Tag Archives: China

     The Fireboat Alexander Grantham Exhibition Gallery Fun Day will be held this Sunday (November 25). Through a variety of delightful programmes, members of the public will be able to learn about the history of the fireboat Alexander Grantham and sea rescue services in Hong Kong. Members of the public are invited to attend and admission is free.
      
     The ship’s wheelhouse will be open to the public on the Fun Day to enable them to see the original working conditions of the firefighters on the fireboat. Other not-to-be-missed activities will include the “Fireboat Elite” jumping bouncer, “Be a Firefighter” photo-taking sessions, “Hunting for Auxiliary Features On-Board” treasure hunt games, jigsaw puzzles, a display of rescue equipment, discussion sessions with retired firefighters who used to work on the fireboat, and a live band show by firefighters.
      
     The Fun Day will be held from 10am to 6pm. All programmes will be conducted in Cantonese. A fireboat water spray performance, one of the annual Fun Day highlight programmes, is scheduled to take place at 2pm, together with a bagpipe performance. Members of the public will also be able to enjoy a search and rescue dog performance (fireboat water spray performance and search and rescue dog performance are subject to cancellation in case of emergency or rescue mission).
      
     The fireboat Alexander Grantham went into service in 1953. Before being decommissioned in 2002, it served as the flagship of the Hong Kong Fire Services Department’s fireboat unit, responding to fire alarms and conducting rescue operations both in Hong Kong waters and along the regional coastline. As well as being the first boat preserved as an historical relic in Hong Kong, it is also the largest “Made in Hong Kong” item in the Hong Kong Museum of History’s collection.
         
     The above programmes are jointly organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Fire Services Department. For details, please visit the website at hk.history.museum/en_US/web/mh/about-us/fireboat-alexander-grantham-exhibition-gallery.html or call 3580 6770.
      
     The Fireboat Alexander Grantham Exhibition Gallery is located at Quarry Bay Park, Hong Kong.       read more

     The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted a territory-wide anti-illegal worker operation codenamed “Twilight” on November 19 and 22. A total of five illegal workers and two suspected employers were arrested.
      
     During operations, ImmD Task Force officers raided 12 target locations including a retail store, a cleaning company, industrial buildings, residential flats and restaurants. Five illegal workers and two employers were arrested. The illegal workers comprised four men and a woman, aged 29 to 53. Among them, a man and a woman were holders of recognisance forms, which prohibit them from taking any employment. In addition, a woman was suspected of using and being in possession of a Hong Kong identity card related to another person. Meanwhile, two men, aged 30 and 62, were suspected of employing the illegal workers.
      
      “Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years’ imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties,” an ImmD spokesman said.
 
      The spokesman warned that, as stipulated in section 38AA of the Immigration Ordinance, illegal immigrants or people who are the subject of a removal order or a deportation order are prohibited from taking any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establishing or joining in any business. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years’ imprisonment. The Court of Appeal has issued a guideline ruling that a sentence of 15 months’ imprisonment should be applied in such cases. It is an offence to use or possess a forged Hong Kong identity card or a Hong Kong identity card related to another person. Offenders are liable to prosecution and a maximum penalty of a $100,000 fine and up to 10 years’ imprisonment. 
      
     The spokesman reiterated that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. The maximum penalty is imprisonment for three years and a fine of $350,000. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence. According to court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee’s identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker’s valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. The maximum penalty for failing to inspect such a document is imprisonment for one year and a fine of $150,000.
      
     Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) victims. When any TIP indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP elements, such as threat and coercion in the recruitment phase and the nature of exploitation. Identified TIP victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent interference, medical services, counselling, shelter, temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP victims to report crimes to the relevant departments. read more

     Hongkong Post announced today (November 23) that, as advised by the postal administration of Australia, due to the impact of bushfires, all mail delivery services to New South Wales (postcodes 1695, 2318, 2319, 2689 and 31… read more

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced today (November 23) that due to the setting up of a media centre at Tiu Keng Leng Sports Centre (TKLSC) by the Registration and Electoral Office for the Legislative Council Kowloon West geographical constituency by-election which will be held on November 25 (Sunday), the facilities at TKLSC will be temporarily closed during the following periods:

(1) The main arena, activity rooms and table-tennis tables, indoor jogging track, children’s play room and fitness room have been closed until November 27, while the outdoor climbing wall, changing rooms and toilets will be closed from November 24 to 26; and

(2) All facilities (including the Leisure Link booking counter) will be closed on November 25.

     During the closure period, members of the public may use similar facilities at the Hong Kong Velodrome, Hang Hau Sports Centre, Tseung Kwan O Sports Centre, Tsui Lam Sports Centre and Po Lam Sports Centre in the same district.

     Members of the public may call TKLSC staff at 2481 5033 for enquiries. read more

     The Hong Kong ICT Awards (HKICTA) 2019, steered by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, is now open for enrolment. Entries of locally developed information and communications technology (ICT) products and solutions are invited. The deadline for enrolment is January 18, 2019.

     There are eight award categories for the HKICTA 2019. Organised by eight local industry associations and professional bodies, the best entry in each of the eight award categories will be granted a Grand Award. A Grand Adjudication Panel led by the Vice-Chancellor and President of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Professor Rocky Tuan, will then select the Award of the Year among the eight Grand Awards.

     The award categories and respective Leading Organisers are:
 

Award Categories	Leading Organisers
Digital Entertainment Award	Hong Kong Digital Entertainment Association
FinTech Award	The Hong Kong Institute of Bankers
ICT Startup Award	Rotary Club of the HUB Hong Kong
Smart Business Award	Hong Kong Computer Society
Smart Living Award	Hong Kong Information Technology Federation
Smart Mobility Award	GS1 Hong Kong
Smart People Award	The Hong Kong Council of Social Service
Student Innovation Award	Hong Kong Innovative Technology Development Association

 
     As an annual flagship event for the industry, the HKICTA has endeavoured to recognise and promote outstanding ICT inventions and applications, thereby encouraging innovation and excellence among Hong Kong’s ICT talents and enterprises to meet business and social needs.

      Details of the HKICTA are available on the event website “www.hkictawards.hk“. Enquiries can be made to the Secretariat Office at 2788 5688 or by emailing info@hkictawards.hk. read more