Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Posted on

Base rate lowered to 4.5%

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Monetary Authority announced today that it has decreased the base rate to 4.5% with immediate effect.

 

The decrease follows a 25-basis point downward shift in the target range for the US federal funds rate on September 17.

 

The base rate is the interest rate forming the foundation upon which the Discount Rates for repurchase transactions through the Discount Window are computed.

 

It is currently set at either 50 basis points above the lower end of the prevailing target range for the US federal funds rate or the average of the five-day moving averages of the overnight and one-month Hong Kong Interbank Offered Rates, whichever is higher.

Posted on

Séminaire de travail avec les communes

Source: Gouvernement de la Nouvelle-Caledonie

Dans le cadre du dialogue permanent entre le gouvernement et les communes, un séminaire de travail se tiendra lundi 22 septembre 2025, de 8 heures à 12 heures, dans la commune de La Foa (Cinéma Jean-Pierre Jeunet).

 

Initié par Alcide Ponga, président du gouvernement, cet espace de travail a pour objectif d’écouter, partager et apporter des réponses concrètes aux préoccupations des communes, institution de proximité auprès des citoyens.

 

Les thématiques qui seront abordées au cours de la matinée concernent :

–        La jeunesse ;

–        La santé ;

–        La sécurité, en lien avec le haut-commissariat ;

–        Le financement des collectivités.

 

Cette réunion de travail se fera en présence du haut-commissaire de la République en Nouvelle-Calédonie Jacques Billant, et des membres du gouvernement.

Posted on

Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth $13.4 million (with photos)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Hong Kong Customs detected two dangerous drugs cases in Tuen Mun and Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (September 16) and today (September 17) respectively, and seized a total of about 1.2 kilograms of suspected crack cocaine, about 39kg of suspected ketamine and three suspected alternative smoking products with a total estimated market value of about $13.4 million. Three persons suspected to be connected with the cases were arrested.
 
In the first case, during an anti-narcotics operation conducted in Tuen Mun yesterday evening, Customs officers intercepted a 51-year-old local man and seized about 1.17kg of suspected crack cocaine inside a paper bag carried by him. The man was subsequently arrested. Customs officers later escorted him to a residential unit nearby for a search and further seized about 30 grams of suspected crack cocaine and a batch of suspected drug manufacturing and packaging paraphernalia. The estimated market value of the drug was about $1.2 million.
 
The second case involved a male passenger and a female passenger, both aged 18, who arrived in Hong Kong from Frankfurt, Germany, today. During customs clearance, Customs officers found a total of about 39kg of suspected ketamine, with an estimated market value of about $12.2 million, from their respective check-in suitcases. Two suspected alternative smoking products and one suspected alternative smoking product was also found in the carry-on baggage of the female passenger and on the male passenger respectively. The two persons were subsequently arrested.
 
The arrested man in the first case has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug and one count of manufacture of a dangerous drug, and he will appear at the Tuen Mun Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (September 18). For the second case, an investigation is still ongoing.
 
Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people.
 
Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.
 
Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.
 
Under the Import and Export Ordinance, importing an alternative smoking product is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years upon conviction.
 
Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

     

Posted on

Hospital Authority welcomes “The Chief Executive’s 2025 Policy Address”

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

The Hospital Authority (HA) Chairman, Mr Henry Fan, welcomed the healthcare service-related measures included in “The Chief Executive’s 2025 Policy Address” delivered by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, today (September 17). The measures will facilitate the sustainable development of public healthcare services and the provision of services that meet patients’ needs.

The HA will fully dovetail with the Government’s policy direction to comprehensively implement various policy measures for public healthcare fees and charges reform. A dedicated team will be established to support patients who need to apply for various medical fee waivers and subsidies. Protection for patients with critical illnesses or emergency conditions will be strengthened, while providing citizens with more service options to address the various challenges that an ageing population brings to the healthcare system. Mr Fan said, “The HA will uphold the principle of increasing protection and reducing waste, ensuring medical care for poor, acute, serious and critical patients, promoting sustainable development of public healthcare services, and further improving the quality of public healthcare services.”

Furthermore, with strong government support, the HA will continue to optimise acute stroke services, including building stroke centres according to national accreditation standards, establishing green channels to reduce the time from hospital admission to treatment for acute stroke patients, improving treatment effectiveness and survival rates. The HA will also gradually advance the establishment of Integrated Cardiovascular Diseases Centres at suitable hospitals according to national accreditation standards, providing one-stop treatment and support services for patients with cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, the HA will establish a dedicated team to adopt strategic procurement approaches, actively introducing suitable new drugs and innovative medical devices to increase treatment options for patients and enhance service quality.

The HA will continue to deepen AI applications, enhance services in diagnostic pathology, and implement measures to improve ophthalmology services. It will also strengthen support for cancer patients, including increasing genetic and genomic testing capabilities, Specialist Out-patient Clinics, radiotherapy, day chemotherapy, and cancer surgery service capacities. Furthermore, the HA will increase the overall bed capacity and operating theatre sessions to further enhance various patient services.

The HA will continue to adhere to the patient-centred principle to enhance the patient experience. A more convenient, comfortable and safe consultation experience will be provided for the elderly, persons with disabilities and pregnant women, to ensure services are delivered with a more human touch.

Mr Fan sincerely thanks the Government for its continuous support of public healthcare services. The HA will co-ordinate with the Government to deepen public healthcare reform work and implement governance reform to enhance the safety, quality, and efficiency of public healthcare services.

Posted on

CJ expresses sorrow over passing of former High Court Judge Eric Charles Barnes

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary:
 
     Chief Justice Andrew Cheung, Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal, today (September 17) expressed great sadness at the passing of Mr Eric Charles Barnes, GBS, a retired Judge of the High Court, who passed away yesterday.
 
     “Mr Barnes made significant contributions to the work of the courts in his various judicial roles throughout his long and dedicated service. He was a fine judge and a gentleman. He remained closely connected to the Judiciary until very recently,” Chief Justice Cheung said.
 
     Mr Barnes joined the Judiciary as a Magistrate in 1966. He was appointed Senior Magistrate in 1977 and became a District Judge in 1978. In 1981, he was elevated to the High Court Bench, where he served with distinction until his retirement in 1992.
 
     “On behalf of the Judiciary, I would like to extend my deepest condolences to his family,” Chief Justice Cheung added.

Posted on

Cluster of Candida auris cases confirmed in Hong Kong Buddhist Hospital

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

The spokesperson for Hong Kong Buddhist Hospital (HKBH) made the following announcement today (September 17):

A 69-year-old male patient in a medicine and geriatrics ward of HKBH was confirmed to carry Candida auris on September 9.  In accordance with the prevailing guidelines, HKBH conducted contact tracing and found two more male patients (aged 86 and 101) in the same ward carrying Candida auris without signs of infection. All three patients are now being treated in isolation, and are in stable condition.

The ward concerned has adopted the following enhanced infection control measures:
 

  1. enhanced patient and environmental screening procedures;
  2. application of stringent contact precautions and enhanced hand hygiene of staff and patients; and
  3. thorough cleaning and disinfection of the ward concerned.

The hospital will continue the enhanced infection control measures and closely monitor the situation of the ward concerned. The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow up.

Posted on

Convenor of ExCo Non-official Members speaks on Policy Address

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Convenor of ExCo Non-official Members speaks on Policy Address 
Convenor of ExCo Non-official Members: As you know, the bureau directors, they are responsible for a number of departments, so they cannot be held responsible for the daily operations of the departments. That’s why it’s important for the heads of departments to take responsibility for the operation of their departments. This is what they are supposed to do anyway, so I don’t think it will add to their burden.Issued at HKT 22:26

NNNN

Posted on

CHP investigates food poisoning clusters involving restaurants in Kowloon Bay and Tsuen Wan

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

CHP investigates food poisoning clusters involving restaurants in Kowloon Bay and Tsuen Wan——————————————————————–    
     A preliminary investigation revealed that the affected individuals had consumed common dishes with siu mei prepared by the restaurant, including barbecued pork egg rice with XO sauce and Hainanese Chicken Rice. Officers of the CHP and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), conducted a joint investigation at the restaurant. They reviewed the handling process and food hygiene, and collected food and environmental samples for testing.—————————————————————– 
Among those affected, 20 sought medical advice, with three requiring hospitalisation. All of the affected individuals are currently in stable condition. A stool specimen of an affected person tested positive for Vibrio parahaemolyticus upon laboratory testing.
 
A preliminary investigation revealed that the common food item consumed by those affected was chicken (including scallion oil chicken, spicy chicken or chicken in wine sauce). On September 12, officers of the CHP and the FEHD conducted a joint investigation at the restaurant. They examined the handling process and food hygiene, and collected food and environmental samples for testing. The food concerned was prepared too far in advance and stored at an improper temperature for a prolonged period and there was cross-contamination during the preparation process. The FEHD has provided health education on food safety and hygiene to the person-in-charge and staff of the restaurant. The restaurant has also stopped selling the affected product, and has temporarily suspended the business for carrying out thorough cleaning and disinfection according to the FEHD’s advice. 
  
The investigation of the CHP and FEHD is ongoing.
 
To prevent foodborne diseases, members of the public are reminded to maintain personal, food and environmental hygiene at all times. When dining out, one should:
 Issued at HKT 22:20

NNNN

Posted on

Remarks by CE at press conference on “The Chief Executive’s 2025 Policy Address” (with photos/video)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Following are the remarks by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at the press conference on “The Chief Executive’s 2025 Policy Address” today (September 17):

Reporter: Good afternoon, Mr Lee. Some English questions. Firstly, in your Policy Address, you mentioned that the Government will assist local media to expand their network beyond Hong Kong to tell the good stories of Hong Kong. Could you elaborate on exactly what this means, such as what markets the Government is looking at, or what outlets the Government is trying to assist? Also, what will you do to ensure that the whole initiative will not backfire – the media would then be seen as losing their credibility when they are seen as government mouthpieces? The second question: with the new Heads of Department (HoD) Accountability System, are you worried about that having this new scheme would lead to the exodus of executive officers and administrative officers and worsen this exodus? And also, when do you hope to apply this new Heads of Department Accountability System? Will officers or political appointees that are involved in recent scandal, like the head of the Government Logistics Department, Carlson Chan, also be covered under this new accountability system? Thank you.

Posted on

SCS briefs civil servants on Policy Address initiatives (with photo)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

SCS briefs civil servants on Policy Address initiatives (with photo) 
     The Policy Address put forward initiatives for the Government to further enhance governance, including the establishment of the Heads of Department (HoD) Accountability System. By clearly setting out and strengthening the proactive leadership roles and supervisory responsibilities of HoDs, it drives HoDs to establish an effective management team and operating systems, improving workflow on an ongoing basis, thereby achieving an ongoing enhancement in the overall management standard of the departments and the governance effectiveness of the Government. When problems arise, in accordance with the severity of the problems identified, there will be investigations which will be divided into two tiers (i.e. Tier I departmental investigation and Tier II independent investigation) to look into the root cause of the problems with a view to putting in place improvements, attributing responsibilities to the appropriate parties, and taking administrative or disciplinary actions against those responsible in accordance with the civil service management regime depending on the nature and severity of the deficiencies identified. The system renders the political accountability required of Secretaries of Department and Directors of Bureau in policy formulation, and the administrative accountability required of civil servants in implementing policy initiatives better articulated with each other, with clarification of their division of work. The Policy Address also proposed that the Government will strengthen the performance appraisal system for civil servants. The Civil Service Bureau will conduct a study to develop a more rigorous appraisal system in order to reflect and differentiate the performance levels of civil servants more effectively.
 
     Mrs Yeung said, “So long as all civil servants fulfil their duties and responsibilities with professionalism and go the extra mile in whatever they do, Hong Kong will certainly gain momentum and our people will have a real taste of the fruits of effective governance.”
 
     During the meeting with the representatives of the civil service, Mrs Yeung stated that accountability for performance is one of the core values in the Civil Service Code. Proactive fulfillment of duties with a strong sense of responsibility is a basic requirement for every civil servant, and it is the civil service’s responsibility to implement the Government’s policies in a highly efficient and professional manner. The Policy Address clarified the administrative responsibilities of HoDs and proposed to strengthen the performance appraisal system for civil servants with an aim to enhance governance capability and inject new impetus into the team to respond to the needs of the public and the new era.
 
     In addition, the HoD Accountability System set out in the Policy Address will require an expansion of the functions of the Public Service Commission (PSC) to enable it to conduct Tier II independent investigations. In this regard, Mrs Yeung also met with PSC to exchange views this afternoon. She said that the function of the PSC is to advise the Chief Executive (CE) on matters affecting the public service as an independent statutory body. The CSB will proactively implement the CE’s policy initiatives and handle the work for the making of the subsidiary legislation under the Public Service Commission Ordinance.
 
     Mrs Yeung called on civil servants to better understand the various policy initiatives in the Policy Address, gain a clear understanding of the Government’s governing tenets, stand united to render full support and facilitation to the administration of the CE and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, and continue to be a solid supporting force for Hong Kong’s advancement to further consolidate its competitiveness, develop the economy and improve people’s livelihood. 
Issued at HKT 21:31

NNNN