The COVID-19 Vaccination Programme has been implemented for 225 days since February 26, 2021. So far, about 8 801 300 doses of vaccines have been administered under the Vaccination Programme. Detail… read more
The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about a fatal work accident that happened at a building renovation site in Happy Valley this morning (October 8), in which a female worker was trapped under a collapsed bamboo scaffold and was certified dead in the hospital. The LD is saddened by the death of the worker and expresses its deepest sympathy to the victim’s family.
The LD’s spokesman said, “We commenced immediate on-site investigation as soon as we were notified of the accident and will issue suspension notices to the contractors concerned to suspend the erection, alteration, dismantling and use of bamboo scaffolds at external walls of the buildings. The contractors cannot resume the work process until the LD is satisfied that measures to abate the relevant risks have been taken.”
The spokesman added, “We will complete investigation as soon as possible to identify the cause of the accident, ascertain the liability of the duty holders and recommend improvement measures. We will take actions pursuant to the law if there is any violation of the work safety legislation.”
The general duty provisions of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance require employers to provide safe working environments, plant and safe systems of work for their employees. Those who contravene the above provisions are liable to a maximum fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for six months.
In regard to today’s accident, the LD will issue a Work Safety Alert through its website and email, giving a brief account of the accident concerned to duty holders, workers’ unions, professional bodies of safety practitioners and others, reminding the industry of the importance of following safety precautionary measures to prevent a recurrence of similar accidents.
The LD will also remind the employer concerned of the liability for employees’ compensation under the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance, assist family members of the deceased to claim employees’ compensation and closely follow up on the case. For those with financial difficulties, the LD will assist them to apply for appropriate emergency funds. Subject to the needs and wishes of family members of the deceased, the LD will also liaise with the Social Welfare Department for financial or other assistance.
For the sake of securing the safety and health of employees at work, the LD appeals to employers to provide plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health. Employees should co-operate with their employers, adopt all safety measures and use personal protective equipment provided properly to avoid endangering their own work safety and that of other workers. read more
The Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Alfred Sit, today (October 8) met with representatives of the Technology and Innovation Subsector of the Election Committee, the Greater Bay Area Association of Academicians, the Hong Kong Academy of Sciences and the Hong Kong Young Academy of Sciences respectively to elaborate on the innovation and technology (I&T) initiatives outlined in “The Chief Executive’s 2021 Policy Address”.
This year’s Policy Address has earmarked several sites for I&T uses. These include:
* Under the Northern Metropolis Development Strategy, the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park (HKSITP) in the Loop and the areas around Lok Ma Chau/San Tin will be consolidated to form the San Tin Technopole, where land for I&T-related uses is estimated to amount to about 240 hectares. This, together with the Shenzhen I&T zone, will form the Shenzhen-Hong Kong I&T Co-operation Zone of approximately 540 hectares, and become an essential propeller for the development of an international I&T hub in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA);
* Reviving the Ma Liu Shui reclamation project and vacating the site of the Sha Tin Sewage Treatment Works and providing a total of 88 hectares of new land mainly for I&T development;
* Setting aside about 5 hectares of land in Lau Fau Shan to build landmark I&T facilities with a scale comparable to that of Cyberport to facilitate the deepening co-operation with the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Co-operation Zone; and
* Reserving a 4-hectare site for the University of Hong Kong and a 2.5-hectare site for the Chinese University of Hong Kong for research use.
Mr Sit said that the Central Government supports Hong Kong’s development as an international I&T hub. The Policy Address has put forward a number of I&T initiatives that are forward-looking and groundbreaking, including forming a spatial framework of “Twin Cities, Three Circles” to expedite Hong Kong’s I&T development and seize the opportunities arising from the development of the GBA and the integration into the overall development of the country, and develop Hong Kong into an international I&T hub as promulgated in the 14th Five-Year Plan.
“We propose the setting up of an InnoLife Healthtech Hub in the HKSITP in the Lok Ma Chau Loop, with the 16 life and health-related laboratories in the InnoHK research clusters and the eight State Key Laboratories in life and health disciplines as the basis, to focus on related research work. This is a good illustration of Hong Kong’s advantages and strengths in scientific research. Hong Kong has a solid foundation in scientific research and a good number of world‑renowned experts, with clinical data and clinical trials being well recognised. We have the capabilities to give full play to our unique strengths and contribute to building a pool of talents for the GBA.
“In the past two years, Hong Kong has encountered many challenges. As we have restored safety and stability in society and improved the electoral system, Hong Kong is now facing a new paradigm and a new future. It is time for us to strive ahead with renewed perseverance and plan for the future and build a bright future together so that we can better utilise the strengths of Hong Kong and contribute to meeting the needs of the country,” Mr Sit added.
The Public Offices (Candidacy and Taking Up Offices) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Ordinance 2021 was gazetted and came into effect on May 21, 2021. The Ordinance amends certain legislation, including requiring District Council (DC) members to take an oath to uphold the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and bear allegiance to the HKSAR of the PRC (uphold the Basic Law and bear allegiance to the HKSAR).
The Government today (October 8) held the oath-taking ceremony for DC members from the Tsuen Wan District Council, the Tuen Mun District Council, the Yuen Long District Council, the Kwai Tsing District Council and the Islands District Council at North Point Community Hall. During the oath-taking ceremony, the DC members present took oaths individually that they would uphold the Basic Law and bear allegiance to the HKSAR. The oath-taking was administered by the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Caspar Tsui, who was authorised by the Chief Executive as the oath administrator.
According to the Interpretation of Article 104 of the Basic Law of the HKSAR of the PRC by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the person administering the oath has the duty to ensure that the oath is taken in a lawful manner. He or she shall determine that an oath taken in compliance with the Interpretation and the requirements under the laws of the HKSAR is valid, and that an oath which is not taken in compliance with the Interpretation and the requirements under the laws of the HKSAR is invalid. If the oath taken is determined as invalid, no arrangement shall be made for retaking the oath.
Based on the principles laid down by the Interpretation and the relevant legal provisions, the oath administrator determined that the oaths taken by the following DC members were valid:
Tsuen Wan District Council
1. Mr Yau Kam-ping
2. Mr Chan Sung-ip
3. Mr Luk Ling-chung, Antonio
4. Mr Lau Cheuk-yu
5. Mr Kot Siu-yuen
6. Mr Man Yu-ming
7. Mr Wong Ka-wa
8. Mr Chan Yuen-sum, Sumly
Tuen Mun District Council
1. Mr Lau Ip-keung, Kenneth
2. Mr Lam Chung-hoi
3. Ms Kong Fung-yi
4. Mr Wong Tan-ching
5. Mr Chan Yau-hoi
6. Mr Wong Hung-ming
7. Mr Yan Siu-nam
8. Mr Chow Kai-lim
9. Mr Leung Ho-man
10. Ms So Ka-man
11. Ms Lai Ka-man
Yuen Long District Council
1. Mr Man Mei-kwai, Jimmy
2. Mr Ching Chan-ming
3. Mr Tang Che-keung
4. Mr Tang Ho-nin
5. Mr Tang Sui-man
6. Mr Tang Lai-tung
7. Mr Shum Ho-kit
8. Mr Tang Ka-leung
9. Mr Man Fu-wan
10. Mr Tang Yung-yiu, Ronnie
11. Mr Lai Wing-tim
Kwai Tsing District Council
1. Mr Chan Chi-wing
2. Mr Leung Chi-shing
3. Miss Kwok Fu-yung
4. Ms Lau Kwai-mui
5. Mr Lam Siu-fai
6. Mr Tsui Hiu-kit
7. Ms Leung Kar-ming
8. Miss Lo Yuen-ting
Islands District Council
1. Mr Ho Siu-kei
2. Mr Ho Chun-fai
3. Mr Chow Yuk-tong
4. Mr Yung Chi-ming
5. Mr Chan Lin-wai
6. Mr Wong Man-hon
7. Ms Wong Chau-ping
8. Mr Wong Hon-kuen
9. Mr Yu Hon-kwan
10. Mr Kwok Ping
11. Mr Fong Lung-fei
12. Ms Tsang Sau-ho, Josephine
13. Ms Lau Shun-ting
As Mr Leung Kam-wai of the Kwai Tsing District Council is currently on remand, the oath administrator considers that it is not reasonably practicable to arrange oath-taking for him currently. If his situation changes and he is still serving as a DC member by then, the Government will make separate arrangements. As for Mr Cheung Sau-yin and Mr Young Ka-on of the Yuen Long District Council, they provided the oath administrator with the reasons for not attending today’s oath-taking ceremony respectively. The oath administrator is now handling their cases.
Mr Poon Chi-kin and Mr Wong Tak-yuen of the Tuen Mun District Council, Mr Li Chung-chi of the Yuen Long District Council and Mr Kwok Tsz-kin of the Kwai Tsing District Council were absent and regarded as declining or neglecting to take the oath under section 20A of the Oaths and Declarations Ordinance. Accordingly, they shall vacate their offices immediately pursuant to section 21 of that Ordinance. Moreover, as the oath administrator had doubts on the validity of the oaths taken by the following DC members today, letters were issued to the DC members concerned to require them to provide additional information for the oath administrator to decide the validity of their oaths.
Tsuen Wan District Council
1. Mr Lam Sek-tim
2. Mr Li Hung-por
Tuen Mun District Council
1. Mr Tsang Kam-wing
2. Mr Cheung Kam-hung, Kenneth
Yuen Long District Council
1. Mr Lai Kwok-wing
2. Mr Wong Wai-yin, Zachary
3. Mr Kwong Chun-yu
4. Mr Cheung Chi-yeung, Felix
5. Mr Ng Hin-wang
6. Ms Chan Mei-lin
7. Ms Lai Po-wa
8. Ms Chan Sze-nga
9. Mr Lee Wai-fung
Kwai Tsing District Council
1. Mr Tong Ho-man
2. Miss Leung Ching-shan
Islands District Council
1. Mr Wong Chun-yeung
2. Mr Tsui Sang-hung, Sammy
The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat: Details of the meetings of the Legislative Council (LegCo) and its Committees to be held in the LegCo Complex during the week from October 11 to … read more