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 (June 15) 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 Adverse Weather and 'Extreme Conditions'" 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.

Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at suitable intervals:

     Members of the public are advised to report any street flooding that comes to their notice to the Drainage Services Department by calling the 24-hour drainage hotline on 2300 1110.

     The Hong Kong Student Aid Society Limited has been issued a Public Subscription Permit to hold a territory-wide flag sale from 7am to 12.30pm today (June 15), a spokesman for the Social Welfare Department (SWD) said. 
      
     Details of the charitable fund-raising activities, including any updated information, covered by the issued Public Subscription Permits have been published on the GovHK website (www.gov.hk/en/theme/fundraising/search). Permits for flag days containing information on contact methods of the flag-selling organisations and the approved flag-selling activities have also been uploaded to the SWD's website (www.swd.gov.hk/en/ngo/controlofc/flagdays) for reference. For enquiries, please call the SWD's hotline at 2343 2255, or the designated hotline of the 1823 Call Centre at 3142 2678.
      
     In the case of suspected fraudulent flag day activities, people should not make any donation and should immediately report the matter to the Police, the spokesman added.       

     â€‹In response to media enquiries about the smearing comments made by the United States and some western countries regarding the specification of absconders and specific measures applicable against them by the Secretary for Security in accordance with the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance recently, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government today (June 14) strongly disapproves of and rejects these comments.
      
     The HKSAR Government spokesman said, "The legal framework in safeguarding national security in the HKSAR is fully in compliance with the international standard for the protection of human rights. The Hong Kong National Security Law and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance clearly stipulate that human rights shall be respected and protected in safeguarding national security. The rights and freedoms, including the freedoms of speech, of the press and of publication, and the freedoms of association, of assembly, of procession and of demonstration, enjoyed by Hong Kong people under the Basic Law and the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as applicable to the HKSAR are protected in accordance with the law. Legislation that safeguards national security only targets a very small number of organisations and individuals that endanger national security."
      
     The spokesman said, "Individuals endangering national security often abscond overseas to evade criminal liability, and continue to endanger national security through various means (e.g. colluding with external forces to exert pressure on the Central Authorities and the HKSAR Government, or setting up, outside the HKSAR, organisations endangering national security, etc.). The specified measures aim at addressing, combating, deterring and preventing acts of abscondment, and procuring the return of absconded persons to Hong Kong to face law enforcement and judicial proceedings. People with ulterior motives in the United States and some western countries deliberately smeared and spread irresponsible remarks in an attempt to mislead the public. The HKSAR Government strongly disapproves of such acts."
      
     The spokesman stressed, "Absconders should not think they can evade criminal liability by absconding from Hong Kong. Ultimately, they will be liable for their acts constituting serious offences endangering national security and be sanctioned by the law."
      
     "Amongst all, the measures under section 96 of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance seek to regard the HKSAR passport of an absconder as being cancelled and the application for an HKSAR passport by the absconder as being invalid. In fact, all specified measures including the abovementioned one align with human rights requirements; and quite a number of countries including the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada would also impose such measures on wanted criminals. It is indeed a demonstration of hypocrisy with double standards by any external forces or people with ulterior motives that, after the HKSAR Government has announced the relevant measures, attack the HKSAR in safeguarding national security dutifully, faithfully and in accordance with the law."
      
     The spokesman reiterated, "The Constitution and the Basic Law steadfastly safeguard the rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong people. Any attempt by foreign countries or external forces to undermine Hong Kong's situation will only expose their own weakness and faulty arguments and be doomed to fail. The HKSAR Government will continue to unwaveringly discharge its duty in safeguarding national security."

     The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Office (GBA Office) of the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) co-organised the GoGBA Seminar for Accounting Sector today (June 14) to kick off the "GoGBA Sector Series". With the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants as the strategic partner, the seminar focused on the development of Hong Kong's accounting profession in the Greater Bay Area (GBA).

     In her opening address at the event, the Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Ms Maisie Chan, said "Under 'one country, two systems', Hong Kong enjoys significant advantages such as free flow of capital, a common law system, a low and simple tax regime, and a regulatory regime aligned with the international market. With a world-class business environment and a renowned professional services sector, Hong Kong is best placed to serve as the 'super connector' and 'super value-adder' between the Mainland and the global market."

     Ms Chan added that Hong Kong's accounting profession and accountants are at the forefront of the world in terms of professionalism and regulatory standards, and are an important force in supporting the high-quality development of different sectors in Hong Kong and the entire GBA. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will continue to maintain close liaison with the Mainland authorities to strive for more policy innovations and breakthrough, and the compatibility and alignment of rules and mechanisms, so as to facilitate the smooth flow of financial factors in the region, and better leverage Hong Kong's advantages as an international financial centre. This will further drive the demand for professional accounting services in the GBA and greatly expand the room for development of the accounting profession.

     At today's seminar, representatives from the Nansha District People's Government of Guangzhou, and the Qianhai Authority of Shenzhen, were also invited to introduce the latest preferential policies and tax incentives in Nansha and Qianhai, the two major co-operation platforms in the GBA. A number of accounting professionals also shared the strategies and practices of Hong Kong's professional accounting services in expanding their businesses in the GBA, helping participants better understand and grasp the development opportunities brought about by the development of the GBA.

     The new "GoGBA Sector Series" is a joint initiative of the GBA Office and HKTDC, which aims to focus on the needs of different sectors and provide more specific and targeted information and support to enterprises and professionals in relevant sectors through more diversified means, and support them in expanding their businesses in different cities of the GBA. In addition to keynote speeches and panel discussions, small group advisory workshops and one-on-one consultation services were also arranged at the seminar, where experts answered questions and offered advice on development of the accounting sector in the Mainland cities of the GBA. The next event under the accounting sector series, namely "GoGBA Accounting Sector Study Tour", will be held in late July.  Arrangements will be made for the participants to visit the Mainland cities of the GBA to learn about the latest development of and policy measures applicable to the accounting sector in the Mainland, and at the same time, to build up their business network and open up new markets.

     For more information about the GBA, please visit the dedicated website (www.bayarea.gov.hk/en/), which also covers the content of the Greater Bay Area Information Station (www.bayarea.gov.hk/gbais/en/) for easy browsing by members of the public.