Government Launches Election Forums to Boost Voter Awareness Ahead of Legislative Council General Election 2025

"Patriots Collaborate for Good Governance" 2025 Legislative Council election forums

To enhance public and voters' awareness and understanding of candidates across various constituencies for the Legislative Council General Election (LCGE), to raise the level of attention of the community and to encourage proactive voting, the Government will organise a series of "Patriots Collaborate for Good Governance" 2025 Legislative Council election forums starting from tomorrow (November 11). There will be a total of 39 forums, covering the Election Committee constituency, 10 geographical constituencies and 28 functional constituencies.

Candidates and voters of the respective constituencies of all geographical constituencies, functional constituencies and the Election Committee constituency, as well as members of the public will be invited to attend the forums. The format of the forums, which may comprise self-introduction by candidates, mobilisation of campaign teams, a question-and-answer session and a debate on a specified topic, will be tailored according primarily to the respective constituencies. Candidates will be able to fully present their election platforms, viewpoints on different topics, visions and aspirations. Details of the forums are at the annex.

The forums will be broadcast live on Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) TV 31 and RTHK Radio 1. At the same time, live streaming of the forums will be available online via the website of RTHK (rthk.hk) and the Facebook page of the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau (www.facebook.com/cmab.gov.hk). Other media organisations will also be invited to cover the forums.

A government spokesman said, "as the Chief Executive has stated, the eighth LCGE is a significant event as Hong Kong is advancing from stability to prosperity.It is a major undertaking for accelerating Hong Kong's economic development and improving people's livelihoods; and a matter of great importance to each and every Hong Kong citizen. By organising these election forums, the Government aims to provide open and equal opportunities for each candidate to present to the public and voters their election platforms and policy visions, so that voters will be able to make their best choices to vote. We encourage voters to pay more attention to candidates' performance in the forums to deepen their understanding of the candidates in order to elect outstanding individuals with an affection for the country and Hong Kong, proven capabilities, a sense of responsibility and a passion to serve the public to be Legislative Council members of the new term."

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government further calls upon all candidates to uphold a quality electoral culture, and to foster a quality democracy that is practical, fair, orderly and politically inclusive. Candidates should aim to seek voters' support by competing on expertise, election platforms, visions, commitment and contributions, and work in collaboration with the Government to encourage all eligible voters to cast their votes and to create a brighter future for Hong Kong.

Source: AI-found images

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

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 (August 15) that employers and contractors should avoid assigning employees to carry out electrical work (such as 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 a rainstorm, suitable safety measures must still be adopted to prevent an 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 that 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-found images