9th Hong Kong Games Opening Ceremony held

Exciting kickoff: 9th hong kong games launches with spectacular opening ceremony

The 9th Hong Kong Games (HKG) Opening Ceremony was held at the Hong Kong Coliseum this afternoon (April 21). The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, officiated at the ceremony and, together with athletes from the 18 districts and members of the public, witnessed the official opening of the 9th HKG.

Addressing the ceremony, the Acting Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Raistlin Lau, said the Sports Commission holds the HKG every two years, offering an opportunity for athletes to showcase their talent and compete. Mr Lau called on members of the public to come to watch the matches and cheer for the athletes at the competitions, as well as joining the community participation programmes to echo the HKG's slogan "Our City, Our Games".

After Mr Chan made an announcement of the official opening of the 9th HKG, an athlete representative from Yuen Long District, the overall champion of the 7th HKG, took an oath on behalf of all participating athletes of the 9th HKG.

Mainland Olympic gold medallists Wang Yilyu (badminton) and Ding Ning (table tennis) and Hong Kong medallists Samuel Hui and Minnie Soo held the torch to enter the venue and lit the cauldron of the Games.

The ceremony's programme featured a variety of performances, including performances by winning teams of the 18 districts' cheering team competition in the pre-show to demonstrate the uniqueness and vitality of their districts. There were also lion dances; demonstrations of breaking, skateboarding, wushu and Latin dance; variety shows by elite athletes, and performances by pop singers. Highlights of the ceremony will be broadcast on TVB Jade between 10.30pm and 11.30pm tonight.

Also officiating at today's ceremony were Members of the Legislative Council Mr Ma Fung-kwok and Mr Vincent Cheng; the President of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China (SF&OC), Mr Timothy Fok; the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Mr Vincent Liu; the Commissioner for Sports, Mr Sam Wong; the Chairman of the 9th HKG Organising Committee, Professor Patrick Yung; and Executive Advisers of the Organising Committee Mr William Tong and Mr David Yip.

The inter-district sports competitions of the 9th HKG are being held from today to June 9. The competitions cover eight sports, namely athletics, badminton, 3-on-3 basketball, futsal, swimming, table tennis, tennis and volleyball. The four events of the sports competitions for people with disabilities include wheelchair 3-on-3 basketball, boccia, and swimming and table tennis for people with intellectual disabilities. And the four Urban Sports Demonstration Competitions include women's futsal, breaking, skateboarding and sport climbing.

In order to boost the lively atmosphere of the Games, not only finals of all sports competitions will be webcast live, but also seven of the final competitions will be broadcast live on Radio Television Hong Kong TV 32, namely women's futsal & futsal (May 25), table tennis & table tennis for persons with intellectual disabilities (May 26), badminton (June 1 and 2), 3-on-3 basketball and wheelchair 3-on-3 basketball (June 2), allowing more people to enjoy these exciting events.

Members of the public can also take part in community participation programmes, such as the Dynamic Moments Photo Contest and voting and guessing activities. Details of these programmes and the competition schedule are available on the HKG designated website www.hongkonggames.hk.

The 9th HKG is organised by the Sports Commission and co-ordinated by its Community Sports Committee, with the Home Affairs Department, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the SF&OC, and the relevant National Sports Associations of the sports competitions as co-organisers. The Hong Kong Jockey Club is the major sponsor of the event.

9th Hong Kong Games Opening Ceremony held Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

9th Hong Kong Games Opening Ceremony held Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

9th Hong Kong Games Opening Ceremony held Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

9th Hong Kong Games Opening Ceremony held Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

9th Hong Kong Games Opening Ceremony held Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

9th Hong Kong Games Opening Ceremony held Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

9th Hong Kong Games Opening Ceremony held Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Employers, contractors and employees should be aware of electrical safety at work during rainstorm

As the rainstorm warning has been issued by the Hong Kong Observatory, the Labour Department (LD) reminds employers and contractors that they should adopt necessary work arrangements and take suitable safety measures to protect the safety of their employees when they are carrying out electrical work or handling electrical plant.

A spokesman for the LD said today (July 27) that employers and contractors should avoid assigning employees to carry out electrical work (like electric arc welding work) or handle electrical plant at places affected by rainstorms, and should refer to the "Code of Practice in Times of Adverse Weather and 'Extreme Conditions'" and the "Guide on Safety at Work in times of Inclement Weather" issued by the LD.

Even if electrical work is carried out or electrical plant is handled at places not affected by the rainstorm, suitable safety measures must still be adopted to prevent electric shock as the air would be more humid. Such measures include:

(i) Ensure that all live parts of an electrical installation are isolated from the power supply source and rendered dead, and the isolation from the power supply source must be maintained as long as electrical work is being carried out;

(ii) Before carrying out any electrical work or handling any electrical plant, cut off and lock out the power supply source, then test the circuit concerned to confirm it is dead and display suitable warning notices, and issue a work permit thereafter;

(iii) Ensure that protective devices (such as suitable and adequate fuses and circuit breakers) for the electrical installations or electrical plant have been installed and maintained in good working order, and portable electric tools must be double-insulated or properly earthed;

(iv) Provide suitable personal protective equipment such as insulating gloves and insulating mats for employees; and

(v) If live electrical work is unavoidable, a comprehensive risk assessment should be conducted by a competent person and the appropriate safety precautions should be taken to remove or properly control the electrical hazards involved before such work can proceed.

In addition, employees should co-operate with the employer or contractor to follow the safety instructions and use the safety equipment provided.

The LD has published guidebooks and leaflets on electrical work safety. These safety publications are available free from divisional offices of the department or can be downloaded from its website (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/content2_8.htm).

Should there be any questions about occupational safety and health matters, please contact the Occupational Safety Officer of the LD at 2559 2297.

Source: AI-generated images