The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority: ​The spokesperson for the Kowloon Central Cluster (KCC) today (February 24) announced that the Wang Tau Hom Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic will resu… read more
The Transport Department (TD) today (February 24) reminded private car drivers that, starting from November 1, 2025, child passengers travelling in private cars must use a Child Restraining Device (CRD), such as a child safety seat.
Following the passage of the Road Traffic (Safety Equipment) (Amendment) Regulation 2024 by the Legislative Council, starting from November 1, 2025, unless child passengers aged below 8 reach a body height of 1.35 metres, they must use CRDs in private cars irrespective of sitting in the front or rear seats. Passengers aged 8 or above, or with a body height of at least 1.35m must either use a CRD or wear an adult seat belt. Otherwise, the driver must not drive the car on any road. Apart from conventional types of child safety seats, there are various types of portable CRDs, such as a seat belt adjuster, a wearable safety restraint vest or a foldable booster, available in the market for selection.
The Police may issue a Fixed Penalty Notice of $230 to drivers breaching the requirement. Serious cases may be referred to the court, which can impose a maximum fine of $2,000. To cater for individual exceptional circumstances, two statutory defences have been provided under the Amendment Regulation: (1) a private car driver having a reasonable ground to believe that the passenger has attained 8 years of age or has reached a body height of 1.35m; or (2) the child passenger is being transported in a case of emergency (such as emergency treatment) where the driver may not have time to arrange and use a CRD.
A spokesman for the TD said, “The new requirement aims to enhance protection for children and passenger safety. CRDs provide effective protection for child passengers in traffic accidents and they can substantially reduce the risks of being killed or seriously injured.”
The spokesman urged parents, guardians or private car drivers carrying a child passenger to select and purchase appropriate devices fit for their children’s age and body. They should take a close look at the packaging description and follow the installation guidelines. If an International Standards Organization FIX (ISOFIX) safety seat is preferred, pay special attention to its applicable vehicle models. For enquiries, they should consult the manufacturer or retailer on the product standards to meet the legal requirements.
The TD will work with the Police and the Road Safety Council to step up publicity and public education on road safety for private car drivers, covering the legal requirements as well as points to note during selection and use of CRDs (including national and international standards recognised). The TD will also maintain close liaison with the Consumer Council to enhance information dissemination for the public to make an informed choice.
Members of the public may refer to the TD’s Agent T Facebook page (www.facebook.com/AgentT.hk), or call the hotline 2804 2600 for details. read more
The Labour Department (LD) will hold the Navigating New Opportunities Job Fair at Tung Cheong Street Community Hall in Tai Po on February 26 and 27, providing a large number of vacancies from various industries for job seekers, particularly middle-aged and elderly people.
About 50 organisations will participate in the two-day job fair, offering over 3 700 quality job vacancies from various industries, among which more than 2 600 are from catering, retail, property management and real estate industries. Around 25 organisations will set up booths and conduct recruitment on the spot each day. A wide variety of positions will be offered including shop manager, pharmacy sales, software engineer (website development), technician, guest services officer, clerk, cook, barista, beauty consultant, recreation assistant, care call program executive, bus captain and security officer. Job seekers can visit the LD’s Interactive Employment Service website (www.jobs.gov.hk) for more details of the vacancies.
Around 77 per cent of the vacancies offered at the job fair are full-time jobs. Most vacancies offer monthly salaries ranging from $12,000 to $25,000. About 96 per cent of the vacancies require a Secondary Seven education level or below. Around 68 per cent are open to job seekers without relevant work experience.
Job seekers can submit job applications during the event and may be selected for on-the-spot interviews. They can also make enquiries on the employment services provided by the LD at its counter inside the venue.
The job fair will be held from 11am to 5.30pm at Tung Cheong Street Community Hall, 1/F, Tai Po Tung Cheong Street Leisure Building, 25 Tung Cheong Street, Tai Po. Admission is free, with final admission time at 5pm each day. read more
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, at the Cisco Engage Greater Bay Area Summit today (February 24):
Dave (President of Cisco Asia Pacific, Japan and Greater China, Mr Dave West), Jacqueline (Senior Vice President & General Manager, Customer Experience, Cisco Asia Pacific, Japan and Greater China, Ms Jacqueline Guichelaar), Ming (Vice President & Chief Executive Officer of Cisco Greater China, Mr Ming Wong), Iris (General Manager of Cisco Hong Kong, Macau and South China, Ms Iris Feng), distinguished speakers, ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning. It is my great pleasure to be here today at the Cisco Engage Greater Bay Area event, a dynamic platform for exploring the exciting opportunities and innovative solutions that lie ahead in this vibrant region.
I am delighted to learn that today’s event brings more than 20 visionary speakers and some 400 tech industry leaders and experts from home and abroad, a true testament to Hong Kong’s ability to attract the world’s top talent and innovative ideas.
Today’s theme, “Go beyond”, perfectly captures the spirit of Cisco’s success over the past 40 years. It is also a call to action, urging us to push the boundaries of what is possible and explore new horizons to achieve our shared vision of developing Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology (I&T) centre.
Hong Kong has long been recognised as a super connector, bridging the dynamic markets of Mainland China with the rest of the world. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is fully committed to creating a robust I&T ecosystem and a business-friendly environment where I&T enterprises and start-ups can grow and thrive here, and make impactful contributions to the local and global economy and society. Proactive initiatives, such as the development of the Hetao Hong Kong Park and the new I&T land in San Tin Technopole, will provide new impetus to our I&T development. We welcome more international I&T enterprises like Cisco to set foot in Hong Kong and leverage Hong Kong’s unique advantages as an ideal gateway for businesses aiming to tap into the vast markets of Mainland China and the Asia-Pacific region.
To construct a sustainable I&T ecosystem, the close collaboration among government, industry, academia, research and investment sectors is crucial. Last year, Cisco collaborated with Cyberport to jointly build an AI Lab, and I am pleased to learn that it has achieved some remarkable results. As one of the world’s largest technology companies specialising in IT network, cyber security and cloud computing, Cisco has long been a solid player in the ICT (information and communications technology) industry, supporting Hong Kong to become a leading digital hub in the region. I look forward to witnessing more successful partnership between Cisco and other stakeholders in Hong Kong’s I&T industry.
The digital landscape is evolving at an unprecedented pace, presenting both challenges and opportunities. Together, let us continue to embrace the spirit of “going beyond”, and navigate the complexities of the digital age.
Wish you all a great day. Thank you.
Attention TV/radio announcers: Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals: Here is an item of interest to swimmers. The Leisure and Cultural… read more