Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Dr Law Chi-kwong, today (June 18, Geneva time) continued his visit in Geneva, Switzerland, and attended meetings of the Centenary Conference of the International Labour Organization (ILO).

     As part of the delegation of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Dr Law is attending the Centenary Conference from June 17 to 19 (Geneva time), including plenary sittings and a high-level session with national and international leaders, a thematic forum on technological pathways for decent work and meetings of the Committee on the Application of Standards and the Standard-Setting Committee of the ILO on violence and harassment in the world of work. Representatives of the Labour Department and the Labour Advisory Board are also attending the Centenary Conference.

     On the sidelines of the meetings, Dr Law met with the System Initiative Management Team led by the Head of the Centre for the New Economy and Society of the World Economic Forum, Ms Saadia Zahidi, this morning to exchange views on the development of vocational education and skills upgrading of the labour force to prepare for the advent of the artificial intelligence era.

     In his visit to the International Social Security Association (ISSA) yesterday (June 17, Geneva time), Dr Law met with Secretary General, Mr Marcelo Abi-Ramia Caetano, and other key officials of the ISSA and discussed international experience in tackling challenges arising from an ageing population, including the sustainability of the social security system, provision of long-term care and a shrinking labour force.

     Dr Law called on the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Permanent Representative of the PRC to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other International Organizations in Switzerland, Mr Chen Xu, on the same day to update him on the latest labour market and economic situation in Hong Kong.

     He has also held lunch meetings with delegates of the China Enterprise Confederation and the All-China Federation of Trade Unions over these two days. Dr Law will attend more sessions of the Centenary Conference and meet with the ILO’s Assistant Director-General and Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Ms Tomoko Nishimoto, tomorrow (June 19, Geneva time) before concluding his visit and setting off for Hong Kong.

      

     Following are the opening remarks by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at a media session this afternoon (June 18):   Fellow citizens,        During large-scale public processions … read more

     Hong Kong Customs and the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) mounted a joint operation on June 13 and seized about 50 tonnes of suspected illegal export waste lead-acid batteries with an estimated market value of about $500,000 at the Kwai Chung Container Terminals.

     Officers from Customs and the EPD inspected two outbound containers destined for Malaysia at the Kwai Chung Container Terminals on June 13 and found the batch of waste lead-acid batteries inside the containers.

     Preliminary investigation by the EPD confirmed that the waste was not covered by a valid export permit. The EPD will instigate prosecution against the persons concerned subject to evidence.

     Customs and the EPD have been working closely on risk assessment and intelligence exchange to select suspicious containers for inspection. From July 2018, joint operations by the two departments have resulted in the detection of 73 cases of illegal import and export of hazardous waste. Various kinds of hazardous waste, including waste flat panel displays, waste printed circuit boards, waste toner cartridges and waste batteries, have been seized with a total estimated market value of about $9.5 million. The EPD has successfully prosecuted 18 of the cases. For the remaining cases, investigations are ongoing or pending court trial.

     The EPD has immediately returned the illegally imported waste to the places of origin and notified the local law enforcement authorities for follow-up investigations.

     Customs will continue to step up co-operation with the EPD with a view to curbing illegal hazardous waste import and export activities.

     According to the Waste Disposal Ordinance, it is an offence for anyone to import or export hazardous waste without obtaining a valid permit beforehand. First-time offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $200,000 and six months’ imprisonment. For subsequent offences, offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $500,000 and two years’ imprisonment.

  

     The Registration and Electoral Office (REO) today (June 18) urged eligible persons who have not yet registered as electors to submit applications for new registration by the statutory deadline of July 2 so that their registrati… read more

     In response to online circulation and newspaper reports that registered electors have lost their registration status due to issues with the Immigration Department (ImmD)’s computer system in the course of replacement of smart identity cards, the Registration and Electoral Office (REO) made the following clarifications:

(1) The REO confirms that no registered electors have lost their registration status as electors due to the replacement of smart identity cards.

(2) From December 27, 2018, to May 31, 2019, a total of about 280,000 electors had, in the course of replacing their smart identity cards, authorised the ImmD to transfer their particulars to the REO for the purpose of updating the registers of electors. The REO was notified on June 3 that due to technical issues with the ImmD’s computer system, data of only 50,000 electors had been transferred from the ImmD to the REO. The ImmD later transferred the data of the remaining 230,000 electors to the REO on June 5.

(3) The REO is in the process of checking comprehensively the electors’ particulars transferred by the ImmD. If the particulars differ from those shown in the register of electors, the REO will contact the electors concerned through different means (including letter, telephone or email) to verify and update their registered particulars in the register of electors. The relevant work is in progress. The REO emphasises that the status of registered electors will not be revoked unilaterally. As at June 17, the REO had finished conducting checks against the particulars of about 20,000 electors. In accordance with the checking results, the registered addresses of about 10 per cent of the checked electors require updating. If electors are in doubt, they may log in to the Online Voter Information Enquiry System (www.voterinfo.gov.hk) anytime to check their registration status and particulars, or contact the REO for enquiries.

(4) The REO calls on electors who have received letters from the REO requesting them to update their registered addresses to respond as instructed in the letter and provide the requisite documents. The REO will also remind and assist the affected electors to change their registered addresses from August 1 to 25 (i.e., from the publication of provisional registers of electors until the end of public inspection), with a view to updating the particulars in the registers of electors in time for the District Council Election to be held this year. This notwithstanding, if the addresses could not be updated in time, the affected electors can still vote in their original constituencies.

     The REO attaches great importance to the accuracy and integrity of the particulars of registered electors. The REO will continue to, through various channels, remind registered electors to report change of registration particulars and to submit address proof upon application for change of registered address. The REO also appeals to all who are eligible to register as electors through various publicity channels. read more