Missing man in Mong Kok located

     A man who went missing in Mong Kok has been located.

     Fung Kwan, aged 72, went missing after he left a caring centre on Fa Yuen Street on August 15 afternoon. The staff of the caring centre made a report to Police on the next day (August 16).

     Police located the man at the junction of Reclamation Street and Argyle Street yesterday (August 17) evening.




Over 4 300 quality job vacancies to be offered at Building a Multicultural Workplace Job Fair

     The Labour Department (LD) will hold the Building a Multicultural Workplace Job Fair at MacPherson Stadium in Mong Kok on August 22 and 23. The job fair aims to enhance the employment opportunities of job seekers, including those from ethnic minorities, and promote the LD's employment services to them.
 
     The two-day job fair, co-organised by the LD and the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) Ethnic Minorities Service Centre, will have about 50 organisations participating, and offer over 4 300 quality job vacancies. Around 25 organisations will set up booths and conduct recruitment on the spot each day. A wide variety of positions will be offered including engineer, physiotherapist, accounts clerk, programme assistant, flight operations officer, bus captain, technician, restaurant manager, cook, barista, waiter/waitress, club officer, room attendant, sales assistant and spa therapist. The Hong Kong Police Force and the Correctional Services Department will also set up counters to introduce their career opportunities and entry requirements. Job seekers can visit the LD's Interactive Employment Service website (www.jobs.gov.hk) for more details of the vacancies.
 
     In addition, the DAB Ethnic Minorities Service Centre will set up a booth at the job fair to introduce its support services for people from ethnic minorities. Five training bodies will provide information on training courses to visitors. On-site interpretation services in Hindi, Urdu and Nepali will be available.
 
     Around 82 per cent of the vacancies to be offered at the job fair are full-time jobs. Most vacancies offer monthly salaries ranging from $12,000 to $21,000. About 97 per cent of the vacancies require a Secondary Seven education level or below. Around 50 per cent are open to job seekers without relevant work experience.
 
     Job seekers can submit job applications during the event and may be selected for on-the-spot interviews. They can also make enquiries on the employment services provided by the LD at its counter at the venue.
 
     The job fair will be held from 11am to 5.30pm at 1/F, MacPherson Stadium, 38 Nelson Street, Mong Kok (near Mong Kok MTR Station Exit E2). Admission is free, with final admission time at 5pm each day.




Piano duo recital by young Dutch pianists Jussen brothers to showcase exceptional chemistry in September (with photo)

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD)'s Great Music 2023 will present "Piano Duo Recital by Lucas & Arthur Jussen" in September. The sought-after young Dutch pianist brothers will perform various two-piano and arranged four-hand pieces to showcase their exceptional chemistry and versatile piano skills.

     The Jussen brothers will open the recital with three piano four-hand pieces arranged from Bach's works, namely "Schafe können sicher weiden" (from "Was mir behagt, ist nur die muntre Jagd", BWV 208), "Nun komm' der Heiden Heiland", BWV 599 and "Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit", BWV 106. The duo will then perform three two-piano pieces including Mozart's Sonata for Two Pianos in D, K 448, Ravel's "La valse" and Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring", allowing the audience to experience their seamless co-operation and co-ordination, as well as the richness and harmony in their music.

     Lucas and Arthur Jussen were invited to perform for the former Queen of the Netherlands, Beatrix, when they were children. The brothers studied in Portugal and Brazil for nearly a year at the invitation of Portuguese master pianist Maria João Pires. After that, Lucas completed his studies with Menahem Pressler and Dmitri Bashkirov, and Arthur studied with Jan Wijn. They have performed with world-class orchestras such as the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and are now Artists-in-Residence with the Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano.

     "Piano Duo Recital by Lucas & Arthur Jussen" will be held at 8pm on September 18 at the Concert Hall of Hong Kong City Hall. Tickets priced at $200, $280, $350 and $420 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_1581.html.

     The LCSD will present the Great Music 2023 from September to November. Various internationally acclaimed musicians and ensembles will gather in Hong Kong to perform an array of exciting and diversified music programmes. For more details, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/groups_1576.html.

Photo  



Town Planning Board procedures and guidelines updated to put in place streamlined arrangements

     The Town Planning Board (TPB) announced today (August 18) that it has updated its procedures and guidelines, which will take effect on September 1, 2023, to put in place streamlined arrangements brought about by the amended Town Planning Ordinance (TPO) that will commence operation on the same day.
 
     The amended TPO was passed by the Legislative Council in July this year to streamline and enhance the procedures of plan-making and planning applications. The amendments to TPO together with changes to other development-related legislation are part of Government's wider attempt to compress development timetables and speed up land production to meet society's keen demand for land and housing.

     The amended TPO will also step up enforcement power against unauthorised developments in the rural areas in the New Territories. 
 
     To tie in with the implementation of the amended TPO, the TPB has updated its procedures and practice, six TPB Guidelines (No. 24C, 29B, 30B, 31A, 32A and 33A), all guidance notes, forms and information pamphlets (collectively referred to as "Revised Documents"). The key revisions incorporated in the Revised Documents are summarised at Annex.
 
     The Revised Documents will take effect on September 1, 2023, and have been uploaded to the TPB website today for easy reference by the public. Copies can also be obtained from the TPB's Secretariat and the Planning Enquiry Counters of the Planning Department.
 
TPB's Procedure and Practice
www.tpb.gov.hk/en/about_us/new_procedure_practice.html

TPB Guidelines
www.tpb.gov.hk/en/resources/tpb_guidelines/new.html
 
Plan-making – Forms and Guidance Notes
https://www.tpb.gov.hk/en/list_of_plans/participate_new.html
 
Planning Applications – Forms and Guidance Notes
www.tpb.gov.hk/en/resources/application_forms_and_guidance_notes/new.html
 
Information Pamphlets
www.tpb.gov.hk/en/resources/publications/new_info_pamphlet.html
 
     While the Revised Documents will take effect from September 1, 2023, the existing version of the relevant documents will continue to be applicable to the processing and consideration of the following submissions:
 

  • Representations, comments on representations and further representations to plans/amendments of plan already exhibited but yet to be submitted to the Chief Executive in Council for decision before September 1, 2023.
  • Sections 12A, 16 and 16A applications made before September 1, 2023, as well as section 17 reviews in relation to the section 16 and 16A applications made before September 1, 2023.

 
     For more information, members of the public can visit the TPB's website (www.tpb.gov.hk), or make enquiries through the telephone hotline (2231 4810 or 2231 5000) or email (tpbpd@pland.gov.hk or enquire@pland.gov.hk).  To help the public better understand the key changes, a set of frequently asked questions has also been uploaded onto TPB's website.




Employers, contractors and employees should be aware of electrical safety at work during rainstorm

     As the rainstorm warning has been issued by the Hong Kong Observatory, the Labour Department (LD) reminds employers and contractors that they should adopt necessary work arrangements and take suitable safety measures to protect the safety of their employees when they are carrying out electrical work or handling electrical plant.

     A spokesman for the LD said today (August 18) that employers and contractors should avoid assigning employees to carry out electrical work (like electric arc welding work) or handle electrical plant at places affected by rainstorms, and should refer to the "Code of Practice in times of Typhoons and Rainstorms" and the "Guide on Safety at Work in times of Inclement Weather" issued by the LD.

     Even if electrical work is carried out or electrical plant is handled at places not affected by the rainstorm, suitable safety measures must still be adopted to prevent electric shock as the air would be more humid. Such measures include:

(i) Ensure that all live parts of an electrical installation are isolated from the power supply source and rendered dead, and the isolation from the power supply source must be maintained as long as electrical work is being carried out;

(ii) Before carrying out any electrical work or handling any electrical plant, cut off and lock out the power supply source, then test the circuit concerned to confirm it is dead and display suitable warning notices, and issue a work permit thereafter;

(iii) Ensure that protective devices (such as suitable and adequate fuses and circuit breakers) for the electrical installations or electrical plant have been installed and maintained in good working order, and portable electric tools must be double-insulated or properly earthed;

(iv) Provide suitable personal protective equipment such as insulating gloves and insulating mats for employees; and

(v) If live electrical work is unavoidable, a comprehensive risk assessment should be conducted by a competent person and the appropriate safety precautions should be taken to remove or properly control the electrical hazards involved before such work can proceed.

     In addition, employees should co-operate with the employer or contractor to follow the safety instructions and use the safety equipment provided.

     The LD has published guidebooks and leaflets on electrical work safety. These safety publications are available free from divisional offices of the department or can be downloaded from its website (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/content2_8.htm).

     Should there be any questions about occupational safety and health matters, please contact the Occupational Safety Officer of the LD at 2559 2297.