Speech by DCS at Racial Diversity and Inclusion Recruitment Fair
Following is the speech by the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing, at the Racial Diversity and Inclusion Recruitment Fair organised by the Equal Opportunities Commission and the Federation of Hong Kong Ethnic Communities in celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China and the 15th Anniversary of the Implementation of the Race Discrimination Ordinace at the Khalsa Diwan Hong Kong (Sikh Temple) in Wan Chai today (October 20):
Ms Linda Lam (Chairperson, Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC)),Mr Akil Khan (President, Federation of Hong Kong Ethnic Communities),Mr Bhagt Singh (President, Sikh Temple),Dr Rizwan Ullah (EOC member), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good afternoon. I am pleased to be joining you today for the opening of the Racial Diversity and Inclusion Recruitment Fair co-organised by the EOC and the Federation of Hong Kong Ethnic Communities (Federation).
Hong Kong is a cosmopolitan city with rich tapestry of people connections, vibrant economic activities and a flourishing multi-cultural scene, thanks in no small part to the some 300000 ethnic minority residentswho settled here for generations. It is evident from the latest Census figures (of 2021) that this treasured community continues to play an integral part in strengthening Hong Kong's workforce and driving our productivity: their labour force participation rate is at 65.5 per cent, which is higher than the 57.7 per cent of the whole population.
Today's recruitment fair is among the EOC's celebration events for the 15th anniversary of the implementation of the Race Discrimination Ordinance, a crucial piece of legislation driving Hong Kong's promotion of racial equality. Following the Racial Diversity and Inclusion Sports Day in April this year, I am excited to be here today to witness another milestone. This fair is also held in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. I trust that you have been enjoying the wide arrays of celebrating events and special offers over the past few weeks. With the new card-type Mainland travel permits for non-Chinese Hong Kong permanent residents, it has never been easier for many of you to visit the Mainland for business or pleasure, to see for yourself the spectacular transformation in the Mainland today.
Since its inauguration in 2018, the Federation of Hong Kong Ethnic Communities has been uniting and leveraging the support from various ethnic minority communities for greater and wider contributions to the betterment of Hong Kong. We thank the Federation's support all along in realising our common vision for a harmonious and inclusive society.
The current-term Government places importance on enhancing support and services for ethnic minorities. As just announced in the Chief Executive's 2024 Policy Address, the Government will engage one more "Support Service Centre for Ethnic Minorities" to provide interpretation and translation services for ethnic minorities next year, so as to reduce language barrier concerns. In terms of education, more resources will also be invested in boosting support for learning Chinese and parental assistance for our non-Chinese speaking students.
Of course, the Government's support for ethnic minorities does not stop there. As the largest employer in Hong Kong, over 50 civil service grades in the Government have adjusted their Chinese-language proficiency requirements to increase government job opportunities for ethnic minorities. Departments, including the disciplinary forces, are also encouraged to design their own job-oriented language tests suitable for individual grades to provide ethnic minority applicants with an additional avenue for meeting the thresholds. Since 2019, we have been organising an internship programme for non-ethnic Chinese university students and 180students have since taken part.
In addition, the Racial Diversity Employment Programme launched by the Labour Department has been regularised in 2023 to step up employment support for ethnic minorities. To date, the Programme has provided employment support services to over400 ethnic minority job-seekers.
Today's recruitment fair features prominent private enterprises in addition to a number of government departments, offering over 500employment opportunities, including a wide range of skilled and professional positions, as well as on-the-spot career and employment counselling services. These job opportunities span across eleven signatories of the EOC's Racial Diversity and Inclusion Charter for Employers from different industries, including aviation, hospitality, education, transportation, and five government departments including our disciplinary forces.
In closing, my great thanks go to the EOC and the Federation for organising this meaningful recruitment fair, the Sikh Temple for the support rendered, and the representatives from different sectors who are here with us today, for your wholehearted efforts in creating opportunities for our ethnic minority community. I wish this recruitment fair great success and all of you an enjoyable weekend. Thank you very much.
Speech by DCS at Racial Diversity and Inclusion Recruitment Fair Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Speech by DCS at Racial Diversity and Inclusion Recruitment Fair Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Adaptation period for new regulation on disposable plastic products to end tomorrow
The new regulation on disposable plastic products came into effect on April 22 this year. The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) reminds businesses that the six-month adaptation period will end tomorrow, October 21.
The EPD would like to remind all businesses again that the adaptation period will end soon. Those unprepared yet should take action as soon as possible to comply with the legal requirements. If businesses still have unused stock, they may consider discussing with suppliers for goods returning and exporting, or contacting relevant plastic recyclers for recycling and recovery. For enquiries and assistance, please contact the EPD hotline at 2838 3111.
The EPD spokesperson expressed gratitude for the strong support and active participation of the trades and members of the public in taking action to reduce disposable plastics. In the past half year since the legislation has been implemented, not only has it effectively reduced plastic consumption, but also successfully initiated a trend of waste reduction among members of the public.
The catering sector has generally reported that many takeaway customers have gradually adapted to bringing their own reusable cutlery. Chained restaurants have indicated that approximately 80 per cent of their customers have chosen not to require takeaway cutlery, and about 30 per cent of restaurants no longer provide any takeaway cutlery. It is estimated that since the implementation of the new "plastic-free" regulation, the catering industry has reduced the use of 30 million sets of disposable cutlery. This demonstrates that if everyone is willing to change their habits, such as bringing their own cutlery for takeaways, the use of disposable cutlery can largely be avoided in most situations. Disposable cutlery should only be used when necessary, and in such cases, non-plastic alternatives should be used.
Although there is an increasing number of members of the public bringing their own tableware for takeaways, non-plastic disposable tableware will continue to be in demand for a certain period of time. Since the implementation of the new regulation, the number of suppliers on the EPD's "Green Tableware Platform" (www.greentableware.hk) has increased from over 60 to more than 150, while the number of non-plastic alternative products has grown from over 1 000 to more than 1 700. With the increase in market supply and options for alternative tableware, prices have also decreased as compared to those before the regulation was implemented, thereby allowing the trade to choose more suitable alternatives based on customers' feedbacks. The department encourages the trade to visit the "Green Tableware Platform" or contact the EPD hotline at 2838 3111 for enquiries.
In the retail and services sectors, property management companies have revealed that most people have become accustomed to using umbrella dryers instead of disposable plastic umbrella bags, and many members of the public are also bringing their own reusable umbrella bags. The use of disposable plastic products, such as plastic balloon sticks, glow sticks, and party hats during festivals, has significantly decreased, with businesses co-operating by switching to selling alternative products.
The hotel sector has also pointed out that since the implementation of the new legislation, visitors have adapted well to the new measures, demonstrating general acceptance and support. At the same time, the usage of disposable plastic items has also significantly decreased by over 80 per cent. Taking a medium-sized hotel as an example, it has saved 20 000 plastic water bottles and 30 000 disposable plastic toiletry items, such as shampoo and shower gel sets, within just six months. With active co-operation of the trade, Hong Kong hotels' plastic-free measures have been positioned at the forefront internationally, with Hong Kong being recognised by an international travel website as one of the world's top nine sustainable travel destinations. In terms of alternatives, the hotel sector is also pleased to see that there are now various local and foreign suppliers supplying all regulated disposable plastic toiletry items. Looking ahead, with the continued promotion of a "plastic-free" culture, the options for non-plastic alternatives will increase further.
After the adaptation period, the EPD will continue to prioritise publicity and education while supplementing these efforts with appropriate enforcement action. Priority will be accorded to the supply sources, with primary efforts directed towards inspecting various retail outlets to ensure that these merchants comply with the law at source. At the retail level, the EPD will first inspect stores that were found incompliant during the adaptation period. If a retailer is found to be incompliant with the new legislation, a written warning will be issued on-site, requiring the responsible person to make improvements within 10 working days. If the business is still incompliant thereafter, a fixed penalty notice will be issued to the responsible person. For other businesses such as catering and hotels, the EPD will also take action based on complaints. Upon receiving a complaint, inspections and investigations will be conducted. If violations are found, a warning letter will be issued to the responsible person requiring improvements within 10 working days. If non-compliance persists thereafter, a fixed penalty notice will also be issued to the responsible person.
The spokesperson concluded, "Many members of the public of Hong Kong have made unprecedented changes over the past six months to go "plastic-free". However, legislation is merely one of the tools, while our ultimate goal is to foster societal recognition and establish a "plastic-free" culture. Changing social customs and encouraging individuals to adopt new habits is no easy task. Solely relying on government initiatives will not suffice, and we would require the collective support of the society for success. The EPD appeals to all individuals, groups and organisations that support this goal to participate collaboratively and encourage others to change their lifestyles by starting with the move towards "plastic-free". Together, we can promote a green and low-carbon living culture in Hong Kong and establish our ecological civilisation."
