The Government today (June 28) announced the approval of the extension of the service of Mr Yang Joe-tsi, as the Commandant of the Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force (HKAPF) for nine months up to April 6, 2025.

     Mr Yang first joined the HKAPF in April 1989 and was appointed as the Commandant in April 2016.

     Mr Yang has led the HKAPF with excellence and devotion. Under his leadership, the HKAPF has been providing essential support to the Hong Kong Police Force in facing different unprecedented challenges over the past few years. Looking forward, auxiliary and regular police officers will continue to work hand in hand, demonstrating their comradeship in serving the community.

     â€‹The Labour Department (LD) organises courses and public health talks on prevention of heat stroke and occupational health regularly to raise employers' and employees' awareness of occupational health.

     Details of eight courses and health talks on the prevention of heat stroke at work in July are as follows:

(1)
Dates and Time: July 4, 15 and 22 (Half-day (am));
July 10 and 26 (Half-day (pm))
Venue: Occupational Safety and Health Training Centre of the LD, 13/F, KOLOUR·Tsuen Wan I, 68 Chung On Street, Tsuen Wan, New Territories
Enrolment method: Download the application form (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/osh/form.htm)
Enquiry hotline: 2940 7057

(2)
Dates and Time: July 11 and 19 (Half-day (am))
Venue: Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Centre of the LD, G/F, Kwun Tong Community Health Centre Building, 60 Hip Wo Street, Kwun Tong, Kowloon
Enrolment method: Online registration of courses in OSH Centre (www.oshsreg.gov.hk/en)
Enquiry hotline: 2361 8240
 
(3)
Date and Time: July 29 (3.30pm to 5pm)
Venue: Lecture Hall, Hong Kong Science Museum, 2 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon
Enrolment method: Online registration of public talks on occupational health (www.oshsreg.gov.hk/en)
Enquiry hotline: 2852 4040

     In addition, the LD will hold the following occupational health public talks in July:

(1)
Topic: Residential Care Home Workers – Infection Control in the Workplace
Content: The talk, designed for residential care home workers, will introduce how pathogenic micro-organisms such as bacteria and viruses may enter into the human body and affect one's health, and explain the concept of infection control in residential care homes.
Date and Time: July 9 (3.30pm to 4.45pm)
Venue: Lecture Theatre, Hong Kong Central Library, 66 Causeway Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Enrolment method: Online registration (www.oshsreg.gov.hk/en)
Enquiry hotline: 2852 4040

(2)
Topic: Occupational Stress
Content: The talk will introduce the symptoms and health impacts of occupational stress as well as some stress-coping strategies.
Date and Time: July 15 (3.30pm to 5pm)
Venue: Lecture Hall, Hong Kong Science Museum, 2 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon
Enrolment method: Online registration (www.oshsreg.gov.hk/en)
Enquiry hotline: 2852 4040

(3)
Topic: Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) for Confined Space Workers
Content: The talk will explain the related OSH hazards as well as their preventive measures to enhance workers' OSH awareness in confined spaces.
Date and Time: July 22 (6.30pm to 8pm)
Venue: Lecture Theatre, Hong Kong Central Library, 66 Causeway Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Enrolment method: Online registration (www.oshsreg.gov.hk/en)
Enquiry hotline: 2852 4040

     All courses and public talks will be given by the LD's occupational hygienist, occupational safety officer or occupational health nurse in Cantonese. Admission is free.

     The LD also provides a free-of-charge outreach health education service. For details, please visit the department's webpage (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/osh/content7.htm) or call 2852 4062.

     â€‹Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) announced today (June 28) that its Mainland client, TOJOY Shared Smart Enterprise Services Co Ltd, officially opened its international headquarters in Hong Kong leveraging the city's unique position as a gateway between the Mainland and the world.
      
     Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion Dr Jimmy Chiang congratulated on the opening of TOJOY's international headquarters in Hong Kong. He said, "The city, as an international business hub, attracts many overseas and Mainland companies to set up their presence here. It is an ideal place for TOJOY to expand its overseas business."
      
     The Chairman of the Board and CEO of TOJOY, Mr Ge Jun, said that TOJOY has a widespread business presence across multiple regions, including Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. The company has designated its Hong Kong office as the headquarters for its overseas business development, aiming to further extend its impact and competitive advantages in the international market.
      
     He said, "Recognising Hong Kong's unique position as a gateway between the Mainland and the world, as well as its unrivalled status as an international financial hub, we intend to use the city as a vital conduit to the world. Through this strategic positioning, we aim to drive the growth of our domestic and overseas business operations, with the goal of realising mutually beneficial development."   
      
     "Hong Kong, as one of the leading capital markets in the world, provides extremely favourable business conditions, including world-class financial market infrastructure, an abundant talent pool, and a prime geographical location," he added.
      
     Established in 2011, TOJOY has been providing precise resource matching for innovative enterprises and offering solutions for business expansion and marketing promotion over the years. The company is dedicated to fostering co-creation, sharing, and mutual success between traditional and innovative enterprises, as well as helping traditional businesses transform and seize market opportunities.
      
     To get a copy of the photos, please visit www.flickr.com/photos/investhk/albums/72177720318217526.
      
     For more information about TOJOY, please visit en.tojoy.com.

  

     â€‹The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) announced today (June 28) that a dog inoculation campaign will be held at various fishing ports in Hong Kong. Fishermen can have their dogs vaccinated against rabies and microchipped, and renew their dog licences.

     The AFCD mobile vaccination teams will provide the services at the following fishing ports according to the schedule below from 10am to 3pm:
 

     The half-yearly dog inoculation campaign has been held since 1980 with the aim of providing licensing renewal and rabies vaccination services for dogs that are kept by fishermen on board fishing vessels and spend long periods of time there. A fee of $80 will be charged for each dog. To date, over 7 400 vaccinations have been given to dogs on fishing vessels by the AFCD.

     An AFCD spokesman said that the services are part of the Government's proactive measures to prevent rabies, a fatal disease that is transmitted to humans from animals. Dogs on board vessels that have visited places outside Hong Kong may have come into contact with other animals, making them more susceptible to rabies infection.

     "Although Hong Kong has been free from animal rabies since 1987, we must remain vigilant to prevent any possible outbreak," the spokesman said.

     Under the Rabies Ordinance (Cap. 421), all dogs aged over 5 months must be vaccinated against rabies, licensed and microchipped. Dogs have to be revaccinated against rabies and their licences have to be renewed at intervals not exceeding three years. Dog owners who fail to do so are liable to a maximum fine of $10,000 upon conviction.

     The Marine Department (MD) announced today (June 28) that the Green Incentive Scheme is now open for applications from eligible Hong Kong-registered ships until December 31, 2026, to encourage the green transformation of the maritime industry.

     The Government promulgated the Action Plan on Maritime and Port Development Strategy on December 20, 2023, outlining 10 strategies and 32 concrete action measures to support the sustainable development needs of the maritime and port industry in Hong Kong, with a view to enhancing the long-term competitiveness of the industry. One of the action measures is to provide green incentive to Hong Kong-registered ships that have attained high ratings under the international standards on decarbonisation formulated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The Government has allocated $65 million in the 2024-25 Budget to implement this initiative.

     Under the Scheme, all Hong Kong-registered ships of 5 000 gross tonnage or above in possession of a valid "Statement of Compliance – Fuel Oil Consumption Reporting and Operational Carbon Intensity Rating" showing that the ship has attained rating A or B in the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) formulated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) are eligible for the green incentive. Each qualified Hong Kong-registered ship is eligible to receive $20,000 per corresponding year from 2024 to 2026. If a ship attains rating A or B in the CII throughout three years from 2024 to 2026, it may receive a maximum incentive of $60,000.

     A spokesman for the MD said, "Hong Kong-registered ships are renowned for their high quality and safety. The port state control detention rate of Hong Kong-registered ships in 2023 was only 0.81 per cent, significantly lower than the global average of 3.39 per cent. The Hong Kong Shipping Registry (HKSR) is consistently included in the white list of the Paris Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and the Tokyo MoU, and recognised in the United States Coast Guard Qualship 21 programme."

     "Hong Kong, China, as an associate member of the IMO, has been committed to supporting the organisation's decarbonisation initiatives. Although various green incentives have been introduced by other flag administrations, so far none of them has introduced a CII-related green incentive. Hong Kong will be the pioneer administration supporting the IMO's green shipping policy on the CII. The measure will help promote the image of the HKSR as a green fleet and reinforce its brand in the international maritime arena," the spokesman continued.

     To promote the work of the HKSR and introduce the Green Incentive Scheme, the MD has uploaded a new promotional leaflet (www.mardep.gov.hk/filemanager/en/share/publications/pdf/materials/hksr.pdf). The application form of the Scheme has also been uploaded onto the MD's website (www.mardep.gov.hk/filemanager/en/share/hksr/gisform.pdf).