Opening Ceremony of First Course of Mainland Training Programme for Captains of Hong Kong District Services and Community Care Teams Launches in Beijing

Opening ceremony of first course of Mainland Training Programme for Captains of Hong Kong District Services and Community Care Teams

The opening ceremony of the first course of the Mainland Training Programme for Captains of the Hong Kong District Services and Community Care Teams (Care Teams) was held today (July 28) at the National Academy of Governance in Beijing.

At the opening ceremony, the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, said that Care Teams were an important part of the Government's efforts to enhance district governance. Captains of Care Teams lead team members and volunteers in supporting the Government's district work. Together with the District Councils and the three District Committees, they form the "troika" of enhanced district governance and shoulder the important responsibility of enhancing district governance. The country attaches great importance to grassroots work, and Care Teams are an integral part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)'s grassroots works. Their contributions are heart warming and meaningful, and are well recognised and valued by the community.

Miss Mak said, "To further strengthen Care Team captains' understanding of the country's latest development and grassroots governance on the Mainland, the Government is arranging for captains of Care Teams from various districts to receive training and conduct site visits on the Mainland by batches. This will enable them to gain a deeper understanding of national development and the Mainland's experience in grassroots governance so that they can apply what they have learned in their future district work and better serve the community."

Miss Mak added, "This year marks the beginning of the 15th Five-Year Plan period. The HKSAR Government will proactively align with the national development blueprint and complete the formulation of Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan. I hope Care Team captains will seize this valuable learning opportunity to understand the content of the National 15th Five-Year Plan and learn from Beijing's experience in grassroots governance. They should turn what they have learned into practical outcomes in strengthening district governance, continuously optimising district work, and injecting more caring force into the community."

The programme will last for four days. Participants include captains of Care Teams from all 18 districts of Hong Kong. The training content covers General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions on grassroots governance, and proactive alignment with the overall development of the National 15th Five-Year Plan. Through on-site teaching and visits to sites such as the Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, participants will gain multifaceted and in-depth understanding of the country's experience and practices in grassroots governance.

After the opening ceremony, Miss Mak called on the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council and met with Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council Ms Zhang Dongmei.

The opening ceremony of the first course of the Mainland Training Programme for Captains of the Hong Kong District Services and Community Care Teams was held today (July 28) at the National Academy of Governance in Beijing. Photo shows the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, delivering a speech at the opening ceremony. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes

An incoming female passenger was sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment and fined $1,000 by the Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (August 4) for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).

Customs officers intercepted an incoming 64-year-old local female passenger at the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point on May 29 and seized 1 781 duty-not-paid cigarettes from her rucksack, with an estimated market value of about $7,300 and a duty potential of about $5,800. The female passenger was subsequently arrested.

Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflect the seriousness of the offences.

Customs reminds members of the public that under the DCO, cigarettes are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette 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).

Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases