The Education Bureau (EDB) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region today (June 25) signed the Letter of Intent on Qualifications Framework (QF) Co-operation between Hong Kong and Guangdong with the Department of Education of Guangdong Province to strengthen collaboration on QF between the two places. The Letter of Intent was signed by the Under Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, and the Deputy Director-General of the Department of Education of Guangdong Province, Mr Xing Feng.
      
     The Letter of Intent covers the co-operation in QF between Hong Kong and Guangdong, the exploration of mutual recognition of credits in different categories of education and training in the Greater Bay Area, and the promotion of talent exchange in the Greater Bay Area. According to the Letter of Intent, Hong Kong and Guangdong will set up a working group to foster comprehensive and effective communication and collaboration between the two places on the co-operation in QF.
      
     At the signing ceremony, Dr Choi said that since the announcement of the intention to develop the country's QF in the National 13th Five-Year Plan in 2016, the EDB has been playing an active role in relevant work. The Bureau has shared its experience in developing and implementing the QF to various organisations and parties on the Mainland on various occasions since the launch of the Hong Kong QF in 2008. The QF Secretariat in Hong Kong also signed a letter of intent with the Guangdong Occupational Skill Testing Authority in 2011 to explore the comparability between competency standards in different industries under the Hong Kong QF and national vocational standards in the Mainland.
      
     Dr Choi said, "The development of the Greater Bay Area provides more co-operation opportunities in education for Hong Kong and Guangdong. I believe that the Letter of Intent signed today will strengthen collaboration in QF and promote the development of education in the two places, thereby further supporting talent exchange in the Greater Bay Area."

     The EDB has been actively establishing networks with overseas QF authorities to enhance the profile of the Hong Kong QF internationally, to ensure that the growth and development of the Hong Kong QF are healthy and commensurate with other economies, and to provide a basis for referencing, alignment and recognition of qualifications by overseas counterparts. The Bureau is also collaborating with the QF authorities of New Zealand, Ireland, Scotland, Thailand and the European Commission to deepen understanding and strengthen Hong Kong's QF relationship with these places.

  

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.

     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 25) 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 Typhoons and Rainstorms" 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.

The following is issued on behalf of the Transport Advisory Committee:

     The Transport Complaints Unit (TCU) of the Transport Advisory Committee received 8 485 complaints and suggestions in the first quarter of 2019, with 61 pure suggestions. The total number of cases represents an increase of 7.2 per cent as compared with 7 918 cases in the previous quarter and an increase of 53.1 per cent when compared with 5 543 cases in the same quarter of 2018.

     The complaints and suggestions received during the quarter were mostly related to public transport services (88 per cent), enforcement matters (8 per cent) and traffic conditions (2 per cent).

     The number of cases on public transport services increased by 9.0 per cent from 6 880 in the previous quarter to 7 502 this quarter, while complaints and suggestions on traffic conditions increased from 121 to 165.  Cases about road maintenance decreased from 33 to 31 and the number of complaints about illegal parking and other enforcement matters decreased from 860 to 750.

     All the complaints and suggestions received by the TCU in the quarter were referred to the relevant government departments and public transport operators for follow-up action.

     During the period under review, investigations into 6 647 cases were completed. Of these, 4 867 cases (73 per cent) were found to be substantiated, 26 cases (1 per cent) were unsubstantiated, and the remaining 1 754 cases (26 per cent) could not be pursued due to lack of evidence. 

     For the substantiated cases, the relevant government departments and public transport operators have either taken steps to rectify the situation or are considering possible solutions to the problems identified. Among these cases, 79 drivers were summonsed by the Police.

     During the quarter, the relevant government departments and public transport operators took on board 11 suggestions made by the public to enhance public transport services and improve traffic conditions. A summary of the cases is in the Appendix.

     Members of the public may make their suggestions or complaints to the TCU by dialling the hotline 2889 9999 (voice mail service is available outside office hours), by fax to 2577 1858, by e-mail to info@tcu.gov.hk or by filling in a form on the TCU website (www.info.gov.hk/tcu).

The following is issued on behalf of the Transport Advisory Committee:

     The Transport Advisory Committee (TAC) was briefed today (June 25) on the transport arrangements upon the commissioning of the Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point (HYW BCP).

     The HYW BCP will be the eighth land-based BCP connecting the Mainland and Hong Kong. It is designed and constructed based on the concept of "direct access to people and vehicles". The public may take public transport or private cars or walk through the pedestrian subway to reach the HYW BCP for immigration clearance. The Development Bureau and the Architectural Services Department are striving to complete the construction works for the HYW BCP within this year for early commissioning.

     The Transport Department (TD) has put in place necessary arrangements for local and cross-boundary transport to cater for the commissioning of the HYW BCP. On the local transport arrangements, the TD will introduce three new franchised bus routes plying between the HYW BCP and Sheung Shui, Tai Wai and Tuen Mun, as well as one new green minibus route plying between the HYW BCP and Sheung Shui. Urban and New Territories taxis, and non-franchised buses with permitted service endorsements, will be allowed to operate in the Public Transport Interchange of the HYW BCP. As regards cross-boundary transport, the governments of Guangdong and Hong Kong have agreed to arrange for cross-boundary coaches, hire cars, goods vehicles and private cars to use the HYW BCP upon its commissioning.

     The TAC Chairman, Professor Stephen Cheung, said, "Members note and welcome the transport arrangements upon the commissioning of the HYW BCP."