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The Chief Executive has appointed the Chairman and members to the Football Betting and Lotteries Commission under the Betting Duty Ordinance. The appointments will be effective for two years with effect from August 1, 2003.

According to the Ordinance, the function of the Commission is to advise the Secretary for Home Affairs on matters relating to the following:

(a) the regulation of the conduct of football betting and lotteries;

(b) the issuance and revocation of licences and the variation of the licensing conditions;

(c) the compliance with the licensing conditions and the handling of complaints that relate to the non-compliance with the conditions of the licence; and

(d) the imposition of financial penalties on the licensees.

Mr Moses Cheng Mo Chi has been appointed as the Chairman of the Commission.

Mr Cheng, a practising solicitor, has been active in the field of education and civic education. He is also an active member of the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui (the Anglican Church of Hong Kong); serving as a member of its Standing Committee, a vestry member of the St. Paul's Church and an executive committee member of its Diocesan Welfare Council.

The Chief Executive has appointed the following three persons as the three specified members of the Commission, in the fields of social work, education and religion:

(a) Mr. Paul Chan Kam Cheung, registered social worker

- Deputy Executive Director of Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups

(b) Mr. Ho Hon Kuen, member from the education sector

- Vice-Principal of a Secondary School, and the Vice-Chairman of "Education Convergence"

(c) Father Peter John Newbury, member from the religious sector

- Executor Director of the Youth Outreach

Another six persons have been appointed in their personal capacity as members of the Commission. They are:

(a) Mr. Paul Fan Chor Ho,

- Chairman of a securities company

- Chairman of the Award Council of the Hong Kong Award for Young People

(b) Mr. Felix Fong Wo,

- A practising solicitor

- Chairman of the Codes of Practice Committee under the Broadcasting Authority

(c) Mrs. Fanny Lai Ip Po Ping,

- An accountant

- Member of the Committee on the Promotion of Civil Education

(d) Mr. Albert Hung Chao Hong,

- Businessman

- Member of the Hong Kong Sports Development Board and a director of the Hong Kong Football Association

(e) Miss Irene Lee Wing Yun,

- A postgraduate student at a university in Hong Kong

- Member of the Commission on Youth

(f) Mr. Wong Kwan Yu,

- Principal of a secondary school

- Member of the district fight crime committee and the Quality Education Fund Steering Committee

Three public officers have been appointed to sit on the Commission. They are Commissioner of Police or representative, Permanent Secretary for Education and Manpower or representative, and Director of Home Affairs or representative. They should be able to provide advice on enforcement of illegal gambling, impact of authorized gambling on education, and community feedback regarding authorized gambling.

The Secretary for Home Affairs, Dr Patrick Ho, welcomes the appointment of the Chairman and members of the Commission.

"The appointments represent a balanced composition of individuals from different sectors, who should be able to address the wide range of public concerns regarding the regulation of authorized football betting. We would work closely with the Commission to ensure that it could properly discharge its statutory functions," Dr Ho said.

The appointments will be published in the gazette on August 1, 2003 (Friday).

End/Tuesday, July 29, 2003

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