Tag Archives: China

     The Development Bureau (DEVB) announced today (June 11) that the Government will continue to provide training subsidies this year to employers hiring graduates and assistant professionals of the engineering, architectural, surveying, town planning and landscape sectors.

     A spokesman for the DEVB said that with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the job market remaining, both fresh graduates of the relevant professional sectors and assistant professionals who have just completed professional training or are awaiting professional assessment examination are facing difficulties in securing jobs. The Government is launching a measure entitled Support for Engineering, Architectural, Surveying, Town Planning and Landscape Sectors 2.0 (Support Measure 2.0), which will provide employment opportunities for graduates and assistant professionals of the relevant professional sectors with a view to retaining talents for the long-term healthy development of the sectors.
 
     A total of 1 700 subsidy places will be provided under Support Measure 2.0. The subsidy places are divided into two groups. The first group provides 550 subsidy places to private organisations employing fresh graduates who studied architecture, surveying, town planning and landscape architecture. The employers with approved subsidy places will receive a subsidy of $5,610 per month for up to 18 months for providing recognised professional training to each eligible graduate employed.
 
     The second group with 1 150 subsidy places is to support private organisations to employ assistant professionals of the engineering, architectural, surveying, town planning and landscape sectors. For the engineering sector, the subsidy scheme is mainly targeted at assistant engineers who complete Scheme “A” Graduate Training of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers in 2021. For the other four sectors, assistant professionals who complete the training recognised by the relevant professional institutes in 2021 will have priority in receiving the subsidy. The employers with approved subsidy places will receive a subsidy of $10,000 per month for up to 12 months for providing opportunities for recognised professional practice to each eligible assistant professional employed.
 
     “With the severe impact of the pandemic, graduates and assistant professionals lacking working experience are more vulnerable in the job market, which has grown particularly competitive. Through Support Measure 2.0, we encourage private organisations to recruit graduates and continue the employment of assistant professionals, enabling those who have aspirations to obtain relevant professional qualifications to remain in the professions. This could help retain the talents and foster the development of the professional sectors in the long run,” the spokesman for the DEVB said. 
 
     Support Measure 2.0 is open for application from June 18. The deadlines for application for the graduate group and the assistant professional group are November 30 and August 31 respectively. The guidelines and application forms can be downloaded from the DEVB’s website (www.devb.gov.hk/en/issues_in_focus/support_easpl2/index.html). read more

     The Government published the Securities and Futures and Companies Legislation (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 (the Amendment Ordinance) in the Gazette today (June 11).          The Amendment Ordinance establish… read more

     British troupe 1927 will stage a film version of its multi-arts performance of “Golem” in July.

     Drawing on the myth of a legendary figure of Jewish folklore as a starting point, “Golem” is the story of a man who fashions a creature out of clay named Golem to work for him. Here, the 1927 team has created “Golem” as an original production exploring man and machines. The play is not a re-telling or adaptation of Golem’s myth, but an original story that examines the relationship between an extraordinary ordinary man and his Golem.
 
     Located in a fictional yet familiar world, where technology and the market economy have evolved to a point that transcends the boundaries of human control, a Golem has become a must-have, an indispensable ingredient for a better life. But its very existence threatens the prospect of those who created it. The danger lies not in the machine becoming more like man, but in man becoming more like the machine.
 
     Founded in 2005 by writer, director and performer Suzanne Andrade, and animator and illustrator Paul Barritt, 1927 is a London-based performing company that specialises in combining performance and live music with animation and film to create magical filmic performances. The company works across the performance fields of theatre, opera, music and film. Recognition for 1927 includes five awards in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (2007) and the Helpmann Award (2019).

     The film screening of “Golem” by 1927 is presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. It will take place at 8pm on July 3 (Saturday) and 3pm on July 4 (Sunday) at the Grand Theatre of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Tickets priced at $90 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone credit card bookings, please call 2111 5999. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7323 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/multi_arts/programs_1145.html. The performances are in English with Chinese and English subtitles. The content is recommended for age 12 and above. read more

     The Government published the Revenue (Stamp Duty) Ordinance 2021 in the Gazette today (June 11).        The Ordinance raises the rate of stamp duty payable on contract notes for sale or purchase of Hong Ko… read more

     The Government published in the Gazette today (June 11) the railway scheme in relation to the addition of a railway station at Siu Ho Wan in accordance with the Railways Ordinance (Cap. 519).

     In the 2020 Policy Address, the Chief Executive announced the development of the Siu Ho Wan Depot Site of the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) which is expected to provide some 20 000 public and private residential units in the medium and long term. To cater for the development and meet the transport needs of the residents, the MTRCL recommended the addition of a railway station at Siu Ho Wan on the Tung Chung Line.

     A Government spokesman said, “The railway station will be located between Sunny Bay Station and Tung Chung Station on the existing Tung Chung Line, about 6 kilometres and about 4.5km from Sunny Bay Station and Tung Chung Station respectively. In the future, it will take about 28 minutes to travel to Hong Kong Station and 4 minutes to Tung Chung Station, in comparison with about 50 and 13 minutes respectively by using road-based transport.”

     The Government and the MTRCL have collected views and suggestions about the railway scheme from the Islands District Council. The construction works of the proposed railway station will commence soon after the authorisation of the scheme to complement the first population intake of the Siu Ho Wan Depot Site development in around 2030.

     Under the Railways Ordinance, members of the public have the right to lodge objections to the railway scheme in relation to the railway station at Siu Ho Wan from today until August 10, 2021. Any person who has a compensatable interest can claim compensation under the provisions of the Ordinance.

     The scheme and the relevant plans are available for public inspection at the Central & Western Home Affairs Enquiry Centre, the Islands Home Affairs Enquiry Centre (Tung Chung) and the District Lands Office, Islands during office hours.

     A copy of the scheme and the plans may be purchased from the Railway Development Office of the Highways Department. Enquiries on purchasing details can be made to the Highways Department by telephone at 2762 3976. The electronic versions of the scheme and the plans are viewable on the Highways Department’s website (www.hyd.gov.hk/en/road_and_railway/railway_projects/index.html).
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