The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, visited Sai Kung District today (December 11) to keep abreast of the current situation of the Sai Kung Market and latest development of Tseung Kwan O. He also met Sai Kung District Council (SKDC) members.
      
     Accompanied by District Officer (Sai Kung), Mr David Chiu, and Chairman of SKDC, Mr George Ng, Mr Cheung first toured the Sai Kung Market and discussed with stall operators the business environment of the market. He pointed out that the Government had all along spared no effort to improve the environment of public markets. As announced in the Policy Address in October, the Chief Executive stated that the Government would conduct a comprehensive review of existing public markets, formulate specific improvement measures for both the facilities and their management in a systematic manner. The Government would also allocate resources to enhance the environment of existing public markets including expediting the provision of air-conditioning.
      
     Mr Cheung then observed from the roof top of the Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI) the key development projects in Tseung Kwan O South, while receiving a briefing from relevant government departments on the Tseung Kwan O – Lam Tin Tunnel now under construction, the Cross Bay Link for which funding approval from the Legislative Council was planned to be sought within this legislative year, the new government office buildings under planning and other projects aimed at responding to the growing population in the district.
      
     He was pleased to note that the Tseung Kwan O – Lam Tin Tunnel would become another key connecting route between Tseung Kwan O and Kowloon East upon completion and thus enable the public to travel more conveniently and alleviate significantly traffic problems in the Tseung Kwan O district and along the Tseung Kwan O Tunnel.  
      
     Thereafter, Mr Cheung visited HKDI’s Media Lab to gain an understanding of the research studies on multimedia application conducted by its students. He encouraged HKDI to continue to nurture design talents for local creative industries, emphasizing that the current-term Government was committed to promote creative industry, alongside innovation and technology, as the new growth areas in Hong Kong’s economy.  He added that Hong Kong could make use of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area to foster the further development of Hong Kong’s creative industries.
      
     Mr Cheung also met HKDI students and members of the Sai Kung youth network programme to exchange views on youth matters. He stressed that the Government had strived to promote youth development to address their concerns about education, career pursuit and home ownership. He also encouraged them to participate in politics as well as in the discussion and debate on public policy. 
      
     Mr Cheung then visited the Hong Kong Velodrome and was briefed on the pilot scheme on shared cycling paths and the operation of automated rental bicycles in the district.
      
     He was glad to note that government departments have responded swiftly to the concerns of the local community through the pilot scheme so that residents could travel between Hang Hau and Sheung Tak by bicycle via a cycling path of the Velodrome, and at the same time took action against illegally-parked bicycles.
      
     Before concluding the visit, Mr Cheung met SKDC members to carefully listen to their views on various development issues and matters of concern to the community.
     

Ends/Monday, December 11, 2017
Issued at HKT 18:47

NNNN