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The following is issued on behalf of the Antiquities Advisory Board (AAB):

The Antiquities Advisory Board for the term 1999-2000 had held its first meeting and discussed the following items:

1. Appointment to Committees

Dr Elizabeth Sinn, Dr Michael Lau and Mr. Paul Young were appointed as Chairman of the Historical Buildings and Structures Committee, the Archaeology Committee and the Education and Publicity Committee respectively.

2. Consultancy Report

The "Consultant's Report on Culture, the Arts, Recreation and Sports Services" and the "Consultancy Study on Culture, the Arts, Recreation and Sports Services - The Administration's Initial Responses" were discussed in great details in the meeting. Consolidated views of the AAB would be submitted to the Home Affairs Bureau for consideration.

3. Approval of application

The Board recommended the approval of two applications from Mrs. Pamela Rogers and Mrs. Van Den Bergh to conduct archaeological survey at Tuen Mun and at Lantau Island respectively.

4. Heritage Award pilot scheme

It was agreed in principle to implement in the year 1999/2000 a pilot scheme on Heritage Award to promote and sustain public interest and awareness in heritage preservation.

5. Policy statements

Members indicated support in principle to the draft policy statements and objectives of the Board. Details would be further discussed at the respective Committees' meetings.

6. Major activity plan of Antiquities and Monuments Office

The meeting noted the following major activity plan of the Antiquities and Monuments Office for the year 1999:

(i) Opening of the Lung Yeuk Tau Heritage Trail in May/June and the Sheung Wan Route of the Central and Western Heritage Trail in June/July;

(ii) Protective measures for the Wun Yiu archaeological site and conversion of the school building into a visitor centre for storage and display of excavated finds from the kiln site in August;

(iii) International Conference on Heritage and Tourism in

mid-December.

7. Excavation discoveries

The AAB noted the important discoveries of the excavation in Pak Nai by the Hong Kong Archaeological Society in February 1999, in which artefacts thought to be related to the worship of Sun and Moon gods were found in a prehistoric burial dated back to 3,500 years ago.

End/Tuesday, April 13, 1999

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