The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson for Caritas Medical Centre today (January 8) announced that a patient confirmed with COVID-19 infection passed away today.
 
     An 86-year-old female patient (case number: 8725) with chronic diseases was admitted due to fever and pneumonia on December 28, 2020. The patient tested positive for COVID-19 on the same day. Her condition continued to deteriorate and she eventually succumbed at 12.43am this morning.
 
     The hospital was saddened about the passing away of the patient and would offer necessary assistance to her family members.
 
     Including the above patient, 151 COVID-19 patients have passed away in public hospitals so far.
 
 

     The Government announced today (January 8) the launch of the Greater Bay Area Youth Employment Scheme for which interested enterprises can apply to offer job vacancies for young people.  
 
     The scheme is one of the measures announced by the Chief Executive in the 2020 Policy Address. It aims to encourage and support young people to work and pursue their careers in the Mainland cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), help them understand the latest developments of both Hong Kong and those cities and leverage the opportunities for career advancement in the GBA. 
 
     A Government spokesman said, "As pointed out by the Chief Executive in the 2020 Policy Address, taking into account Hong Kong's economy and market scale, the youth unemployment rate may remain at double digits for some time. On the other hand, the GBA, with a population exceeding 70 million, has huge development potential and offers many career development opportunities for the young people of Hong Kong. The Governments of Guangdong Province and Shenzhen Municipality have expressed strong support for the scheme. We suggest that young people broaden their horizons to the Motherland and seize the wider opportunities of studying, working and living in our country and grasp the invaluable chance to realise their dreams and aspirations."
 
     Under the scheme, enterprises with operations in Hong Kong and GBA Mainland cities are welcome to join the scheme to offer job vacancies. Participating enterprises shall employ the eligible graduates locally under Hong Kong laws, and shall station the graduates in GBA Mainland cities to work and receive on-the-job training. The scheme provides 2 000 places, around 700 of which are designated for innovation and technology (I&T) posts. The Government will grant a monthly allowance of HK$10,000 to enterprises for each graduate employed for up to 18 months.
 
     To join the scheme, eligible graduates should be Hong Kong residents lawfully employable in Hong Kong and hold bachelor's degrees or above awarded locally or by institutions outside Hong Kong from 2019 to 2021. Under the scheme, the graduates employed will receive a monthly salary of no less than HK$18,000. For I&T posts, eligible graduates, besides meeting the above-mentioned criteria, should possess degrees related to science, technology, engineering or mathematics subjects. They should work in both Hong Kong and GBA Mainland cities, with each location taking up six to 12 months.    
 
     The Labour Department (LD) and the Innovation and Technology Bureau (ITB) have set up a secretariat for the scheme to handle applications from enterprises and disbursement of the allowance. Interested enterprises may visit the dedicated website (www.jobs.gov.hk/gbayes) for more information and enrolment in the scheme. Job vacancies will be uploaded to the website for eligible graduates to apply after they have been processed and vetted by the LD and the ITB.

  

     Correctional officers at Tai Lam Correctional Institution stopped a male person in custody attacking staff yesterday (January 7).

     At 6.50pm yesterday, a 72-year-old male person in custody suddenly became emotional and attacked a correctional officer with his hand on the way back to the dormitory. Officers at the scene immediately ordered him to stop.

     During the incident, the officer being attacked felt chest discomfort. He did not need to be sent to a public hospital after examination by the institution medical officer. The assailant did not sustain any injury.

     The case has been reported to the Police for investigation.

     The assailant was sentenced to imprisonment for the offence of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

     The Government announced today (January 8) the re-appointment of eight non-official members, as well as the appointment of four new members, namely Ms Lam Wai-ling, Mrs Katherine Ngan Ng Yu-ying, Ms Cindy Pun Siu-fung and Professor Sham Mai-har, to the Women's Commission (WoC). Their two-year term will take effect on January 15, 2021.

     The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Dr Law Chi-kwong said, "Since its establishment in 2001, the WoC has spared no effort in promoting the well-being and interests of women in Hong Kong and advising the Government on policies and initiatives on women's issues."

     Dr Law added, "The re-appointed and newly appointed members come from diverse backgrounds and have rich experience in their professions and community services. I hope that they will give valuable advice on the work of the WoC. In the new term of the WoC, 85.7 per cent of non-official members are female."

     Dr Law also thanked the outgoing members, Professor Cecilia Chan Lai-wan, Ms Yolanda Ng Yuen-ting, Ms Wong Siu-wah and Ms Yvonne Yeung Kin-ha, for their contribution to the WoC.

     The membership of the WoC for the new term is as follows:

Non-official members
————————
Ms Chan Yuen-han (Chairperson)
Ms Susanna Chiu Lai-kuen
Ms Mary Huen Wai-yi
Ms Lam Wai-ling
Mrs Emily Tim-yi Lam Ho
Dr Kevin Lau Chung-hang
Ms Melaine Lee Kam-ha
Ms Elaine Lo Yuen-man
Professor Lui Yu-hon
Ms Winnie Ng Wing-mui
Mrs Katherine Ngan Ng Yu-ying
Ms Melissa Kaye Pang
Ms Scarlett Pong Oi-lan
Ms Cindy Pun Siu-fung
Ms Rigam Rai
Professor Sham Mai-har
Dr Loletta So Kit-ying
Miss Sherry Tsai Hiu-wai
Mr Walter Tsui Yu-hang
Mrs Viola Wong Ho Suk-ying
Dr Kitty Wu Kit-ying

Ex-officio members
———————
Permanent Secretary for Labour and Welfare or representative (Vice-Chairperson)
Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs or representative
Director of Social Welfare or representative

     The Government today (January 8) announced the appointment of Ms Alexandra Lo Dak-wai as the Chairperson of the Guardianship Board (GB) for a term of three years with effect from February 1.
 
     Ms Lo is an experienced solicitor and actively participates in community services. As an incumbent GB member, Ms Lo is conversant with guardianship matters. Taking up the GB Chairperson position from February 1, she will resign from her GB membership on the same day. The Government thanked the retiring Chairperson, Mr Charles Chiu Chung-yee, for his committed work and service at the GB over the past years.
 
     The GB, established under the Mental Health Ordinance (Cap. 136), has a central statutory role to consider and determine applications for the appointment of guardians of mentally incapacitated persons aged 18 years and over, and make guardianship orders for these applications in accordance with the Ordinance.