To All Members
I. The Inauguration
1. You may wish to know that the inauguration ceremony of the long-awaited formal establishment of HKFISSA and its first Executive Committee was successfully held in the evening of 18 April 2005 at the Immigration Officers Mess on 20/F Immigration Tower, Wan Chai. Honorable guests who were present that evening to witness the occasion included inter alia the following local celebrities and they were:
Honorary Life President
Hon Mrs Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai, GBS, JP President of the Legislative Council
Mr Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong, IDSM, JP Secretary for Security
Dr Stanley Ho Hung-sun, GBS Chairman of Shun Tak Holdings Ltd.
Mr John Yeung Hin-chung, OBE, JP Managing Director of the Cross-Harbour (Holdings) Ltd.
Dr Ambrose So Shu-fai Executive Director of Shun Tak Holdings Ltd.
Mr Lai Tung-kwok, IDSM Director of Immigration, HKSAR
Honorary Legal Advisor
Mr Chung Pui-lam, JP Chung & Kwan Solicitors
Mr Lee Kui-lam Consultant, Hastings & Co.
Honorary Auditor
Dr Patrick Wong Lung-tak, CPA, JP Wong Lam Leung & Kwok CPA Ltd.
Patrick L. T. Wong & Co.
Honorary Advisor
Mr Mak Look-chiu
Mr Choy Hui-hong
2. Other guests who were also present at the ceremony included Directorate of the Immigration Department, representatives of Immigration Staff Associations and other Retired Disciplined Services Staff Associations such as the Immigration Service Officers Association, Hong Kong Immigration Assistant Union, Immigration Department Staff Association, Hong Kong Police Old Comrades¡¦ Association, Hong Kong Fire Services Retired Members¡¦ Mutual Aid Association, Correctional Services Department Retired Members¡¦ Association, Hong Kong Customs & Excise Department Retired Officers¡¦ Association, ICAC Retired Officers¡¦ Association, and Hong Kong Retired Civil Servants Association.
3. The inauguration ceremony commenced following a shoulder rubbing cocktail reception. In her opening address, Hon Mrs Fan welcomed and endorsed with due recognition the formation of HKFISSA. She went on to appeal to members to adopt a wider horizon in their vision and to come up with views and aspirations on significant issues with important social implications. She said that she would be delighted to garner and reflect without fail opinion feedback from HKFISSA for the attention of the authorities concerned at suitable opportunities.
4. To follow on Hon Mrs Fan¡¦s remarks, Dr Stanley Ho did not forgo, in his unique humour, the chance to remind the house that the former Portuguese enclave where he came from was not only ¡¥a sparrow with all the five organs¡¦ but also a good value-for-money touring spot for the people of Hong Kong. To conclude, Dr Ho with Dr Ambrose So Shu-fai looking-on deposited a donation cheque of HK$500,000 into the hands of Dr John Yeung, who thankfully received it on behalf of HKFISSA in the company of President Mr Patrick Pang Kue-chuen.
5. Led by Mr LAI Tung-kwok, IDSM, Director of Immigration, all Executive Committee Members made a formal verbal declaration to the following effect:
¡§We hereby declare with utmost sincerity and solemnity our irrevocable allegiance to the Hong Kong Former Immigration Service Staff Association (hereinafter known as the Association). We pledge in no uncertain terms to abide by the Association¡¦s Constitution, the Association¡¦s Resolutions and to serve without reservation the Association¡¦s causes for all intent and purposes. We fully understand and accept that to renege on the foregoing undertaking would be subject to disciplinary action.¡¨
6. In this connection, it was of interest to note that the final part of the above declaration i.e. ¡§subject to disciplinary action¡¨ was received not without causing some ripples among the audience, as not a few of them found it amazing or bewildered as to how and what any measure of disciplinary action for misconduct could possibly apply to these Executive Committee members, given the fact that all incumbents are prima facie ex-immigration service staff who have already retired at one time or another from the government service.
7. Last but not least and as a fine wrap-up, a full 9-course dinner was served to 17 tables of participants immediately after the formalities, only to leave guests and members enjoying a span of lighter moments marked with good food, stunning prizes and a hilarious atmosphere amidst all smiles and mutual complacency. You may visit the HKFISSA Website http://hk.geocities.com/fissaimm/ to view the photos taken in the function.
II. Recent Developments
8. In addition to receiving and thanking Dr Stanley Ho, GBS for his generous donation of HK$500,000, members of HKFISSA would also wish to thank and place on record the following two donors for their respective contributions towards HKFISSA¡¦s coffer. These two donors are:
Donor Donation
Mr Richard Tang Yat-sun, BBS, JP HK$100,000
Mr Liu Ching-leung, SBS, JP HK$10,000
9. The generosity of Mr Choy Hui-hong must not be allowed to pass without mention for affording HKFISSA the facility of using a property unit in Sham Shui Po district to serve as a working office, as otherwise the Association might end up operating virtually in a vacuum.
10. The Association also takes pleasure to report for general information that at the Association¡¦s inauguration ceremony as reported above, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwong, Specialist in Otorhinolaryngology and in response to an invitation from our vice President Mr Wong Kwong-chung, had kindly agreed to assume the position as the Honorary Medical Advisor of our Association. As is widely known, Dr Cheung is a popular ENT specialist with profound expertise and to have secured his service is no doubt a blessing to the benefit of the Association as well as all its members.
11. Enclosed with this newsletter are copies of valid membership cards for those members who had not taken the liberty on the 18 April instant to collect their cards. Recipients of these cards are advised to report to us through fax or emailing any discrepancy so identified.
III. Activities of the Association
Visit to the Hong Kong Heritage Museum
12. In view of the scorching heat in the month of June, an indoor exhibition event is to be organized on 1 June as an alternative entitled ¡§The Mighty Tang Dynasty¡¨. Would members who are interested please see the Appendix for details of the event.
Badminton playing
13. This is available on all Tuesdays (from 10am to noon) and Fridays (from 11am to 1pm) at the Disciplined Services Sport and Recreation Club, So Kon Po, Causeway Bay. Practising courts have been reserved in advance and the charge per playing session is $20 per person. Members who are interested may contact Mr Wong Shiu-pui by telephone on 9196 8303 to make enquiries.
Luncheons
14. Members who wish to socialize with or to refresh old-day contacts may choose to lunch at the restaurant of the DSSRC mentioned in paragraph 13 above where excellent Chinese cuisine is normally served.
15. Members are probably aware of the reports published in the last issue of this newsletter with regard to the names and locations of certain shops and retail outlets where discounts or privileged prices are offered to customers who are HKFISSA members. Such shops and retail outlets include:
l Ching Mei / Janfield Records Co.
l Happy Sound Music Ltd
l Wines Unlimited
16. All such discount information may now be viewed or downloaded from the HKFISSA website. To add onto this and taking effect from the month of May are some information with regard to Dr Cheung Kwok-kwong¡¦s medical services set out as below for ease of reference:
Dr Cheung Kwok-kwong, Specialistin Otorhinolaryngology
Clinic address: Room 1001, Argyle Centre, 688 Nathan Road (MTR Mongkok Station, Exit D)
Appointment Tel. No: 23816600 (consultation by advance appointment)
Consultation Hours: All days excepting Wednesday afternoons, Sundays and public holidays
Discount: 20% discount on production of a valid HKFISSA membership card.
17. The Association continues to make contacts with different organizations and/or service providers with a view to securing further benefits and privileges in the interests of members. Members with contributions or recommendations towards this end may approach any committee member of the Executive Committee.
18. The HKFISSA Website http://hk.geocities.com/fissaimm/ is finally in place and much credit should go to Mr Cheung Chow for his relentless efforts and contributions. Undoubtedly, our Website is currently at its embryo stage which needs to be developed through regular reviews and updating. Constructive suggestions from members are therefore most welcomed.
19. Members who wish to contact HKFISSA for making enquiries or comments may do so by:
l mailing to P. O. Box 25823, Harbour Building Post Office,
l faxing to (852) 23671671,
l emailing to [email protected], or
l visiting our HKFISSA Website at http://hk.geocities.com/fissaimm/
Patrick Pang Kue-chuen
President
HKFISSA
May 2005