The Secretary for Housing, Ms Winnie Ho, will depart for Beijing tomorrow (May 30) for a four-day visit. Representatives of the Housing Bureau and the Housing Department will also join the visit.
      
     During her stay in Beijing, Ms Ho will call on the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council and the National Development and Reform Commission. She will also visit the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, leaders of the Beijing Municipal Government and the Beijing Public Housing Center, to exchange views on housing issues and construction technology. Moreover, Ms Ho will tour various housing projects to learn about the latest development of planning, design and adoption of intelligence technology of housing on the Mainland.

     Ms Ho will return to Hong Kong on June 2. During her absence, the Under Secretary for Housing, Mr Victor Tai, will be the Acting Secretary for Housing.

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Monday, May 29, 2023 is 103.4 (up 0.1 against last Saturday's index).

     â€‹The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Saturday, May 27, 2023 was 103.3 (down 0.1 against last Thursday's index).

     Kim Hung Construction and Engineering Company Limited was fined $35,000 at Eastern Magistrates' Courts today (May 29) for violation of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance. The prosecution was launched by the Labour Department.

     The case involved a fatal accident that occurred on December 9, 2020, at a construction site in Stanley. Two workers, while dismantling a metal hoarding at the site, were pressed by the collapsed portion of the hoarding. One of the workers died and the other was injured.

     The Thankful Week for Families with Foreign Domestic Helpers (FDHs), organised by the Labour Department (LD), will be extended to June 11 (Sunday). FDHs and employers are invited to seize the chance to participate in the event to get Ocean Park admission tickets. 
      
     A spokesman for the LD said, "The Thankful Week for Families with Foreign Domestic Helpers promotes mutual respect and harmonious relationships between FDHs and their employers. The FDH and employer of each family only need to record together a short video clip of around 20 seconds to express gratitude and appreciation for each other for a chance to get four Ocean Park admission tickets. We invite FDHs and employers to seize the chance to participate in the event."
      
     FDHs and employers can participate by sending a video link (can be a link to cloud storage, video sharing platforms, or social media channels) to the LD's event webpage, or sending the video file directly via WhatsApp messenger on or before June 11. The video clips will not be disclosed.
      
     For FDHs and employers who have already participated in the event, the LD is currently processing the information received. Ocean Park admission tickets will be distributed upon confirming the eligibility. 
      
     To participate, FDHs and employers can visit the LD's event webpage www.fdh.labour.gov.hk/thankfulweek for more information. For enquiries, please call 3582 8976.

    Hongkong Post announced today (May 29) that a special stamp issue and associated philatelic products on the theme of "Toys of Hong Kong – 1970s to 1980s" will be released for sale on June 13 (Tuesday).

    The toy industry has established a strong foothold in Hong Kong for over 60 years and was one of the four major industries in the city. From the 1970s to 1980s, toys made in Hong Kong were well received, and the booming toy industry transformed Hong Kong into one of the world's major toy exporters.

    As a sequel to the "Toys of Hong Kong – 1940s to 1960s" special stamps issued in 2016, Hongkong Post will issue a set of six stamps, a mini-pane and associated philatelic products on the theme of "Toys of Hong Kong – 1970s to 1980s", featuring popular toys in the 1970s to 1980s, including recreation chess, spinning tops, alloy toys, rockets, play houses and robots. The stamps are printed with spot varnishing for a nostalgic touch, and will surely rekindle happy childhood memories for many.

    Official first day covers for "Toys of Hong Kong – 1970s to 1980s" will be on sale at all post offices and on Hongkong Post's online shopping mall ShopThruPost (shopthrupost.hongkongpost.hk) from tomorrow (May 30). This set of special stamps and associated philatelic products will be on sale at all post offices and ShopThruPost from June 13, while serviced first day covers affixed with the special stamps will be available at philatelic offices only.

    A hand-back date-stamping service will be provided on June 13 at all post offices for official first day covers/souvenir covers/privately made covers bearing the first day of issue indication and a local address. Collection points will be set up at all post offices on the same day for submission of the covers requesting the hand-back date-stamping service.

    Information about this set of special stamps and associated philatelic products is available on the Hongkong Post Stamps website (stamps.hongkongpost.hk) and on the ShopThruPost mobile app.