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A Hong Kong Mobile Link Service for the elderly was honoured at the World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA) Global ICT Excellence Awards in Amsterdam on May 26 (European time). The Mobile Link Service, a joint project by the Senior Citizen Home Safety Association (SCHSA) and CSL Limited, won the grand prize of the Digital Opportunity Award. It was nominated by the Hong Kong Information Technology Federation (HKITF).
The aim of WITSA's Global ICT Excellence Awards is to identify the most outstanding ICT users, honouring organisations that have demonstrated exceptional achievement in using ICT to benefit societies, governments, individuals, organisations and the private sector.
The awards are presented once every two years in conjunction with the World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT), taking place this year in the Netherlands from 25 to 27 May. The WCIT is the major event of the WITSA, a consortium of about 70 ICT organisations around the world. The Hong Kong Information Technology Federation is a member association.
Mr Albert J Cheng, co-founder and board member of the SCHSA, said, "Mobile Link Service has fully realised the government's Digital 21 Strategy for information technology. We are helping to tackle the challenges disadvantaged groups face in using information and communications technology, thus creating a more inclusive, knowledge-based society."
The awards ceremony was witnessed by Miss Mary Chow, Special Representative for Hong Kong Economic and Trade Affairs to the European Union, who congratulated the SCHSA and CSL Limited.
Noting that the SCHSA had also won four major awards in the 2008 Hong Kong ICT Awards, Miss Chow commended the SCHSA for employing the latest information and communication technology to provide the best quality service for the elderly.
"The Government is delighted that Hong Kong's information technology industry has joined hands with a non-profit organisation to develop innovative IT applications to help the elderly in this way," Miss Chow said.
"The Government has identified innovation and technology as one of six new areas that are crucial to the economic development of Hong Kong, and this is just the sort of synergy we want to encourage," she added.
Spending on research and development (R&D) by enterprises as a share of Hong Kong's total R&D expenditure steadily increased from less than 30% in 2001 to nearly 50% in 2007. Through initiatives like a cash rebate scheme the Government is hoping to inculcate a research culture among enterprises and encourage them to establish long-term partnerships with research institutions. This will enhance Hong Kong's R&D capabilities and the competitiveness of enterprises, creating more business and employment opportunities.
Ends/Sunday, May 30, 2010
Issued at HKT 15:44
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