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i Calendar of Events in 2006 January 4 Hong Kong is ranked the world’s freest economy for the 12th consecutive year by the United States-based Heritage Foundation in the 2006 Index of Economic Freedom. 11 The Education and Manpower Bureau announces the setting up of the Committee on Teachers’ Work, chaired by Professor Edmond Ko, to carry out an independent study of teachers’ work and to make relevant recommendations to the Government. 13 The Hospital Authority appoints Mr Shane Solomon as its Chief Executive for a term of three years. 17 The Government announces the establishment of an independent committee to review public service broadcasting in Hong Kong. 20 The Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, officiates at the connection ceremony of the Hong Kong and Shenzhen sections of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Corridor. 24 The Central People’s Government (CPG) approves the appointments of Mr Joseph Wong Wing-ping as Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology and Miss Denise Yue Chung-yee as Secretary for the Civil Service. Mr John Tsang Chun-wah is appointed Director of the Chief Executive’s Office. February 3 The Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, announces a plan to ban the keeping of poultry in backyards. The ban goes into effect on February 13. 11 The Revenue (Abolition of Estate Duty) Ordinance 2005 goes into force. 21 The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Rafael Hui, announces a plan to set up a consultative committee to re-examine the need for core arts and cultural facilities in the West Kowloon Cultural District. 22 In his Budget Speech, the Financial Secretary, Mr Henry Tang, outlines a series of measures and proposals to boost Hong Kong’s financial market, including expanding renminbi business. ii Calendar of Events in 2006 27 The Secretary for Education and Manpower, Professor Arthur K C Li, announces a series of long-term support measures for improving the teaching establishment and reducing the workload of teachers to give them some relief and to allow them to better concentrate on teaching. March 10 Fireboat Alexander Grantham is hoisted into its new home at the Central Concourse of Quarry Bay Park. The fireboat, which is to be converted into a gallery, is the Hong Kong Museum of History’s largest ‘Made in Hong Kong’ exhibit. The Revenue (Profits Tax Exemption for Offshore Funds) Ordinance 2006 is enacted. The Revenue (Personalised Vehicle Registration Marks) Ordinance 2005 comes into effect. Under the Personalised Vehicle Registration Marks Scheme, a vehicle owner can suggest his or her preferred registration mark, submit it to the Transport Department and use it upon approval and successful bidding. 23 The Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, opens a forum to promote regional cooperation in financial services. The forum, the first of its kind in Hong Kong, attracts more than 600 officials from the Pan-Pearl River Delta Region and Central Government agencies, entrepreneurs and key players in the financial services sector. 24 The Law Reform Commission releases its report entitled ‘Privacy: The Regulation of Covert Surveillance’. April 1 The Government sets up the Mainland Affairs Liaison Office under the Constitutional Affairs Bureau. 4 The Government proposes an incentive scheme for the operators of Hong Kong’s 265 pig farms, who choose to surrender their licences voluntarily and cease pig farming permanently. 6 The Government announces the appointments to the Consultative Committee and its three Advisory Groups on the Core Arts and Cultural Facilities of the West Kowloon Cultural District. The Chief Secretary for Administration will chair the Consultative Committee. 7 The first Hong Kong Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Awards are launched to recognise and promote the outstanding achievements of local ICT professionals and organisations. 9 The Secretary for Justice, Mr Wong Yan Lung, arrives in Beijing on his first official visit. Calendar of Events in 2006 iii 11 The Government announces that it has reached an understanding with the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) Corporation Limited on the structure and the terms for the merger of the MTR and the Kowloon-Canton Railway systems. 20 The Chief Executive leads a delegation of government officials and local business leaders to attend the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2006 in Hainan Province. 22 The Chief Secretary for Administration speaks at the seminar on the 16th anniversary of the promulgation of the Basic Law. May 1 The Government introduces a scheme to monitor and control the payment of workers’ wages and multi-layer subcontracting for all new public works contracts. 2 The Centre for Food Safety is established under the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department to improve food safety regulatory functions. 10 The Chief Executive Election and Legislative Council Election (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2006 is passed by the Legislative Council. 11 The Secretary for Education and Manpower and the Minister of State for Higher Education and Lifelong Learning of the United Kingdom (UK), Mr Bill Rammell, sign a Memorandum of Understanding on Education Cooperation to promote the exchange of students and people in the educational field between Hong Kong and the UK. The Hong Kong Observatory begins its Ultraviolet (UV) Index forecast which enables people to protect themselves against possible harm from UV radiation during outdoor activities. 13 The Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food launches the ‘Family at Heart’ campaign to promote family care and harmony. 19 The Chief Executive opens Hong Kong Wetland Park, a world-class conservation, education and tourism facility. 22 The Financial Secretary arrives in Auckland for his first official visit to New Zealand. June 2 The Chief Executive, leading a delegation of government officials and about 80 local business leaders, arrives in Nanning for a two-day study tour of Guangxi. iv Calendar of Events in 2006 4 The Chief Executive leads a government delegation to Yunnan to attend the Third Pan-Pearl River Delta Regional Cooperation and Development Forum between June 5 and 8. 16 Astrophysicist Professor Stephen Hawking calls on the Chief Executive at Government House during his visit to Hong Kong. 23 The Finance Committee of the Legislative Council approves the Government’s request for $5.17 billion for the Tamar Development Project. 27 The Financial Secretary and the Vice Minister of Commerce, Mr Liao Xiaoqi, sign the Supplement III to the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement. The Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Mr Jia Qinglin, arrives in Hong Kong for a three-day visit. 29 The Chief Executive and Mr Jia Qinglin officiate at the opening ceremony of the Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum organised by the Ministry of Commerce and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government. The Council for Sustainable Development launches a public engagement process to explore options for a sustainable population policy. July 5 The Heads of Universities Committee announce the general entrance requirements for admission to undergraduate degree programmes of the eight University Grants Committee-funded institutions in the 2012-13 academic year. 8 Government offices rendering back-end and non-essential services suspend operations for the first time on a Saturday with the introduction of a five-day working week for the civil service. 12 The Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works announces the results of the Government’s assessment of the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation’s investigation into cracks found in the mounting frames underneath some East Rail trains. Eighteen improvements are recommended. 13 The Financial Reporting Council Ordinance is enacted by the Legislative Council, providing for the establishment of the Financial Reporting Council to investigate irregularities concerning auditors and the reporting of accountants of listed entities and to enquire into non- compliance matters regarding financial statements of listed entities. Calendar of Events in 2006 v 14 The Secretary for Justice signs the Arrangement on Reciprocal Enforcement of Judgements in Civil and Commercial Matters by the Courts of the Mainland and HKSAR pursuant to Choice of Court Agreements between Parties Concerned. 15 The Chief Executive embarks on a three-day visit to Singapore to bring himself up to date on its economic, political and social developments. Census officers start visiting one-tenth of households in Hong Kong to collect data for the 2006 Population By-census. 18 The Government launches a nine-month public consultation on the proposed tax reform and broadening of the tax base. 25 The Chief Executive launches the Action Blue Sky campaign designed to encourage members of the public to save energy and help combat pollution. The Government welcomes the announcement of the CPG that it supports Hong Kong’s former Director of Health, Dr Margaret Chan, World Health Organisation (WHO) Assistant Director-General for Communicable Diseases, in her bid to become the Director-General of WHO. 26 The Government launches a four-month public consultation on further development of the political appointment system. August 2 The Chief Executive and the Governor of Guangdong Province, Mr Huang Huahua, co-chair the Ninth Plenary Session of the Hong Kong/Guangdong Cooperation Joint Conference in Guangzhou. 6 The Legislative Council passes the Interception of Communications and Surveillance Bill, which strikes a balance between the protection of privacy and the maintenance of law and order. 21 The CPG and the HKSAR Government sign the Arrangement for the Avoidance of Double Taxation on Income and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion. 25 The Chief Executive re-appoints Mr Daniel Fung as chairman of the Broadcasting Authority for a term of two years from December 1, 2006. 31 The Beijing Organising Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad and the Government of the HKSAR sign a document in Beijing covering the overall arrangements for the equestrian events of the 29th Olympic Games and the 13th Paralympic Games.
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