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Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

To further strengthen the protection of children and mentally incapacitated persons (MIPs), the Government expanded the Sexual Conviction Record Check (SCRC) Scheme to cover volunteers today (December 15). Meanwhile, three additional designated police stations were introduced to provide eligible applicants with a 24-hour fingerprint taking service.

A spokesperson for the Government said, “Volunteers include, but are not limited to, volunteer teachers and volunteer sports coaches. The SCRC Scheme remains voluntary in nature. The recruiting organisations may decide whether the SCRC is necessary after assessing the risks. Applications are to be submitted by the eligible applicants.”

In addition to the existing SCRC Office at the Police Headquarters in Wan Chai and the six existing designated police stations (North Point, Yau Ma Tei, Ngau Tau Kok, Tuen Mun, Sha Tin and Tsuen Wan), the Police designated three additional police stations to provide a 24-hour fingerprint-taking service, namely Tseung Kwan O, Sheung Shui and Lantau North (Tung Chung) to further facilitate the making of applications. Eligible applicants can submit applications through the online applications platform and make appointments for fingerprint taking.

The Government implemented the SCRC Scheme at the end of 2011 to enable employers to check whether persons undertaking child-related or MIPs-related work have any criminal conviction records against a specified list of sexual offences. When it was launched, the SCRC Scheme covered prospective employees, contract renewal staff and staff assigned by outsourced service providers to other organisations or enterprises, who apply for child-related or MIP-related work to organisations or enterprises.

In May 2022, the Law Reform Commission of Hong Kong (LRC) published a report on Sentencing and Related Matters in the Review of Sexual Offences, which recommended the expansion of the SCRC Scheme to all existing employees, self-employed persons and volunteers.

To enhance the protection to children and MIPs, and respond to the LRC’s recommendations, the Government expanded the scope of the SCRC Scheme at the end of 2024 as phase 1 to cover prospective self-employed persons. A series of measures has been implemented at the same time to enhance the SCRC Scheme, including the launch of online applications, the introduction of a 24-hour fingerprint-taking service and the extension of the validity period to 36 months, bringing greater convenience to applicants.

“The Government will review the relevant experiences in expanding the scope of the SCRC Scheme to prospective self-employed persons and volunteers in the first two phases, and consider expanding the scope to cover all existing employees and self-employed persons at a suitable juncture, thus achieving the ultimate goal. Details will be available nearer the time,” the spokesman said.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​The Department of Health (DH) and the Hospital Authority (HA) today (December 15) announced that the Hospital Dental Service (HDS) currently provided by the DH will be integrated with the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS) Service under the HA from February 6, 2026, and the service will be taken up by the HA.
 
     As outlined in “The Chief Executive’s 2024 Policy Address”, a comprehensive review of the positioning and objectives of the healthcare system is under way, involving reforms of the functions and division of responsibilities among the HA, the DH and the Primary Healthcare Commission (PHC Commission). The DH will focus on its public health functions and executing its regulatory and enforcement roles. To implement this policy direction, the clinical services of the DH are being gradually integrated with either the HA or the PHC Commission.
 
     Following the earlier transfer of the DH’s Clinical Genetic Service to the HA, the DH’s HDS will be managed by the HA starting February 6 next year. In fact, the seven Oral Maxillofacial Surgery and Dental Clinics (OMS&DCs) under the DH’s HDS are all located within the following HA public hospitals, primarily providing specialist oral maxillofacial surgery and dental treatment for hospital in-patients, patients with special oral healthcare needs, and dental emergencies:
 

1. Queen Mary Hospital;
2. Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital;
3. Queen Elizabeth Hospital;
4. Princess Margaret Hospital;
5. Tuen Mun Hospital;
6. Prince of Wales Hospital; and
7. North District Hospital.

 
     These clinics will continue to operate at the original sites and integrate with the existing OMS service in six public hospitals provided by the HA. This will help further streamline and optimise the overall service delivery.
 
     To ensure continuity in patient care upon the transfer of service, all scheduled/follow-up appointment records for patients at the aforementioned seven OMS&DCs for dates on or after February 6, 2026, along with the cases and relevant medical records stored at these clinics, including clinical records, X-ray records, clinical photos, and dental casts, will be transferred to the HA. If patients/family members do not agree to have their cases and relevant medical records transferred to the HA, they should contact the DH by phone at 3153 4044 or by email (hds_enquiry@dh.gov.hk) on or before January 16, 2026, to facilitate the necessary arrangements.
 
     Patients who opt out of the arrangements should note that their follow-up appointments scheduled on or after February 6 next year will be cancelled. Should they require future consultations at the HA’s dental and OMS services, a new referral letter will be required for appointments, and new case consultation fees will be charged according to the HA’s arrangements. Medical records that patients/family members refuse to transfer to the HA will be disposed of and destroyed by the DH in accordance with its record management policy after the service transfer. For enquiries about the arrangements, please contact the DH.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Transport Department (TD) today (December 15) reminded members of the public that, following the announcement of Autotoll Limited to exit the stored value facility business from March 16, 2026, the HKeToll and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) will stop accepting Autotoll’s Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) and VGoPAY e-wallets for payments for tolled tunnels and the HZMB from the same day. Existing Autotoll ETC users should shift to other auto-payment means as soon as possible to continue to enjoy the convenience of free-flow tolling.

HKeToll

     The TD urged users paying via Autotoll ETC to set up new auto-payment means on the HKeToll website (www.hketoll.gov.hk) or mobile app early, including direct debit from bank accounts, automatic credit card payments or deductions from Designated Stored Value Accounts so that they can continue to enjoy the convenience of auto-payment under the HKeToll seamlessly.

     Registered vehicle owners who have yet to set up new auto-payment means are required by law to pay the tunnel tolls on their own within 14 business days after passing through a tunnel, such as paying via e-payment on the HKeToll website or mobile app, or by cash at convenience stores or the HKeToll customer service centres.

     Failing to pay outstanding tolls may result in a surcharge of up to $525 per trip, and an application for vehicle licence renewal or transfer of vehicle ownership for the relevant vehicles may be declined. For assistance, users may call the HKeToll 24-hour customer service hotline at 3853 7333 or refer to relevant tutorial videos (www.hketoll.gov.hk/Home/Resources).

HZMB

     As for the HZMB tolls, users concerned should apply for the Unitoll service through its website (www.96533.com), other local partner banks or at the following locations to continue to make auto-payments:
 

• Zhuhai Business Hall at the Unitoll Customer Service Center; or
• Highway Service Point at the Nanping Toll Plaza of the GuangZhu West Line.

     For enquiries on the application for the Unitoll service, please call Autotoll’s customer service hotline at 2627 8888.

     A spokesman for the TD said that it has been maintaining close liaison with the regulatory authorities concerned. The TD has requested Autotoll Limited to inform affected users proactively and provide appropriate assistance to ensure that they can smoothly set up alternative auto-payment means and continue to pay tolls for the HKeToll and the HZMB automatically. Members of the public concerned should heed its announcements online (www.autotoll.com.hk/autotollclub/).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​Hongkong Post announced today (December 15) that Lunar New Year special stamps and associated philatelic products on the theme of “Year of the Horse” will be released for sale on January 5, 2026 (Monday). The “Gold and Silver Stamp Sheetlet on Lunar New Year Animals – Snake/Horse”, as well as the “Year of the Horse” joint souvenir packs jointly presented by China Post, Hongkong Post and Macao Post and Telecommunications, will also be issued on the same day.

To welcome the Year of the Horse, Hongkong Post will release the third issue of the fifth Lunar New Year special stamp series. The set of four stamps, two stamp sheetlets and associated philatelic products feature horses in various poses. Both the $10 stamp sheetlet and the $50 laser-cut paper art stamp sheetlet showcase a horse adorned with festive floral motifs. The motif on the $50 stamp sheetlet is laser-cut with exquisite technique to create a delicate silhouette of a horse.

For the “Gold and Silver Stamp Sheetlet on Lunar New Year Animals – Snake/Horse”, this is the second issue in the third Lunar New Year Gold and Silver stamp issue series. This stamp sheetlet is embedded with two zodiac stamps, namely the “Year of the Snake” stamp and “Year of the Horse” stamp, each in a denomination of $50. The snake and the horse on the stamps are adorned with silver and 22-carat gold hot foil stamping respectively, and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.

In addition, China Post, Hongkong Post and Macao Post and Telecommunications will jointly present the “Year of the Horse” joint souvenir packs, which contain the souvenir sheet jointly issued by the three postal administrations, demonstrating that the three places share the same roots and cultural lineage.

     Official first day covers for “Year of the Horse” and official Lunar New Year animals souvenir covers for the “Gold and Silver Stamp Sheetlet on Lunar New Year Animals – Snake/Horse” will be on sale at all post offices and on Hongkong Post’s online shopping platform ShopThruPost (shopthrupost.hongkongpost.hk) from tomorrow (December 16). Prestige version of the aforesaid covers and the newly designed 2026 Souvenir Cover will also be available at all philatelic offices and ShopThruPost on the same day.

     This set of special stamps and associated philatelic products will be on sale at all post offices and ShopThruPost from January 5, 2026, while serviced first day covers/Lunar New Year animals souvenir covers affixed with the special stamps, prestige version of serviced first day covers/Lunar New Year animals souvenir covers affixed with the special stamps, postage prepaid Lunar New Year greeting cards (air mail), “Heartwarming Stamps” mini-panes (local/air mail), Joint Souvenir Packs and Joint Souvenir Packs (Prestige) will be available at philatelic offices only.

     A hand-back date-stamping service will be provided on January 5, 2026, at all post offices for official first day covers/souvenir covers/privately made covers bearing the first day of issue indication and a local address.

     Information about this set of special stamps and associated philatelic products is available on the Hongkong Post Stamps website (stamps.hongkongpost.hk).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, will depart for a visit to Beijing this evening (December 15). He will call on the Ministry of Finance during his stay in Beijing.

     Mr Hui will return to Hong Kong tomorrow evening (December 16). During his absence, the Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Joseph Chan, will be the Acting Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Lunar New Year special stamps will be issued on January 5, 2026, to ring in the Year of the Horse, Hongkong Post announced today.

The upcoming Lunar New Year special stamp series consists of four stamps and two stamp sheetlets featuring horses in various poses.

A wide range of philatelic products, including a gold and silver stamp sheetlet as well as Year of the Horse joint souvenir packs, will also go on sale.

Click here for details.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Starting today, the Sexual Conviction Record Check Scheme has been expanded to cover volunteers, with a view to strengthening protection for children and mentally incapacitated people, the Government announced.

Volunteers include, but are not limited to, volunteer teachers and volunteer sports coaches.

The Government noted that the scheme remains voluntary in nature, allowing recruiting organisations to decide whether the check is necessary after assessing the risks. Applications are to be submitted by eligible applicants.

It also announced that three additional police stations in Tseung Kwan O, Sheung Shui and Lantau North (Tung Chung) can provide applicants with a 24-hour fingerprint taking service.

Previously, the service was only available at the Police Headquarters in Wan Chai, and at six police stations in North Point, Yau Ma Tei, Ngau Tau Kok, Tuen Mun, Sha Tin and Tsuen Wan.

Eligible applicants can submit applications through an online application platform and make appointments for fingerprint taking.

The Government added that after reviewing relevant experiences, it will consider expanding the scope of the scheme to cover all existing employees and self-employed individuals.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Typhoon Ragasa resulted in the disaster of the Fata’an (Matai’an) barrier lake overflowing and flooding Guangfu Township in Hualien County. In response to this, Taipower has provided electric bill reduction/exemption/delayed payment measures for Guangfu customers affected by the disaster. Low-voltage residences, small stores, agricultural/aquaculture farms, small factories, etc. affected by the disaster are exempt from September and October electric bills; for already-mailed electric bills, collections demands and shut-off operations will be delayed. Also, disaster-affected customers are exempt from the low-kWh minimum charge during the outage period, and applications for power reconnections are exempt from reconnection fees and new construction/installation costs calculated by length. Also, with buildings that are destroyed by the disaster and then rebuilt, applications connection are exempt from cable connection charges.

A Taipower spokesperson states that if a disaster-affected user is a high-voltage user, it will be determined on a case-by-case basis whether or not to apply the reduction/exemption measures. Also, increased disaster shelter electricity fees as a result of sheltering disaster victims and rescue efforts will also be exempt from collection. Taipower is putting these measures in place to help reduce the burden on all people affected by the disaster, and to rebuild homes as soon as possible.

Spokesperson: Vice President Tsai Chih-Meng
Phone: (02) 2366-6271/0958-749-333
Email: u910707@taipower.com.tw

Contact Person: Department of Business Director Chung Ssu-Suu
Phone: (02)2366-6650/0922-483-804
Email: u149447@taipower.com.tw

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Taipower wins the “corporate sustainability Oscars” yet again! The Taiwan Corporate Sustainability Awards (TCSAs) were awarded today (November 26). Taipower was head and shoulders above a pack of more than 700 companies, winning the high honor of a corporate sustainability award for the 7th time. Taipower also took a Best Sustainability Practice Award, a Talent Development Leadership Award, and a Creative Communication Leadership Award, winning a total of 4 awards. A Taipower spokesperson stated that, as the driving force behind Taiwan’s civil economy and industrial development, Taipower will continue to uphold the principles of ESG operations while giving equal care to a stable power supply and environmentally-sustainable development.

The award ceremony for the 2025’s TCSAs, the 18th iteration of the awards, was held today at the Grand Hotel Taipei. Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer Tsai Chih-Meng represented Taipower at the ceremony, accepting the awards from Ministry of Labor Deputy Minister Huang Lin-Na. This year’s awards marked the 17th time that Taipower has won affirmation in the form of a sustainability report award.

A Taipower spokesperson stated that winning this year’s Best Sustainability Practice Award and the Corporate Sustainability Report Platinum Award for the seventh time helps bring attention to Taipower’s eye-catching performance in environmental sustainability, social co-prosperity, and corporate governance. The 5-Part Vision for Sustainable Development disclosed in the report lays out Ten Strategic Pathways and sets action plans for each, earnestly responding to the both the UN’s and Taiwan’s sustainable development goals.

The spokesperson pointed out that in this year’s Workplace Wellbeing Leadership Awards, Taipower also took home a Talent Development Leadership Award and a Creative Communication Leadership Award. Credit for the affirmation of the Talent Development Leadership Award goes to the technical know-how transferal between generations of expert power industry employees. In addition to seeking new recruits through a variety of channels, Taipower also invests strongly in talent training. Taipower puts great emphasis on expertise, safety, and onsite response abilities. Taipower has also held skills competitions for more than half a century now, which continually refine employees’ core abilities while extending generational experience. This helps create the power industry elites needed to take on the mission of providing a stable supply of power.

The spokesperson further explained that the Creative Communication Leadership Award is an affirmation of Taipower’s continued work to promote power industry culture. Since 2016, Taipower has been investing in electrical industry cultural heritage preservation, combining cultural object inventories, collections, research, publishing, displaying, interchanges, and more. Nearly 2000 important cultural objects have been stored in the Taipower Collection Center, and a digital companion in the form of the Electrical Industry Cultural Object Online Collection has also been opened to share with society at large. This highlights how Taipower is promoting the concepts of corporate concern for the humanities and cultural sustainability.

Spokesperson: Chief Administrator Huang Mei-Lien
Phone: (02) 2366-6271/ 0922-696-383
Email: u030573@taipower.com.tw

Contact Person: Department of Corporate Planning Director Kuo Chiu-Ying
Phone: (02) 2366-6440/0978-105-282
Email: u004770@taipower.com.tw