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Government recruitment and vocational training booths spotlight Education and Careers Expo
- 2024-01-29
- Business
- The Young Reporter
- By: AU YEUNG JimEdited by: Ji Youn Lee
- 2024-01-29
Last week’s Education and Careers Expo at the Exhibition Centre highlighted government job offerings and employment training as the city hopes to retain young talents and boost the local workforce. Among the 123 exhibitors at the expo, 32 of them were government departments and bureaus present at the event, which aimed to introduce visitors to job opportunities through exhibitions, sharing sessions and interactive activities. “As the largest employer in Hong Kong, offering over 190,000 full-time jobs in the civil service alone, the government has a wide range of opportunities for those who are willing and ready to work hard and keep learning to achieve success,” said Ingrid Yeung, Secretary for the Civil Service, at the opening ceremony of the Expo. Various government departments also held information and sharing sessions throughout the expo, such as the Civil Service Bureau for the legal aid department. “I’ve had more opportunities to ask questions regarding the job content, interview and selection criteria, so I think [the Expo] is quite helpful to me,” said Tiffany Cheung, 23, a fresh university graduate looking for a job in the government. “I think [the information session] is quite clear, and the speaker made very clear about the content of the position. It matches my expectation regarding the role.” Apart from recruitment booths, many schools for continuing education and vocational training introduced education programs and showcased new innovations that could streamline existing work methods. One example was the Smart Chinese Medicine Cabinet, a Chinese medicine pharmaceutical box which aims to streamline the collection of ingredients for Chinese medicine recipes using sensor technology. By scanning the QR code, the display modules on each drawer would light up and show the ingredients required for the pharmacists to collect. The cabinet is part of the Vocational Training Council’s health and life …
Siamese fighting fish competition adds a punch to Hong Kong Pet Show
- 2024-01-27
- Society
- By: YANG Shuyi、NG Natasha Goa ShengEdited by: Yau To LUM
- 2024-01-27
The “Hong Kong Pet Show 2024" returns on Jan. 25 with Hong Kong’s first-ever “IBC International Betta Show 2024” organized by the International Betta Congress, a worldwide union of Betta-lovers and breeders. Over 600 Siamese rumble fish from different countries are displayed at this year’s Hong Kong Pet Show for the global competition. The event is supposed to raise awareness on the conservation of fighting fish, otherwise known as rumble fish or betta. Eddy, one of the staff members in charge of the “IBC International Betta Show 2024”, said that Betta competition in the world has changed. “Nowadays Betta competition is no longer the same as before. We are now focusing more on their appearance,” he said. Before the start of the competition, all fish are separated into different groups based on their fins, breed, and colour. Then, a demerit point system is used to grade their score. It is expected to have 600-700 competitors before the registration deadline. “We hope that through this competition people could be aware of the increase of Betta breeds now and more people will know about them,” he said. Hong Kong Pet Show 2024 is bigger than in previous years, with more than 650 booths and offering all kinds of products, pet food, and pet insurance. But Gary Chiu Wai-lam, the Management Director of one of the exhibitors, Kangaroo Pet Nutrition, thought there were 10 percent fewer visitors to this year’s pet show on day one compared with last year. “Since we are agents for other pet shops, joining the pet show gives us a channel to tell our customers what our products are about and the advantages of different products.” Daisy Pun, the director of 1363 Natural Pet Home, is an exhibitor who hasn’t joined the pet show before. “Big exhibitions can help …
New ESG platform aims to benefit local firms
- 2024-01-25
- Business
- By: YANG Haicen、BO ChuxuanEdited by: Ji Youn Lee、KONG Tsz Yuen
- 2024-01-25
A new eco-community-based platform aimed to help small to medium size enterprises realise their sustainability goals launched on Jan. 22. The platform, ESG One, was unveiled at ForeSight 2024, an annual event organised by the Hong Kong Productivity Council. “The newly launched ESG One is an ecosphere that provides guidance and services and enables SMEs to share information and resources at all levels,” said Mohamed Butt, the Chief Executive Officer of the HKPC in his opening speech at ForeSight 2024. “ESG is now crucial for corporate strategy and a key indicator of a company's value and prospects in today's business environment,” he added. The Hong Kong Stock Exchange, has been actively promoting Environmental, Social, and Governance, in its bid to make the city a green finance trading centre. On its website, HKEx states its policy of enhancing “ the transparency of sustainable financial products, improving supply information and opening up opportunities to promote the development of sustainable finance in Asia.” Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Joseph Chan Ho-lim said SMEs have not yet reaped the full benefits of these ESG initiatives. He said "SMEs would face numerous obstacles in implementing ESG, such as a lack of resources, especially after the three-year epidemic." As of September 2023, over 360,000 small and medium-sized enterprises operated in Hong Kong, making up over 98% of all business establishments in the region and creating jobs for over 1.2 million people, according to the government. In this context, encouraging ESG practices among SMEs is crucial to the region's long-term economic viability, according to Butt. At the forum, leaders from different industries discussed and exchanged ideas on how to promote ESG practices in SMEs. Law Ka-chun, the President of China Light and Power Company Syndicate, suggested uniting Hong Kong's forces to help SMEs reduce …
Waste-charging Scheme delayed to August
- 2024-01-24
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: XIA Fan、ZHANG YipingEdited by: Ji Youn Lee、Yuqi CHU
- 2024-01-24
The start date of the new waste-charging scheme based on the pay-as-you-throw principle was pushed back again by four months to Aug 1, announced Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan on Friday. The scheme was scheduled to start on April 1. The delay is to better explain the details and ease public confusion, Tse said in the press conference. Justina Chan, a street vendor selling socks in her 40s, said the scheme was a disturbance to her normal life. “When the day comes, I have no choice but to obey the rules. Though I would never say I support it from my heart,” said Chan. The scheme, initially proposed over two decades ago, seeks to address public awareness of recycling and reduce waste through a requirement for dumping rubbish with government-approved bags. Marcus Lo, 26, a government employee, said he agrees with measures for environmental protection, but is concerned over resistance. The price of the new government rubbish bags is HK$0.11 per litre. For bulky waste and large furniture, a "fee label" with a standardised price of HK$11 is required to be purchased. According to the Hong Kong Waste Reduction report, the disposal rate of Municipal Solid Waste was 1.51 kg per person per day in 2022. A family using a 10 or 15 litre government bag every day is likely to spend about HK$30 to HK$50 a month on the bags, compared to under $10 at the current price. Lo called for more attention being paid to the vulnerable groups. “If the government could put more effort into helping the low incomers, the enforcement process would be smoother as the new launch will drive up their living cost,” said Lo. The Finance Committee Procedure last December passed a bill giving a monthly subsidy of HK$10 to people receiving …
Marathon organisers urge runners to monitor their conditions following a death
- 2024-01-23
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: ZHAO Runtong、LIU YutongEdited by: Ji Youn Lee、Juncong SHUAI
- 2024-01-23
Organisers of the annual Standard Chartered Marathon have reminded runners to “closely monitor their post-race physical condition and allow themselves recovery after the race.” The warning came after a 30-year-old participant collapsed at Tin Hau MTR station following the race. There were multiple injuries, according to the Hospital Authority. At 4 pm yesterday, a total of 39 runners had been admitted to hospital, with one death pending investigation and one in critical condition due to heart overload. As of Monday, he is still receiving medical treatment in Ruttonjee Hospital. The Hong Kong, China Association of Athletics Affiliates and Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited stated their deepest condolences to the family of the deceased athlete and offered assistance as necessary. “Overexertion, heat stress, dehydration and cardiovascular issues could all be the cause of death in a marathon," said Dr. Hon Sze-sze, Principal Coordinator of Sports Program at Hong Kong Baptist University, "In order to avoid injuries, we should do foot preparation activities before the race and maintain appropriate fluid intake during the marathon.. If we feel ill, we must stop running to avoid overexertion,” she added. The Standard Chartered Marathon kicked off at Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsui at 6 am on Sunday. It included a full marathon, a half marathon, and a 10-kilometre challenge. Kenyan runner Seroi Anderson Saitoti, 31, won the men's overall full marathon with a time of 2 hours, 12 minutes and 50 seconds. Medina Armino, 26, from Ethiopia won the women’s overall full marathon with a time of 2 hours, 28 minutes and 47 seconds. Local athlete Yiu Kit-ching, 35, performed very well with a time of 2 hours 41 minutes and 9 seconds. Local runner, Wong Kai-lok, 28, said the route of the Standard Chartered Marathon is mostly mountain roads, which are more …
Taiwan Stock Exchange has no plan for virtual currency ETF
- 2024-01-12
- Business
- By: Junzhe JIANGEdited by: Junzhe JIANG
- 2024-01-12
Taiwan Stock Exchange doesn’t plan for virtual currency ETFs at the current stage based on the incomplete regulation of virtual currency after the first approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs by the US Securities and Exchange Commission. “Although we are focusing on promoting ETF-related products now, we still need the government to make related regulations about the virtual currency,” said Yang Shin-Yin, Senior associate of corporate planning and Strategy Department from TWSE. The US SEC allowed 11 spot bitcoin ETF products to come into the market on Wednesday. After the statement, the price of Bitcoin rose about 3% to about US$ 47,000 (about HK$ 347,474.6) and recorded US$ 46,354.79 (about HK$ 362,577.9 ) at the close. Taiwan's ETF assets have grown by 12.83 times in the last decade and increased about 60.47% in the past year with Asia's Top 3 ETF market, according to the Taiwan Stock Exchange website. Crypto assets, including Bitcoin, are not considered legal currency in most parts of the world, including Taiwan. The US SEC emphasised that the approval of Bitcoin ETFs does not imply their endorsement of Bitcoin. "While we approved the listing and trading of certain spot bitcoin ETP shares today," said the US SEC in a statement, "we did not approve or endorse bitcoin. Investors should remain cautious about the myriad risks associated with bitcoin and products whose value is tied to crypto.”
Taiwan Election 2024: Nuclear power becomes the focus of energy policies
- 2024-01-12
- Society
- By: Man TSE、Yuchen LI、Junzhe JIANGEdited by: Junzhe JIANG
- 2024-01-12
Taipei (TYR) - With conflicting energy policies from three candidates, the Taiwan presidential election will be held on Jan. 13, which has become one of the major focuses among voters in Taiwan. To reduce dependence on fossil fuels, three political parties propose different approaches. While the Kuomintang proposes to extend the use of the existing three nuclear power plants and restart the fourth plant, the Democratic Progressive Party and Taiwan People's Party focus on developing renewable energy, such as hydroelectric power, geothermal energy and ocean energy, to reduce dependence on nuclear power. In the past nearly eight years under Tsai Ing-wen’s government, Taiwan's electricity price has been raised by 23%; the most recent rise was about 11% in April 2023. According to the data from Taiwan Power Company, the latest average price of electricity in November was NT $3.09/ kWh (about HK$ 0.78/ kWh), which is 13.4% and 19.2% higher than the average price in the past two years, respectively. The research from Global Petrol Price.com shows that the world's average electricity price for family use in June 2023 was US$ 0.156/ kWh (about HK$ 1.25/ kWh), which was 76% higher than the average price in Taiwan in the same period. The average electricity price for businesses was US$0.153/ kWh (about HK$ 1.17/ kWh), recorded 39% higher than in the same period in Taiwan. Regarding the changes in electricity prices, residents in Taichung city said the increase in electricity prices is acceptable. “The prices of everything are rising, not only the electricity price but also the costs of food, transportation and housing. I think the increase in electricity prices is not a major burden,” said Marry Liao, a housewife living in Taichung. Data from the Taiwan Statistics Bureau shows that Taiwan's year-on-year CPI index increased by 2.5% in 2023, recording …
Overcoming Hurdles on the Trail: Two Teachers' Triumphs and Tribulations at Translantau 2023
- 2023-12-13
- Society
- By: KONG Tsz YuenEdited by: Ming Min AW YONG、Kei Tung LAM
- 2023-12-13
On the brisk morning of Saturday, Nov. 11, near Mui Wo Market, under a cloudy sky and a gentle breeze of 23C, over 780 runners were palpable and eagerly awaiting the start of the Translantau race. Cheers erupted as the starting gun echoed, capturing the moment of a challenging journey for Grace Law and Kam Wong. In 2023, the fastest woman in the 35–39 age group, Eszter Csillag, completed the Translantau 100 km race in 13 hours and 50 minutes. Law hoped to finish within 20 hours and 30 minutes. Grace Law, 35, a secondary school English teacher, aims to complete her 100-kilometre race, while Kam Wong, 58, a secondary school PE teacher, aims to complete the 50-kilometre Translantau race in 12 hours without injuries. Law and Wong dedicated significant time to preparing for the race, including researching energy gels for the last six months and developing customised food approaches, like Onigiri, a plant-based snack with a sour and sweet flavour resistant to spoilage. Besides food preparation, Law has also divided the route and exercised several times in various conditions, including on the road down the mountain during an evening downpour. At the same time, Wong challenged herself by walking 27 kilometres on the road near her home, more than she had ever walked before, making her doubt if she could finish the upcoming 50-kilometre race. Undeterred by the challenges of the rocky terrain, Law walked through Kau Ling Chung, determined to reach her destination in Tai O. Even though she witnessed others vomiting along the way, Law stayed strong and continued on the race. "My psychological quality seems to be better," she said. Based on the GPS tracking runners ' progress, the organiser's live truck reported that Law was heading to Ngong Ping. Considering her previous checkpoint time, it …
For this Filipino domestic helper dragon boat team in Hong Kong, paddling empowers their community and women
- 2023-12-12
- Society
- By: Jemima BadajosEdited by: Wisha LIMBU
- 2023-12-12
As the Discovery Bay Dragon Boat Gala 2023 kicked off at Tai Pak Beach, it was a homecoming for Filipino Dynamo, a Filipino domestic helper dragon boat team in Hong Kong, as they were going to compete where they first began. Filipino Dynamo was first founded in January 2018 by Liza Avelino, a Filipino domestic helper who used to compete in a mixed dragon boat team. She wanted to start a team of her own, composed of female Filipino domestic helpers. When it first started, the team recruited helpers who had little to no experience in paddling. Over the years, Filipino Dynamo has proved itself on a competitive level, recently winning 1st runner-up in the Sinopec Ladies Race at the Gala. Although dragon boating has been around for more than a thousand years, Hong Kong has propelled it forward into a ‘modern sport’. This year, 43 local and international dragon boat races were held, according to the Dragon Boat Hong Kong. The Filipino Dynamo team aims to join at least one race every season. However, dragon boat racing is also an expensive sport. To compete in the Discovery Bay Dragon Boat Gala, the ladies race category alone costs HK$3,800 to register. Without a dragon boat and parking space licence, the group also has to rely on sponsorships and club membership fees to rent out boats for water training. Most domestic helpers have Sundays as their day off, with plenty that can be seen gathering with their friends in public areas. By law, domestic helpers are required to have a 24-hour rest period every week. But for Filipino Dynamo members, they spend their one day-off training for the next race. Their training regime consists of a mix of yoga, circuit, and strength training on land and paddling techniques in water. With …
The once-in-a-decade Yuen Long Jiao Festival prays for peace and harmony on its neighbourhood
- 2023-12-12
- Society
- By: Jemima Badajos、Tsz Wing CHANEdited by: Wisha LIMBU
- 2023-12-12
The Yuen Long Jiao Festival carried out its day-long religious ritual as it marked its 100th anniversary. The district-wide festival has been held every 10 years in Yuen Long since its establishment in 1923, celebrating through a series of religious rituals, arts and cultural performances, and competitions.