Two New Elderly Care Homes Join Guangdong's Residential Care Services Scheme Starting February 1

More elderly homes to join Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong

The Social Welfare Department (SWD) announced today (January 27) that starting from February 1, two additional residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs) located in Guangzhou and Dongguan will join the Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong as Recognised Service Providers (RSPs).

The Social Welfare Department (SWD), Photo source: reference image of the government

Together with the existing 24 RCHEs, the total number of RCHEs participating in the Scheme will increase to 26, with full coverage of the nine Mainland cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), offering more choices to Hong Kong elderly people who wish to retire in the GBA. Elderly persons who are waitlisted for subsidised residential care services on the Central Waiting List and would like to join the Scheme may contact their responsible workers to file an application. The information on the additional RCHEs is as follows:

Name

Location

1.

Dongguan Hongmei Hospital Nursing Centre

(Jointly operated by Pok Oi Hospital and a Mainland elderly service operator)

39 Hongmei Avenue, Hongmei Town, Dongguan

2.

Taiping Healthcare (Guangzhou) Company Limited

(Jointly operated by Fuk On Home of Aged Limited and a Mainland elderly service operator)

102-104, 10th Building, 139 Dongyi Road, Donghuan Street, Panyu District, Guangzhou

The SWD is receiving a new round of applications for RCHEs to join the Scheme. Eligible Hong Kong operators planning to apply within this year for including their RCHEs located in the GBA, operated either on their own or under partnership with Mainland elderly service operators, in the Scheme shall submit their applications on or before April 30 this year. Results are expected to be announced by year end.

Details of the Scheme are available on the SWD website: www.swd.gov.hk/en/pubsvc/elderly/cat_residentcare/subrcheplace/guangdong/index.html.

Photo source: reference image

Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected scheduled dried shark fins worth about $280,000

Hong Kong Customs yesterday (April 2) seized about 162 kilograms of suspected scheduled dried shark fins, with an estimated market value of about $280,000, at Hong Kong International Airport.

Through risk assessment, Customs officers yesterday inspected an air consignment, arriving from Panama and declared as carrying dry fish maw. Upon inspection, Customs officers found six carton boxes of suspected scheduled dried shark fins, with a total weight of about 162kg, inside the consignment.

The case was handed over to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department for follow-up investigation.

Under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting an endangered species without a licence is liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for 10 years.

Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling 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).

Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected scheduled dried shark fins worth about $280,000 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases