New governance talents program not equal to promotion pass, says Civil Service chief
HK sees 20pc surge in tourist arrivals in May, driven by Labour Day holidays and events
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South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong's Aggressive Construction appeals against rejection of licence renewal
A Hong Kong construction company has filed an appeal against the government's decision to reject its licence renewal due to safety violations linked to five deaths in three accidents, including a 2022 crane collapse that killed three workers. Authorities said on Monday that Aggressive Construction Company had lodged an appeal with the Court of First Instance against the Buildings Department's move to refuse the renewal application. 'As the case is now undergoing judicial proceedings, the Buildings Department is not in a position to make any comments,' a department spokesman said. Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho said late last month that Aggressive would be removed from the government's registered list of contractors on June 20, making it ineligible to carry out works under the Buildings Ordinance. A day later, the company said that it would file an appeal as it had stepped up safety checks since the fatal 2022 accident. It also warned that the government's move would slow the progress of public housing flats and affect the livelihoods of thousands of workers. The firm, a subsidiary of Great Harvest Group, came under intense scrutiny when a 65-tonne tower crane collapsed at a site on Anderson Road in Kwun Tong in September 2022. Three workers died and six others were injured.
HKFP
an hour ago
- HKFP
Int'l Domestic Workers' Day: Migrant workers' coalition calls for ‘living wage,' regulation of working hours
A Hong Kong coalition of migrant worker associations and unions has called on the government to give domestic workers 'a living wage' and regulate working hours. In a statement issued on Monday to mark International Domestic Workers' Day, the Asian Migrants' Coordinating Body (AMCB) said that the common complaints they received from migrant workers were 'long working hours, no regular day off, termination and accommodation problems.' From January to June, the Indonesian Migrant Workers' Union (IMWU), the Filipino Migrant Workers' Union (FMWU) and the Mission for Migrant Workers Union (MFMW) received complaints from 916 domestic workers, the statement said. Around 41 per cent of the workers said they worked 11 to 16 hours a day, while another 11 per cent complained they worked over 16 hours per day. In addition, more than 11 per cent said they did not have a regular rest day and still worked even on their day off before leaving their employer's home. While there is no statutory limit on working hours for foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong, standard employment contracts stipulate they should enjoy a rest day for a continuous period of at least 24 hours every seven days. However, 'this is rarely followed, with many being given or imposed a curfew on their rest day,' the statement said. A spokesperson for the AMCB – who gave only her initials, JP – told HKFP on Monday that every domestic worker should enjoy at least 11 hours of rest per day, including sleeping and meal breaks. JP also said that domestic workers who chose to terminate their contracts before the end of the two-year period, largely because they suffered from long working hours and lack of proper sleeping space – with some forced to sleep in kitchens – often faced accusations of 'job-hopping.' The AMCB also demanded that domestic workers earn a living wage of HK$6,127 per month. Migrant domestic workers are not only 'excluded from the statutory minimum wage' but also receive 'slave wages,' the AMCB said. 'This is not enough to recognize the work and contribution of migrant workers here in Hong Kong.' The current monthly minimum wage for foreign domestic workers is HK$4,990. Employers are also required to provide food for domestic workers or give a monthly food allowance of HK$1,236, or around HK$40 per day. In May, Hong Kong raised its statutory minimum wage to HK$42.10 per hour. Domestic workers' rights advocates from the Hong Kong Federation of Asian Domestic Workers Unions (FADWU) met with the Labour Department in August to call for a 'living wage' of HK$6,300 per month, plus a food allowance of HK$2,700.
South China Morning Post
3 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong's first major Islamic art exhibition set to open at Palace Museum
An exhibition featuring 90 works, including Islamic carpets, ceramics and manuscripts, from the 10th to the 19th centuries will open in Hong Kong on Wednesday amid government efforts to forge stronger ties with the Middle East. Advertisement The show, 'Wonders of Imperial Carpets: Masterpieces from the Museum of Islamic Art, Doha', is hosted by the Hong Palace Museum and marks the Qatari institution's debut in the city. 'This exhibition showcases a millennium of cultural exchange between the Islamic world and China and sheds light on the historical roots of today's Belt and Road Initiative,' Hong Kong Palace Museum director Louis Ng Chi-wa said on Monday, referring to Beijing's scheme to grow global trade. Shaika Nasser Al-Nassr, director of the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA), said dozens of national treasures would be on display and were chosen from a vast 12,000-piece collection. The show marked a 'significant moment' for the institution, she added. 'This collaboration reflects our belief that art has the power to connect culture and transcend borders,' she said, adding that they were committed to creating spaces that invited dialogue, curiosity and deeper understanding. The 17th century 'Kevorkian Hyderabad carpet' is among the exhibits. Photo: May Tse Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu led a visit to the Middle East earlier this year, following one in 2023, with the aim of driving more business and people-to-people ties amid escalating China-US tensions and geopolitical uncertainty.
