The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority: The spokesperson for Siu Lam Hospital made the following announcement today (April 17): Six patients (aged 38 to 72) and two … read more
The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The Hospital Authority (HA) today (April 17) welcomed the arrival of about 80 healthcare professionals from Guangdong Province who are participating in Greater Bay Area Healthcare Talents Visiting Programmes. Together with seven doctors, two Chinese medicine experts who arrived earlier, and another Chinese medicine expert who will arrive in Hong Kong tomorrow (April 18), the aim is to uplift the level of the healthcare sector in Hong Kong and the Mainland for the benefit of patients through professional exchanges over the course of a year or so.
The HA Chairman, Mr Henry Fan, and its Chief Executive, Dr Tony Ko, welcomed the Guangdong healthcare professionals who arrived by high-speed rail at the Hong Kong West Kowloon Station. Mr Fan said, “Today marks an important milestone in our exchanges with Mainland healthcare professionals. About 80 healthcare professionals have brought their knowledge and experience to Hong Kong to exchange ideas with our healthcare professionals and learn from each other. They have rich experience in different medical fields, and everyone will be learning a lot from the exchanges which will also benefit our patients.”
Seventy nurses will be assigned to different hospitals in the seven clusters under the HA to exchange knowledge on different nursing expertise areas and clinical work. As for the ten doctors, they will be assigned to exchange in the Kowloon Central Cluster, Kowloon West Cluster and New Territories West Cluster. They have been approved by the Medical Council of Hong Kong to practice with limited registration and will participate in clinical work in the hospitals of the three clusters. As for the two Chinese medicine experts who came to Hong Kong at the end of last year, and another Chinese medicine expert who will arrive in Hong Kong tomorrow, they will continue participating in clinical training work on integrated Chinese-Western medicine in different hospitals.
“We are deeply grateful to different Mainland authorities, especially the Health Commission of Guangdong Province, for sending this group of experienced healthcare professionals to Hong Kong for this exchange. It is not easy for them to leave their families and patients for a long period. We also want to thank the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and other organisations for their great efforts in assisting in the arrival of the healthcare professionals today so they could embark on their exchange work for about a year,” Mr Fan said.
The HA will continue to capitalise on Greater Bay Area development opportunities so as to strengthen the integration of medical services in Hong Kong and the Mainland to achieve mutual benefits. The HA will continue to attract talents through various channels, and improve the standard of medical services in Hong Kong for the benefit of patients.
Kin Shun Information Technology Management Limited and its director were prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for failing to make timely payment of wages to two employees as required by the Employment Ordinance (EO). The company and its director pleaded guilty at the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts today (April 17) and were each fined $26,000, making a total fine of $52,000. All defendants were also ordered to pay an outstanding sum of about $309,000 via the court to the employees concerned.
The company failed to pay the two employees in accordance with the EO wages totalling about $420,000 within seven days after the expiry of the wage periods. The director of the company was prosecuted and convicted for his consent, connivance or neglect in the above offences.
“The ruling will disseminate a strong message to all employers, directors and responsible officers of companies that they have to pay wages to employees within the statutory time limit stipulated in the EO,” a spokesman for the LD said.
“The LD will not tolerate these offences and will spare no effort in enforcing the law and safeguarding employees’ statutory rights,” the spokesman added. read more
The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:
The Legislative Council (LegCo) will hold a meeting on Wednesday (April 19) at 11am in the Chamber of the LegCo Complex. During the meeting, the Second Reading debate on the Occupational Safety and Occupational Health Legislation (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2022 will resume. If the Bill is supported by Members and receives its Second Reading, it will stand committed to the committee of the whole Council. After the committee of the whole Council has completed consideration of the Bill and its report is adopted by the Council, the Bill will be set down for the Third Reading.
The Second Reading debate on the Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Child Allowance and Tax Concessions) Bill 2023 will also resume. If the Bill is supported by Members and receives its Second Reading, it will stand committed to the committee of the whole Council. After the committee of the whole Council has completed consideration of the Bill and its report is adopted by the Council, the Bill will be set down for the Third Reading.
Meanwhile, the Stamp Duty (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2023 and the Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2023 will be introduced into the Council for the First Reading and the Second Reading. The Second Reading debate on the Bills will be adjourned.
On Members’ motions, Mr Gary Zhang will move a motion on enhancing the performance of public transport services. The motion is set out in Appendix 1. Ms Lam So-wai and Mr Frankie Yick will move separate amendments to Mr Zhang’s motion.
Mr Shiu Ka-fai will move a motion on expediting the importation of manpower to replenish Hong Kong’s labour force. The motion is set out in Appendix 2. Mr Duncan Chiu, Dr Ngan Man-yu, Dr Chow Man-kong and Mr Lee Chun-keung will move separate amendments to Mr Shiu’s motion.
Mr Robert Lee will move a proposed resolution under section 34(4) of the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance to extend the period for amending subsidiary legislation. The proposed resolution is set out in Appendix 3.
During the meeting, the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Mr Shiu, will present the “Supplemental Report of the Public Accounts Committee on Report No. 78 of the Director of Audit on the Results of Value for Money Audits” and address the Council.
Members will also ask the Government 22 questions on various policy areas, six of which require oral replies.
The agenda of the above meeting can be obtained via the LegCo Website (www.legco.gov.hk). Members of the public can watch or listen to the meeting via the “Webcast” system on the LegCo Website. To observe the proceedings of the meeting at the LegCo Complex, members of the public may call 3919 3399 during office hours to reserve seats. read more
The Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Lam Sai-hung, will attend a tripartite meeting between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao in Zhuhai tomorrow (April 18) morning. On the sideline of the meeting, he will have meetin… read more