Tag Archives: China

     The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about a fatal work accident that happened at a construction site at the Peak this morning (November 23), in which a male worker, while inspecting an excavator at the construction site, was knocked down by another excavator in the vicinity. He was certified dead later in hospital. The LD is saddened by the death of the worker and expresses its deepest sympathy to his family.

     The LD’s spokesman said, “We commenced an immediate on-site investigation as soon as we were notified of the accident and will issue suspension notices to the contractors concerned, suspending the operation of all excavators at the construction site. The contractors cannot resume the work process until the LD is satisfied that measures to abate the relevant risks have been taken.”     
  
     The spokesman added, “We will complete the investigation as soon as possible to identify the cause of the accident, ascertain the liability of the duty holders and recommend improvement measures. We will take actions pursuant to the law if there is any violation of the work safety legislation.”

     The general duty provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance require employers to provide safe working environments, plant and systems of work for their employees. Those who contravene the relevant provisions are liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for two years on conviction on indictment; or $3 million and imprisonment for six months on summary conviction.

     In regard to today’s accident, the LD will issue a Work Safety Alert through its website and by email, giving a brief account of the accident concerned to duty holders, workers’ unions, professional bodies of safety practitioners and others, and reminding the industry of the importance of following safety precautionary measures to prevent a recurrence of similar accidents.

     The LD will also remind the employer concerned of the liability for employees’ compensation under the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance, assist family members of the deceased to claim employees’ compensation and closely follow up on the case. For those with financial difficulties, the LD will assist them to apply for appropriate emergency funds. Subject to the needs and wishes of family members of the deceased, the LD will also liaise with the Social Welfare Department for financial or other assistance.

     For the sake of securing the safety and health of employees at work, the LD appeals to employers to provide plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health. Employees should co-operate with their employers, adopt all safety measures and use personal protective equipment provided properly to avoid endangering their own work safety and that of other workers. read more

     The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) today (November 23) announced that samples taken from a pig farm in Yuen Long had tested positive for African Swine Fever (ASF) virus.     … read more

     The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, met with a delegation led by the Head of Civil Service of Singapore, Mr Leo Yip, under the Singapore-Hong Kong Permanent Secretaries Exchange Programme (Exchange Programme) at Central Government Offices today (November 23).
 
     Welcoming the delegation’s visit to Hong Kong, Mrs Yeung said the civil service of Hong Kong and Singapore have always maintained close ties and exchanges to share experiences and ideas. While reciprocal visits among senior civil servants of the two governments could not be materialised in the past few years under the COVID-19 epidemic, it is encouraging to see that this Exchange Programme has resumed today.
 
     Mrs Yeung exchanged with the the delegation experiences in recruitment and training of civil servants. Both sides noted that with the fast-changing international political, economic and technological situations, as well as the gradually changing aspirations of the younger generation, investment in continuous training at all levels of the civil service and the provision of diverse opportunities for young people were important in enhancing the capability of civil servants to cope with the challenging global environment, maintaining the satisfaction civil servants obtain from their work and increasing the attractiveness of the civil service as a career for young people.
 
     Concluding the meeting, Mrs Yeung said that Hong Kong and Singapore have all along had much in common and it is important for continuous exchanges and co-operation among civil servants in the two governments to take place. She looked forward to continue promoting people-to-people bonds between Hong Kong and Singapore in future and finding new areas for further collaboration.

    

The following is issued on behalf of the Electoral Affairs Commission:        The Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC), Mr Justice David Lok, together with the EAC members Professor Daniel Shek and Mr Bernard Man, SC… read more

     The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, today (November 23) hosted a cocktail reception to update about 200 guests, including representatives of consulates, chambers of commerce and major trade associations, as well as members of relevant government boards and committees, on the work of the overseas Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices (ETOs) and the Mainland Offices on promoting the strengths and opportunities of Hong Kong.

     The Heads of 14 ETOs and five Mainland Offices (HETOs) also attended the cocktail reception during their stay in Hong Kong for the annual meeting of HETOs, which is the first physical meeting since 2019.
 
     Speaking at the reception, Mr Yau said that the Government is committed to implementing various measures to assist Hong Kong people and businesses in seizing new opportunities and for Hong Kong to return to the centre stage. He thanked colleagues of the ETOs and the Mainland Offices for their tireless efforts in fostering closer bilateral trade ties and cultural exchanges between Hong Kong and various economies, and keeping the respective governments and contacts updated of the latest developments in Hong Kong.
 
     Mr Yau added that the ETOs and the Mainland Offices render essential support to senior government officials in visiting long-standing as well as emerging markets to promote Hong Kong’s advantages and opportunities. Citing relevant ETOs’ support for the Middle East and Association of Southeast Asian Nations missions led by the Chief Executive earlier this year as examples, Mr Yau said that the two visits were highly successful in enhancing Hong Kong’s connections with the two regions, not only in trade and investment, but also bringing people closer and telling the good stories of Hong Kong on all fronts.
 
     Mr Yau also briefed the guests on the work of the ETOs and the Mainland Offices on attracting enterprises and talent. He said that the 17 Dedicated Teams for Attracting Businesses and Talents set up in the Offices have been supporting the work of the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises and Hong Kong Talent Engage, by reaching out to target enterprises proactively and highlighting the opportunities and advantages of Hong Kong as well as various schemes and new policy initiatives for attracting quality enterprises and talent to Hong Kong.
 
     “We treasure very much our bilateral relationships with all our trading partners. Our ETOs not only maintain Hong Kong’s prominence on the world map, but also serve as a bridge linking our city to the rest of the world. We will continue to proactively make efforts to explore business opportunities and enhance Hong Kong’s position as an international trade and financial centre,” Mr Yau said.
 
     Mr Yau stressed that the continued support from the global community is also important. The ETOs and the Mainland Offices will continue to reach out to their community partners and organise a variety of activities to strengthen the promotion of Hong Kong.
 
     Also attending today’s cocktail reception included Members of the Executive Council and the Legislative Council, officials from the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, as well as representatives of the creative industries and performing arts groups. read more