meeting of the Culture, Leisure & Social Affairs Committee (CLSAC) of the Central and Western District Council (2016-17) and introduced the new Secretary Miss MAN Sum-yi.
Item 1: Adoption of the agenda
2. Members raised no particular views on the agenda which the Chairman declared adopted.
Item 2: Confirmation of the minutes of the 4th meeting of CLSAC (2016-17)
3. Members confirmed the minutes without amendments.
Item 3: Action checklist on matters arising from the 4th CLSAC meeting (2016/2017) (C&W CLSAC Paper No. 54/2016)
4. Members noted the action checklist and raised no particular views.
Item 4: Chairman’s report
5. The Chairman had nothing particular to report.
Item 5: Concern over the continuously low level of blood stock in Hong Kong and excessively long waiting time for organ transplant
(C&W CLSAC Paper No. 29/2016)
(2:33 pm - 2:53 pm)
6. Dr C K LEE, Chief Executive and Medical Director of the Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service (“BTS”) under the Hospital Authority (“HA”), pointed out that demand for red blood cell products was expected to rise by 2.1% this year. As a result, the BTS had been actively promoting its service network and exploring blood sources. There were now two donor centres in the Central and Western district, one on the 1/F of Tung Ming Building at Des Voeux Road Central and the other on 3/F of Meng Wah Complex in the University of Hong Kong. He said that secondary schools might arrange Forms 4-6 students to donate blood during school hours and most of the university students donated blood often without planning. In addition to the University of Hong Kong, the Polytechnic University of Hong Kong also had a donor centre on campus. For the two university centres, more promotion channels were needed to enhance the awareness of members of the public of the centres' presence. To lure more young persons to donate blood, more resources had been put on the social media for wider publicity. In another vein, because of the rainy weather, blood collection this summer holiday dropped by 8%, compared to the same period last year. The BTS would ensure the blood stock would be sufficient to meet the needs. Lastly, he pointed out that application had been submitted to the Lands Department to put up more banners in the district to enhance publicity.
7. Dr WONG Man-ching, Senior Medical and Health Officer (Community Liaison)2 of the Department of Health, reported that the Government had been actively promoting organ donation through different channels, including building an institution-based network, holding exhibitions and talks, launching publicity activities through television, radio, internet and other media and setting up a Centralised Organ Donation Register to allow members of the public to record their wish to donate organs after death. The Committee on Promotion of Organ Donation was formed in April this year to further promote organ donation. The Committee coordinated and integrated the work by different departments and organisations. Lastly, she reported on another round of survey being planned by the Government to gauge public understanding and level of acceptance of organ donation and different organ donation mechanisms.
8. The Chairman invited discussion on the paper and Members' enquiries and views were as follows:
(i) Mr LEE Man-sing expressed concern about the means of promotion of the Red Cross. He said that its Youtube channel launched in 2015 only had 181 subscribers and only one of its 90 clips had over 1 000 view counts. He hoped the Red Cross would make better use of the social media to step up publicity work.
(ii) Ms SIU Ka-yi suggested the Red Cross to merge the different Facebook sites of various districts into one Facebook account and add the mobile donation service schedule on its website. She said reference could be made to the Hong Kong Monetary Authority coin carts parking locations to park the mobile donation vehicle more often in commercial districts or pedestrian areas for wider publicity.
(iii) Mr LEE Chi-hang agreed that publicity needed to be augmented and pointed out that in general the public was not aware of the blood donation points. He suggested to arrange for blood donation activities during public holidays in popular shopping malls for convenience of the public.
(iv) Mr CHAN Choi-hi said he was most willing to offer assistance to the Red Cross in respect of its website or street banners to enhance publicity, such as provision of hoisting locations. He suggested to hold a mascot design competition and a territory-wide blood donation competition to encourage the public to come forward to give blood. Also, he considered there was a shortage of mobile donation vehicle.
(v) The Chairman hoped the Red Cross would enhance publicity in the universities and also said it should commend frequent donors. As for organ donation, he suggested to give priorities in organ transplant to the registered donors and their immediate families. Also, he hoped consideration would be given to extend the service hours of the Central District donor centre in order to serve potential donors who worked late.
9. Dr C K LEE of the BTS under the HA thanked Members for their suggestions and pointed out that focused publicity in Facebook was launched about two years ago and the BTS had been actively working with other organisations. As regards the suggestion on parking locations of the mobile donation vehicle, he said there might be practical difficulties as the vehicle required electricity to function. At the same time, fund raising was being launched from various sources to acquire new mobile donation vehicle. In conclusion, he said his team would make reference to overseas practices to continue to step up publicity and public education by different means to stabilize the blood supply in Hong Kong in the long run.
10. Dr WONG Man-ching of the Department of Health thanked Members for their views and said the Department would continue to explore more publicity channels and hope to attract more young people's attention through the social media.
Item 6: Request for provision of book sanitisers in public libraries
(C&W CLSAC Paper No. 42/2016)
(2:54 pm - 3:16 pm)
11. The Chairman invited discussion on the paper and Members' enquiries and views were as follows:
(i) The Vice-chairman said he could not understand why the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (“LCSD”) commented that the book sanitisers were not cost-effective. Other places including the Mainland and Taiwan had already put in place similar book sterilizers. He hoped the Department would reconsider the proposal and suggested to launch a pilot scheme in Central and Western libraries in order to enhance awareness of public hygiene.
(ii) Mr CHAN Hok-fung said the paper was submitted because he saw similar book sanitisers in the Mainland using ultra-violet rays to kill the germs. He said although the library staff regularly cleaned the book covers, the inside of the book might not be easily cleaned. He suggested to try out the proposal in the Central and Western district.
(iii) Ms SIU Ka-yi said book sanitisers were common in Taiwan and various types of sanitisers could be found on the net and probably would not be too expensive. The gadget was only slightly bigger than a microwave cooker. She reported that the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals had placed similar sanitisers in almost all of its kindergartens, which took only 30 seconds to sterilise 3 books. Self-service book sanitisers were suggested to reduce the manpower required. She urged the Department to introduce the pilot scheme by stages.
(iv) Mr CHEUNG Kwok-kwan added that the book sanitisers suggested in the paper was self-service ones so the cost would not be too high and no staff was needed to help. Members of the public who needed the service could use the machines on their own.
(v) Mr YEUNG Hok-ming believed that the libraries in the Central and Western district had enough space for the book sanitisers and the parents would find it convenient to sterilise the children's books. He believed the Department had the resources required to implement the proposal.
(vi) The Chairman commented that book sanitisers might help to preserve the books. He pointed out that other than ultra-red rays, there were ozone technology for sterilisation. As the sanitisers were not expensive he hoped the library would reconsider the feasibility of the proposal.
12. Ms CHAN Shuk-hing, Senior Librarian (Central & Western) of the LCSD, said that the Department attached much importance to hygiene and cleanliness in the libraries. On top of daily cleansing work, there would be regular large scale cleaning operation to ensure hygiene in the libraries maintained at the desired level. As for personal hygiene, all libraries had alcohol-based hand rub dispensers at the main entrances or near the service counters for those who needed to clean their hands. For soiled books, the libraries had established procedures to handle them. She also knew that the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals had bought a dozen of sanitisers for its kindergartens. The size was as big as a refrigerator, operated by adults and not children. Currently the sanitisers could only clean a limited number of books each time so they might not be cost effective in view of the number of books borrowed by each reader or the flow of books in the libraries. Members of the public were advised to follow the Department of Health's guidelines to clean hands with soap immediately after using public facilities or objects including books before touching other parts of their bodies or eating. She pointed out that the libraries now held over 14 million items and the annual loans were as many as 51 million items. Balancing all factors involved, the Department did not consider it most appropriate to install the sanitisers at this stage but would keep in view the advancement of book sanitisation technologies and re-examine this proposal when it was cost-effective.