Fourth-term Human Resources Planning Commission convenes fourth meeting
The fourth meeting of the fourth-term Human Resources Planning Commission was held today (December 16). At the meeting, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau briefed members on the Government's manpower planning and strategies for the arts, culture and creative industries. It reported that the Government endeavours to nurture local talent through providing professional and continuous training to industry practitioners of different levels. Meanwhile, the Government attracts high-end Mainland and overseas talent and continues to add new impetus to the local arts and culture industries. Members were pleased to learn that the Government is actively developing world-class cultural facilities, and continuously enhancing the ecosystem of the arts, culture and creative industries, thereby providing practitioners with a supportive environment and ample opportunities for creative development. Members supported the Government's continuous efforts to promote the development of the arts, culture and creative industries to attract talent from home and abroad, further consolidating Hong Kong's status as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.
Members were also briefed on the further enhancement measures of the Technology Talent Admission Scheme (TechTAS) by the Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC). To expedite the admission of innovation and technology (I&T) talent to undertake research and development work in Hong Kong, the ITC will further enhance TechTAS to (1) streamline application procedures to allow technology companies and eligible talent to submit applications for quotas and visas/entry permits in parallel, (2) lift the requirement of engaging in research and development in 14 designated technology areas to better address the ever-changing I&T development, and (3) launch a new dedicated application channel for the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park to provide one-stop assistance to their tenants and incubatees in application and subsequent follow-up. The ITC and the Immigration Department expect to launch the enhancement measures within this month. Members welcomed the further enhancements to TechTAS, anticipating that these initiatives will contribute to attracting a greater number of I&T talent, with a view to enlarging the I&T talent pool of Hong Kong.
Source: AI-found images
FSD steps up inspections and encourages industry to inspect fire service installations and equipment
The Fire Services Department (FSD) said today (December 16) that in response to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, the department has maintained close collaboration with relevant property management organisations and stepped up inspections of fire service installations and equipment (FSIs) in buildings since December 4, with a view to enhancing building fire safety.
The FSD has redeployed manpower internally to enhance inspections of FSIs in buildings, particularly those undergoing major maintenance, and has proactively inspected the functional status of fire alarms. Should any non-compliance be identified, the department will conduct thorough investigations and decisively take enforcement actions. At the same time, the department has redeployed personnel to promptly follow up on reports of abnormal operation of FSIs in buildings and will take appropriate enforcement actions accordingly.
In addition, the FSD has earlier engaged in in-depth exchanges with the Property Management Services Authority (PMSA), the Hong Kong Association of Property Management Companies Limited (HKAPSA), the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA), the Hong Kong Housing Society (HS), and the Real Estate Developers Association of Hong Kong (REDA). The FSD emphasises that, apart from ensuring that annual inspections of FSIs are conducted in their premises in accordance with the Fire Service (Installations and Equipment) Regulations (Cap. 95B), property management bodies must also proactively discharge their management duties and assist property owners in properly maintaining the FSIs in common areas to ensure their continuous and effective operation. The FSD also reminds property management personnel to inspect the FSIs regularly during daily work and assist owners and their organisations to handle any damage or malfunctions of the FSIs in a timely manner.
To address public concerns regarding the performance of building fire alarms, stakeholders have agreed to promote voluntary fire alarm testing to safeguard public safety. The scope of the testing includes:
Checking that manual call points are intact and capable of activating the fire alarm system;
Ensuring stable power supply to FSIs and reliable operation of standby power supply; and
Verifying that signals transmitted from fire control panels are normal with no false alarms or failures.
The HA and the HS have arranged to conduct fire alarm tests progressively in all public rental housing estates and residential projects under their management. The PMSA and the HKAPSA have issued letters reminding the industry practitioners to fulfil their responsibilities by strengthening daily management and preventive measures, and enhancing fire safety awareness and response capabilities among staff and residents. In addition, the REDA will urge its members to actively respond to this call. The Association of Registered Fire Service Installation Contractors has also expressed full support by encouraging the industry to proactively contact owners' organisations and property management companies to implement voluntary fire alarm tests.
The FSD will continue to lead the Inter-departmental Fire Investigation Task Force to investigate the cause of the fire at Wang Fuk Court, including investigation of the FSIs. As the investigation has revealed that the condition of the buildings' FSIs may involve criminal elements, the case is being followed up by the Police.
