Hong Kong Justice Secretary Leads Delegation to Kazakhstan to Promote Legal and Financial Collaboration.

SJ leads cross-professional delegation to promote Hong Kong legal and dispute resolution services in Kazakhstan

The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, continued to lead a cross-professional delegation comprising members of Hong Kong's legal and dispute resolution sectors, as well as the financial and accounting sectors, to visit Almaty, Kazakhstan, today (August 26, Almaty time). They attended the Collaborate2Win seminar and a networking lunch to promote the unique strengths of Hong Kong's common law system to the local industry.

At the seminar, Mr Lam highlighted in his opening remarks that while Hong Kong is a leading common law jurisdiction providing reliable and top-quality international legal services, the city has been making tremendous efforts to use its common law advantages to maintain and promote Hong Kong's status as an international financial centre. He said that Hong Kong can be Kazakhstan's important and even indispensable partner in view of the city's unique status as a premier financial hub with common law advantages.

The seminar is co-organised by the Department of Justice (DoJ) and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), attracting more than 160 representatives from local legal and business sectors to attend. The First Deputy Prosecutor General of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Mr Umiraliyev Zhandos Zhanibekovich; the Consul General of the People's Republic of China in Almaty, Mr Su Fangqiu; and Associate Executive Director of the HKTDC Ms Anna Cheung delivered speeches at the seminar.

Entitled "Hong Kong - A Premier Financial Hub with Common Law Advantages - Your Indispensable Partner for Global Success", the panel discussion was moderated by the Head of Business and Professional Services of Invest Hong Kong, Mr Herman Tse. The Commissioner for Belt and Road, Mr Nicholas Ho, introduced Hong Kong's status as the global gateway under the Belt and Road Initiative. The Executive Director of the Financial Services Development Council, Dr Rocky Tung, then presented the latest developments of Hong Kong as a leading international financial centre. Representatives from Hong Kong legal, arbitration and accounting sectors also illustrated the distinctive role of Hong Kong's common law system in corporate finance and investment protection, its business-friendly tax system, and the latest developments of the arbitration regime during the panel discussion.

Upon arriving in Almaty yesterday (August 25, Almaty time), Mr Lam and the delegation met with the representative of a local Chinese Mainland law firm to have a better understanding of the latest developments of the local legal service sector. Mr Lam also introduced the DoJ's initiatives to promote Hong Kong's legal services and to co-ordinate with financial, accounting and other professional services in supporting Chinese Mainland enterprises expanding overseas, and discussed with representatives the common legal issues that enterprises encounter while going global. They then met with representatives from the chamber of commerce of Shaanxi in Kazakhstan to learn more about the latest developments of Chinese Mainland enterprises in Kazakhstan, and to promote Hong Kong's professional services to enterprises from the Chinese Mainland and Kazakhstan, to leverage Hong Kong as a major gateway for venturing into international markets.

Mr Lam and the delegation will depart for Uzbekistan this afternoon to continue their visit.

SJ leads cross-professional delegation to promote Hong Kong legal and dispute resolution services in Kazakhstan Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SJ leads cross-professional delegation to promote Hong Kong legal and dispute resolution services in Kazakhstan Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SJ leads cross-professional delegation to promote Hong Kong legal and dispute resolution services in Kazakhstan Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SJ leads cross-professional delegation to promote Hong Kong legal and dispute resolution services in Kazakhstan Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SJ leads cross-professional delegation to promote Hong Kong legal and dispute resolution services in Kazakhstan Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SJ leads cross-professional delegation to promote Hong Kong legal and dispute resolution services in Kazakhstan Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SJ leads cross-professional delegation to promote Hong Kong legal and dispute resolution services in Kazakhstan Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SJ leads cross-professional delegation to promote Hong Kong legal and dispute resolution services in Kazakhstan Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SJ leads cross-professional delegation to promote Hong Kong legal and dispute resolution services in Kazakhstan Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

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 26) 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