Chief Executive election to be held March 25
Polling for the third-term Chief Executive election will be held on March 25 at the AsiaWorld-Expo. The first round of voting will be from 9 to 11 a.m. Thereafter the count will start. If none of the candidates obtains an absolute majority of valid votes, another round of voting will be held from 2 - 3 p.m. The count will follow thereafter. If again none of the candidates obtains an absolute majority, the third round of voting will be held from 7 - 8 p.m. Once again, the count will follow thereafter. In the event that there is a need for the fourth round or further rounds, it will be held on the following day.
A notice of nominations, which carries the names of the candidates and the Election Committee members who have subscribed to a nomination, was published in the Gazette on March 7.
During the two-week nomination period for the Chief Executive election that ended March 1, Returning Officer Barnabas Fung Wah received two valid nominations.
Alan Leong Kah Kit and Donald Tsang Yam Kuen handed in their nominations on February 14 and 16, respectively. Justice Fung ruled them valid.
Population rises 0.9% in 2006
Hong Kong’s population swelled to a provisional 6,900,700 at the end of 2006, according to the Census and Statistics Department. This represents a 0.9% year-on-year increase, or 62,900 more people than at end-2005.
During 2006, Hong Kong recorded 65,800 births and 36,900 deaths, an increase of 28,900. There was an inflow of 54,200 one-way permit holders, representing 86% of the overall population increase. There was a net outflow of 20,200 people.
Among the total population, 6,667,800 were usual residents and 232,900 were mobile residents. The population figure excludes visitors. There were 337,600 visitors in Hong Kong at the end of 2006.
Centre for Health Protection changes staff
Dr. P. Y. Leung, controller of the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health, took a senior position March 1 in the Hospital Authority. Dr. Thomas Tsang took the post of CHP controller the same day.
Students excel at Physics Olympiad
A team of 28 high school students won six first prizes, nine second prizes and nine third prizes for Hong Kong at the Third Pan-Pearl River Delta Physics Olympiad. The performances rank among the best by a Hong Kong team. The previous best result was in 2005, when the team won five first prizes, one second prize and 10 third prizes.
The competition, jointly organized by the Hong Kong Physics Olympiad Committee and the Physics Teaching Professional Commission of the Chinese Society of Education, aims to promote physics education and provide challenging learning opportunities for gifted youths from the Mainland, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.
The Olympiad was held simultaneously February 26 at The Fung Hon Chu Gifted Education Centre in Hong Kong and Shenzhen Secondary School in mainland China.
A total of 358 top secondary students participated in the competition. The 28 Hong Kong participants are trainees at the Physics Enhancement Program, the beneficiaries of “Support Measures for the Exceptionally Gifted Students Scheme” of the Education and Manpower Bureau.
‘Isabella’ wins awards at film festival
Hong Kong Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology Joseph W. P. Wong recently congratulated Media Asia Group Chairman Peter Lam, “Isabella” director Pang Ho-cheung and actress Isabella Leong for winning awards at the 27th Oporto International Film Festival.
The Hong Kong film, “Isabella,” won the Best Film award at the Orient Express Competitive Section of the festival. Miss Leong, who won the Best Actress award during Director’s Week of the festival for her outstanding performance in the film, is the first Hong Kong actor to win this award.
Mr. Wong said the awards represent not only an honor for Hong Kong, but also an international recognition and commendation for the achievement of Hong Kong’s film industry. It also is a great encouragement to the local film industry.
Mr. Wong added that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is supportive of the local film industry. Together with the soon-to-be-formed Hong Kong Film Development Council, the government is determined to work jointly with the film sector to develop the Hong Kong film industry.
HKEx Web site introduces new section
On March 8, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEx) introduced on its Web site a section featuring information on its corporate governance.
The Corporate Governance section provides information on HKEx’s key corporate governance principles, practices and relevant policies, with a checklist to illustrate HKEx’s compliance with the Code on Corporate Governance Practices (Appendix 14 to the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited).
HKEx aims to provide its stakeholders with a reliable, efficient and readily available channel to access the latest and detailed information on HKEx’s approach to corporate governance and its practices.
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