Completion of the Customs Headquarters Building in mid-2010 would enhance efficiency of the Customs and Excise Department, provide better services for the public and keep pace with Hong Kong's economic development, the Financial Secretary Mr John C Tsang, said today (October 8).
Officiating at the Customs Headquarters Building Foundation Stone Laying Ceremony, Mr Tsang commended the professionalism and quality service of the department.
"Over the years, the Customs and Excise Department has been improving customs clearance efficiency to facilitate passenger and cargo flows, which help promote trade and logistic development. "
"On the anti-smuggling and anti-piracy fronts, the department has been working closely with the Mainland and international Customs agencies to combat the trafficking of dangerous drugs and counterfeit and pirated goods," Mr Tsang said.
He said that over the last couple of years, countries in the Asia Pacific region had been confronted with rampant piracy activities. Hong Kong, with its committed efforts in combating piracy, could serve as a world model. The contribution made by the Hong Kong Customs in this regard was highly acknowledged.
Mr Tsang also said that more recently the Hong Kong Customs had joined with relevant government departments and the Consumer Council to ensure the safety of consumer goods and to prevent unscrupulous sales activities. The department had stepped up enforcement actions and product inspections.
"I am confident that the dedicated efforts made by the department can effectively protect consumer rights and safeguard Hong Kong's reputation as a shopping paradise," he said.
Mr Tsang said the Government had been working on new cross-boundary projects such as the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link and the New Cruise Terminal at Kai Tak. With the opening of new control points in the years to come, the department had to take up more duties and and a greater workload.
The Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Mr Richard Yuen, said at the ceremony that the construction of a dedicated headquarters for Hong Kong Customs was a milestone in the development of the department.
"To our department, a headquarters building is more than a place of work. It is our home - a place in which all of us can be linked in a close bond and cherish a strong sense of belonging."
"The Headquarters Building will bring greater convenience to the public. By housing all currently dispersed public services on licence and permit applications under one roof, the building will provide one-stop service to the public at a single location," Mr Yuen said.
There will be an exhibition centre to showcase the work of Hong Kong Customs and its history, enabling the public to learn more about the department.
The Financial Secretary; Commissioner of Customs and Excise; Director of Architectural Services, Mr Yue Chi-hang; Chairman of Shui On Group, Mr Vincent H S Lo; and Deputy Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Mr Lawrence Wong, officiated at the ceremony today.
The 34-storey Headquarters Building, at the junction of Java Road and Tin Chiu Street, North Point, is scheduled to be completed in mid-2010. About 1,800 Customs officers will be housed in the office space of 28,000 square metres.
The building will be equipped with an advanced radio command control centre, an information technology centre, a computer forensic laboratory, a fitness training room, an indoor firing range and two mini-ranges for computer simulated shooting exercises. General facilities include a multi-purpose auditorium, a library and a staff canteen.
Ends/Monday, October 8, 2007
