The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority: Regarding an earlier announcement on Candida auris carrier cases, the spokesperson for Kwong Wah Hospital (KWH) made the following announcement today (January… read more
The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, today (January 14) and yesterday met with visiting senior officials of foreign governments and the President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). Mr Lee expressed his gratitude to them for serving as speakers at the 18th Asia Financial Forum, co-organised by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, and exchanged views with them on issues of mutual concern.
This afternoon, Mr Lee met with the Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers – Head of the Presidential Administration of the Kyrgyz Republic, Mr Adylbek Kasymaliev. Mr Lee said that under the “one country, two systems” principle, Hong Kong has the distinctive advantage of enjoying strong support from the motherland and maintaining close connection with the world. As an international financial, shipping and trade centre, Hong Kong has continuously converged diverse sources of capital, international enterprises, and professional talent. Mr Lee noted that the Kyrgyz Republic has seen robust growth and enjoys strong development potential. Mr Lee welcomed the Kyrgyz Republic to better leverage Hong Kong’s advantages as a major financing centre, a sustainable finance hub and a global offshore RMB business centre, encouraging the country to raise sustainable development funds and issue RMB bonds in Hong Kong to explore overseas and Mainland markets and promote financial innovation. He added that Hong Kong is committed to enhancing co-operation with the Kyrgyz Republic and other countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative to promote mutual benefit and regional sustainable development.
Yesterday morning, Mr Lee met with the President of the AIIB, Mr Jin Liqun. Accompanied by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, Mr Lee extended his welcome to Mr Jin for visiting Hong Kong again, demonstrating his recognition and support for the city. Mr Lee noted that the AIIB has been supporting different developing countries in improving their infrastructure, making significant contributions to building a global community of shared future. He said that as a member of the AIIB, Hong Kong will make good use of its own robust financial system and unique advantages in bridging Eastern and Western cultures to contribute to the long-term development of the AIIB. He remarked that Hong Kong will continue to utilise its well-developed bond market to support the AIIB’s efforts in promoting green development and international multilateral co-operation.
Yesterday afternoon, Mr Lee, accompanied by the Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Joseph Chan, met with the Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue of Pakistan, Mr Muhammad Aurangzeb. The Pakistani Ambassador to China, Mr Khalil Ur Rahman Hashmi, was also present. Mr Lee said that Hong Kong actively dovetails with such national strategies as the National 14th Five-Year Plan, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development, and the Belt and Road Initiative, while ceaselessly enhancing its external exchanges, co-operation and economic and trade connections. As the world’s freest economy, Hong Kong boasts a highly internationalised, market-oriented, and friendly business environment, making it an ideal place for companies to expand their global operations. He said that Pakistanis in Hong Kong have significantly contributed to the city’s development and promoted cultural inclusion. Mr Lee expressed hope for closer economic and trade relations between Hong Kong and Pakistan to create more business opportunities for companies of both places.
Under the theme “Powering the Next Growth Engine”, this year’s Asian Financial Forum was held yesterday and today at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The programme included thematic speeches, policy dialogue sessions, keynote luncheons and breakfast panels as well as fireside chats. Attendees included global leaders from governments and the financial and business sectors around the world.
​The Department of Health (DH) said today (January 14) that after an update on the definition of “practising dentistry” under the Dentists Registration Ordinance (DRO) (Cap. 156) came into effect, it marked the first time a person was arrested on suspicion of practising dental bleaching or teeth whitening procedure, but not being a registered dentist.
“The DH had earlier received a complaint from a member of the public that a non-registered dentist was suspected to have carried out dental bleaching or teeth whitening for a person in an industrial building in Lai Chi Kok. The DH staff and the Police conducted a joint operation yesterday afternoon (January 13), during which a 29-year-old woman was arrested for allegedly practicing dentistry but not being a registered dentist, with exhibits seized at the scene by the Police,” a spokesman for the DH said.
With effect from January 1 this year, the definition of “practising dentistry” under the DRO was updated to clearly specify the services that may only be provided by registered dentists, with a view to offering better protection for citizens’ health. Schedule 2 to the DRO clearly specifies that only registered dentists may provide another person with the following services:
(1) the carrying out of dental bleaching or teeth whitening procedure;
(2) the prescription of clear aligner; and
(3) the carrying out of teeth veneering procedure.
“Any person provides or attempts to provide the aforementioned services but not being a registered dentist will commit an offence. The offender will be liable on summary conviction to a fine at level 6 and to imprisonment for three years, or on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for five years,” the spokesman said.
The DH spokesman strongly urged members of the public not to patronise non-registered dentists for dental bleaching or teeth whitening procedure for their own health. Citizens may check before choosing dental services the List of Registered Dentists published by the Dental Council of Hong Kong online to verify the qualifications of service providers. If in doubt, citizens should refrain from receiving such services to ensure safety. read more
​The Government held the Launching Ceremony of the Caring Food Coupon Programme today (January 14) to distribute discounted food coupons to elderly persons in need, conveying society’s care for them.
The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, officiated at the ceremony with Legislative Council Member Mr Tommy Cheung; the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun; the Permanent Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Ms Alice Lau; and representatives from five participating catering groups. Elderly persons from various elderly centres were also invited to join the ceremony to witness this caring initiative.
Addressing the ceremony, Mr Chan expressed the Government’s hope, through this tripartite collaboration among the Government, the business sector and the community, to convey care for the elderly and establish closer ties with them through the elderly centres, thus helping them better integrate into the community.
Mr Chan also expressed gratitude to the catering groups for their participation. He said that the five catering groups have taken root in Hong Kong and grown with Hong Kong people. They have been sparing no effort in fulfilling corporate social responsibilities with targeted care for the elderly. On top of their participation in the Programme, they also provide other kinds of catering concessions for elderly persons, establish volunteer teams to visit the elderly, and set up other food assistance programmes to send care and warmth to those elderly in need. He hoped that different sectors of the community would continue to join hands with the Government to support collaboration among the Government, the business sector and the community in building a harmonious and caring society.
The Caring Food Coupon Programme is a tripartite collaboration among the Government, the business sector and the community. Through the liaison efforts by Mr Cheung, Fairwood, Café de Coral Group, Tai Hing Catering Group, Maxim’s Group and McDonald’s Hong Kong have participated in and supported the Programme. Non-governmental organisations subvented by the Social Welfare Department also participated.
From today onwards, 214 subvented elderly centres across the territory will distribute discounted food coupons to around 50 000 elderly persons, including singleton/doubleton elderly persons and the hidden elderly. Elderly persons may also contact neighbouring elderly centres to enquire about the details of the distribution. Each beneficiary will receive a set of five coupons, each provided by a respective catering group. Each coupon can redeem a designated signature dish at a discounted price of $25 from January 29 (the first day of the Lunar New Year) until March 31, 2025.
The Government will consider the way forward after the completion of the Programme in light of its response and effectiveness.
Following are the remarks by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, on scaffolding safety at a media session after attending the Launching Ceremony of the Caring Food Coupon Programme this afternoon (January 14):
Reporter: First, the Code of Practice for Bamboo Scaffolding Safety was revised last year, but such an accident happened yesterday. Is the revised code still not efficient in ensuring workers’ safety? Second, serious industrial accidents occurred two days in a row. Does this show a need in improvement in terms of safety awareness among frontline workers and even management? How does the Government plan to address the issue?
Secretary for Labour and Welfare: We have recently revised the Code of Practice for Bamboo Scaffolding Safety. Clearly all relevant scaffolding works have to comply with the code of practice. For the accident yesterday, apart from looking into whether or not those involved have fully complied with the code of practice, another issue we have to look at, which is why we are going to hold a stakeholders conference inviting not just those involving in scaffolding work, but also the principal contractors as well as those responsible for installing external glass walls. We have to not only look into the scaffolding work itself, but also the workflow and the related work procedures, whether or not there is room for improvement, or to reduce and, if at all possible, to eliminate the risk arising from those who are using the scaffolding but are not responsible for installing or dismantling it. This is what we are going to do.
For industrial safety, it has long been our commitment to educate workers and provide training, as well as to build up a culture where everyone is going to put safety first. At the same time, we are stepping up inspections as well as to initiate prosecutions and take enforcement actions against those who violated the laws and codes of practice. Thank you very much.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the remarks.) read more