ENG-2016 — Page 23

Calendar of Events

2016

28

Captain Hank Cheng sets off in the first made-in-Hong Kong plane, a two-seater named Inspiration. He returns on 13 November, having touched down at 45 airports in 20 countries in a journey of about 50,000km.

September

4

6

7-18

8

15

18-28

21

24

27

28

October

1

Hong Kong goes to the polls to elect the sixth Legislative Council of the HKSAR. A total of 2,202,283 geographical constituency electors cast votes, a record turnout of 58.28 per cent out of 3,779,085 registered electors, up from 53.05 per cent in 2012. The average age of the legislature drops from 58 in July to 52 as at 31 January 2017, the youngest since the handover. The age range of 24 to 72 is also the broadest to date.

The Chief Executive meets the Prime Minister of Canada, Mr Justin Trudeau, at Government House.

Hong Kong collects two golds, two silvers and two bronzes in swimming, boccia, wheelchair fencing and table tennis at the Rio 2016 Paralympics. These include the territory's first Paralympic swimming gold medal. Altogether 24 athletes compete in eight sports.

Mr Yip Tsz-fung becomes the first Hong Kong player to win the World University Squash Championship, held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The championship began in 1996.

The Chief Executive meets the Prime Minister of Vietnam, Mr Nguyen Xuan Phuc, at Government House.

Hong Kong is ranked the freest economy in the world again by the Fraser Institute's Economic Freedom of the World 2016 Annual Report.

Mr Mak Cheuk-yin wins a record three golds for Hong Kong at the Asian Tenpin Bowling Championships in Hong Kong. The home team clinches six medals in all. Hong Kong receives confirmation from the Regional Verification Commission for Measles Elimination in the Western Pacific of the World Health Organisation that the territory has achieved interruption of endemic measles virus transmission.

The Fixed Penalty (Public Cleanliness and Obstruction) Ordinance takes effect. It empowers police and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department to issue $1,500 fixed-penalty notices in addition to taking summons action against shopfront extensions involving the offence of 'obstruction of public places.

An agreement with South Korea to avoid double taxation and prevent evasion of taxes on income comes into force. It will be in effect in Hong Kong for any year of tax assessment from 1 April 2017.

The Department of Health launches a three-year Colorectal Cancer Screening Pilot Programme. Residents born between 1946 and 1955 can undergo subsidised. screening tests to detect colorectal cancer.

The minimum monthly wage for foreign domestic helpers rises from $4,210 to $4,310 for contracts signed from this day.

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