Government announces appointments to Advisory Committee on Mental Health
The Government announced today (November 28) the reappointment of Dr Lam Ching-choi as the Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Mental Health (ACMH), and the appointment of eight new members as well as the reappointment of 18 incumbent members for a term of two years from December 1, 2025, to November 30, 2027.
The eight newly appointed members are Dr Tony Chan Ngai-ho, Professor Chan Wai-chi, Dr Vivian Hui Chi-ching, Miss Grace Chan Man-yee, Mr Eddie Lam Tak-yuk, Ms Lo Po-man, Mr Ng To-lung and Mr Ali Mohamad Zaiq.
Separately, for the two incumbent members, Miss Angel Chan Hoi-yi and Mr Ikey Cheung Ho-yuen, who were reappointed earlier through the Member Self-recommendation Scheme for Youth, their term will be until November 30, 2027.
The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Chairman and members of the Advisory Committee for their valuable advice on mental health policies and services in the past two years. He also especially thanked the eight outgoing members, namely Dr Hung Se-fong, Dr Carolyn Kng Poey-lyn, Professor Linda Lam Chiu-wa, Ms Jolene Mui, Mr Chua Hoi-wai, Mr Ricky Leung Wai-kay, Ms Lily Chan and Professor Naubahar Sharif, for their contributions to the ACMH during their tenure.
Established in December 2017, the ACMH advises the Government on mental health policies, including the adoption of a more integrated and comprehensive approach to tackle multifaceted mental health issues, assisting the Government in formulating policies, strategies and measures, as well as following up on and monitoring the implementation of various recommendations of the Mental Health Review Report, with a view to enhancing mental health services in Hong Kong.
The membership of the ACMH from December 1 this year is as follows:
Chairman
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Dr Lam Ching-choi
Non-official members
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Healthcare sector
# Dr Tony Chan Ngai-ho
# Professor Chan Wai-chi
* Dr Chang Wing-chung
* Dr Amos Cheung Chuen-yih
# Dr Vivian Hui Chi-ching
* Professor Patrick Ip Pak-keung
* Dr Lam Wing-wo
* Dr Peter Tsoi Ting-kwok
* Dr Josephine Grace Wong Wing-san
Social service and education sectors
# Miss Grace Chan Man-yee
* Miss Chan Sau-kam
# Mr Eddie Lam Tak-yuk
* Miss Vicky Leung Pui-ki
* Ms Rachel Leung Wai-ling
* Mr Tso Tat-ming
* Mr Terry Wong Chung-bao
* Professor Paul Yip Siu-fai
Lay persons
Miss Angel Chan Hoi-yi (Member Self-recommendation Scheme for Youth member)
*Ms Amy Chan Lim-chee
Mr Ikey Cheung Ho-yuen (Member Self-recommendation Scheme for Youth member)
*Miss Linda Choy Siu-min
*Dr Ferrick Chu Chung-man (Representative of Equal Opportunities Commission)
# Ms Lo Po-man
* Ms Shirley Marie Therese Loo
# Mr Ng To-lung
* Ms Barbara Tong
* Miss Sara Tong See-pui, SC
# Mr Ali Mohamad Zaiq
Ex-officio members
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Permanent Secretary for Health or representative
Permanent Secretary for Labour and Welfare or representative
Permanent Secretary for Education or representative
Director of Health or representative
Director of Social Welfare or representative
Director (Cluster Services), Hospital Authority
Chairman, Coordinating Committee in Psychiatry, Hospital Authority
Principal Executive Manager (Health) 3A (Secretary)
Note:
# New appointments
* Reappointments
Dr. Lam Ching-choi
Re-launch of Reporting Scheme for Unauthorised Building Works in New Territories Exempted Houses
Following the direction of earlier proposals, the Buildings Department (BD) announced today (April 1) the re-launch of the Reporting Scheme for Unauthorised Building Works (UBWs) in New Territories Exempted Houses (NTEHs). The reporting period will last for one year from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.
"In view of the history and unique circumstances of the NTEHs (commonly known as village houses), the Government launched a one-off administrative reporting scheme in 2012 as a special arrangement. Under the scheme, owners could report to the BD about UBWs that were erected before June 28, 2011, posed lower risks or constituted less serious contravention of the law. The reporting period ended in December 2012. The Development Bureau (DEVB) put forward proposals to amend the Buildings Ordinance in December 2024, which included rationalising the policy for handling UBWs. The DEVB also pointed out that in response to the views of villagers and Legislative Council members that the reporting period was too short, the Government prepared to re-launch the Reporting Scheme to allow owners who at that time did not report their UBWs to do so," a spokesman for the BD said.
Relevant stakeholders and Legislative Council members generally considered the above proposals practical and feasible, and they welcomed the proposals. The DEVB and the BD have also consulted Heung Yee Kuk on the relevant implementation arrangements.
The re-launched Reporting Scheme will maintain the original criteria, including:
(1) The types of UBWs that can be reported and their erection dates are the same as the original Reporting Scheme, meaning that only UBWs erected before June 28, 2011, posed lower risks or constituted less serious contravention of the law and were not the First Round Targets (Note) are eligible. Examples include signboards projecting from the external walls of village houses; enclosed rooftop structures with a coverage of not more than 50 per cent of the roofed-over area of the main building.
(2) Same as the original Reporting Scheme, owners are required to conduct safety inspections on the reported UBWs every five years.
"The BD will not require the immediate removal of the reported UBWs unless their structures become obviously dangerous. Regarding UBWs in village houses, the BD is prioritising the handling of First Round Targets. If any relevant UBWs remain not reported after the application deadline of March 31, 2027, the BD will, after dealing with the First Round Targets, take priority enforcement action against the non-reported UBWs. The BD will formulate enforcement strategy for the reported UBWs at a later stage in accordance with the risks and the actual situation," the spokesman added.
To enhance the efficiency of processing applications, reports must be submitted via the electronic platform on the BD's website by technically competent persons or registered professional engineers appointed by owners. In accordance with the user-pays principle, an administrative fee of $600 is payable for each application. Upon successful reports, owners must also pay the relevant administrative fee when conducting safety inspections of the reported UBWs every five years.
Details of the re-launched Reporting Scheme are available on the BD's website at https://www.bd.gov.hk/en/safety-inspection/ubw/UBW-in-new-territories-exempted-houses/index_relaunch_reporting_scheme.html; Villagers who wish to report can call 2626 1616 for enquiry. The BD will also use different channels such as distributing leaflets and posters to Rural Committees to enable villagers to know more about the re-launch of the Reporting Scheme.
Owners who had successfully participated in the Reporting Scheme in 2012 are not required to submit reports again. However, they must continue to comply with the requirements of the original Reporting Scheme, including conducting safety inspections of the reported UBWs every five years, submitting safety certificates and paying administrative fees to the BD.
Note: The First Round Targets refer to UBWs with higher potential risks and more serious nature, such as village houses of four storeys or more, and enclosed rooftop structures covering more than 50 per cent of the roofed-over area.
Source: AI-found images
