Property Management Services Authority Holds 
“Property Invigilator” Image Design Competition Awards Presentation Ceremony cum Continuing Professional Development Seminar

Nearly 2,500 property management (PM) industry members participated (in person and online) in the “Property Invigilator” Image Design Competition Awards Presentation Ceremony cum Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Seminar held today by the Property Management Services Authority (PMSA) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The event invited various Government officials as awards presentation officiating guests to show support to PM practitioners. The Secretary for Justice, Mr. Paul Lam, delivered keynote speech sharing strategies and visions for “Mediation of Building Disputes by the PM Industry”, encouraging the PM industry to actively resolve building disputes and conflicts through mediation.

Dr. James Wong, Chairperson of the PMSA, said at the event, “Since the implementation of the PM industry licensing regime, the industry has continued to develop healthily. Currently, Hong Kong has over 800 licensed PM companies and more than 15,000 licensed PM practitioners, leading over 200,000 frontline staff in providing professional PM services to various types of properties. PM practitioners, regardless of day or night, undeterred by storm or pandemic challenge, have stayed committed to their duties, working diligently to ensure smooth operation in our daily life, safeguarding our properties and public health, and bearing the crucial responsibilities of ‘Property Invigilators’. Their contributions to fostering a harmonious living environment deserve recognition from all quarters of the community. The PMSA thus organised the ‘Property Invigilator’ Image Design Competition to encourage young students to unleash their creativity in designing a promotional ambassador image for PM practitioners, paying tribute to their efforts and contributions made.”

The Secretary for Justice, Mr. Paul Lam; Deputy Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Mr. Clarence Leung; Director of Fire Services, Mr. Andy Yeung; Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), Mr. Donald Ng; Acting Director of Home Affairs, Mr. Te Chi-Wang; Law Officer (Civil Law), Ms. Christina Cheung ; Director of Community Relations of the Independent Commission Against Corruption, Mr. Diman Mak; Assistant Director of Buildings Department, Ms. Pauline Pang; and Researcher, Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs at the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, Dr. Fu Pengpeng, joined PMSA members in officiating the unveiling ceremony for the PMSA’s “Property Invigilator” image design, officially announcing the winning entry, “ProMan” (Appendix 1). The PMSA will adopt the winning design in future events to promote the development of the PM industry and enhance its professional status in the community.

The PMSA jointly organised the “Property Invigilator” Image Design Competition with the Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI) and the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong to encourage tertiary and secondary students to design a promotional ambassador image for PM practitioners. The competition closed for entries on 30 April this year, receiving over 500 submissions. A professional judging panel, comprising PMSA members and representatives from the two supporting institutes, selected the winners (results in Appendix 2), and the results were announced and awards presented at the event.

To enhance the PM industry’s understanding of resolving building disputes through mediation and to promote a culture of community mediation, the PMSA held a CPD seminar together with the awards presentation ceremony. The seminar featured keynote speech by Secretary for Justice Mr. Paul Lam on promoting the use of mediation in the PM industry, followed by an in-depth discussion and Q&A session on mediation with Legislative Council member Ms. Doreen Kong, Chairperson of the Agency for Volunteer Service, Ms. Melissa Pang and PMSA Chairperson Dr. James Wong as expert speakers.

To specifically promote the resolution of water seepage disputes in properties through mediation, the Department of Justice, in collaboration with the Environment and Ecology Bureau and the FEHD, launched the “Pilot Scheme on Community Mediation,” offering mediation skills training, free of charge, for PM practitioners starting from July this year, with positive industry response since the scheme rolls out.

In his keynote speech, Mr. Lam stated, “To implement the policy of ‘deepening mediation culture,’ the Department of Justice, in collaboration with the Environment and Ecology Bureau and the FEHD, has launched the ‘Pilot Scheme on Community Mediation’, specifically designing community mediation training courses for PM practitioners so as to promote the concept of mediation within the community.”

Mr. Lam emphasised, “We hope that through such training, PM practitioners will acquire basic mediation knowledge and enhance their mediation skills, enabling them to intervene early in community disputes, act as coordinators, foster community harmony, and create a mutually respectful and inclusive environment, thereby realising the social vision of ‘promoting harmony through mediation.’”

Dr. Wong also remarked at the event, “PM practitioners are integral to our daily lives, interacting closely with the public, and possess a unique understanding of the community dynamics, giving them a distinct advantage in communication and coordination work. Timely intervention can often resolve building disputes at the early stage, minimizing complaints and conflicts, and overcoming community hardship.”

Dr. Wong further added, “PM companies and practitioners participating in the ‘Pilot Scheme on Community Mediation’ demonstrate professional commitment, proactively assisting in investigating seepage sources and resolving water seepage disputes between property owners through mediation, addressing community hygiene issues through neighbourly manners. On behalf of the PMSA, I extend heartfelt appreciation to the PM companies and practitioners actively participating in the pilot scheme.”