Hong Kong – Tourism Commission convened meeting to co-ordinate preparation for arrival of visitors to Hong Kong during Labour Day Holiday (with photos)

Tourism Commission convened meeting to co-ordinate preparation for arrival of visitors to Hong Kong during Labour Day Holiday (with photos)

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     The Tourism Commission convened a meeting today (April 3) to co-ordinate the preparation for the arrival of visitors to Hong Kong during the Labour Day Holiday. The meeting was hosted by the Commissioner for Tourism, Ms Vivian Sum, and was attended by representatives from government departments including the Customs and Excise Department, Hong Kong Police Force, Immigration Department, Transport Department and various District Offices, as well as various tourism-related organisations including the Travel Industry Authority (TIA), Hong Kong Tourism Board, Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong and West Kowloon Cultural District Authority. Relevant parties will keep close contact before the Labour Day Holiday to plan for different links of welcoming visitors’ arrival to Hong Kong and take forward various preparation. 

     In addition, in view of the continued increase in the number of Mainland visitor arrivals to Hong Kong, the Commissioner for Tourism, together with the representatives of the TIA, conducted a site visit to the Kai Tak Runway Park Pier earlier to inspect the pier facilities established by the Tourism Commission before the pandemic for passengers to embark/disembark Victoria Harbour cruises. The Tourism Commission had co-ordinated its establishment before the pandemic. The Commissioner for Tourism also discussed with the TIA the arrangements for facilitating the trade to better utilise the concerned supporting facilities to disperse visitors participating in Victoria Harbour cruises.
 

Hong Kong – Commission on Children convenes 15th meeting

Commission on Children convenes 15th meeting

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     The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, today (November 21) chaired the 15th meeting of the Commission on Children.



     At the meeting, the Government briefed members on the progress of the Pilot Project on Tier 1 Support Services in Kindergartens (KGs)/KG-cum-Child Care Centres (CCCs) implemented since August 2020. Under the Project, the Social Welfare Department has commissioned non-governmental organisations to run project teams to provide early intervention services for over 2 400 Tier 1 children awaiting assessment by Child Assessment Centres under the Department of Health, or assessed by the Centres to have borderline developmental problems, in about 80 KGs or KG-cum-CCCs that participate in the On-site Pre-school Rehabilitation Services. Members noted the preliminary findings of the evaluative study, which showed that about 70 per cent of the participating children had achieved progress in a number of areas such as cognition, language development and social/self-care skills; parents considered the relevant training useful in fostering positive parenting and reducing stress; and schools found a classroom setting flexible and non-labelling. Members heeded the synergy achieved by having the same service provider serve children with different levels of special needs in the same KGs or KG-cum-CCCs.



     Members noted the health status of children in Hong Kong during the COVID-19 epidemic and discussed the impact of the epidemic on the physical, mental and social well-being of children. Members expressed concern about children’s lifestyle during the epidemic having resulted in increased overweight, vision and mental health problems. Members offered views on how to address children’s needs when social activities are being resumed, and improve their physical and mental health. Suggestions included strengthening the promotion of early and timely COVID-19 vaccination for children and adolescents; providing health-related information for parents and students; encouraging students to develop a healthy lifestyle and participate in physical activities; and enhancing training for teachers and school personnel in order for them to identify early, and then cater for, students’ mental health needs. The Commission will conduct a stakeholder engagement session in December 2022 to gather views of professionals, parents and children on how to strengthen support for the mental health of children with specific needs.



     Members were updated on the follow-up actions on the recommendations in the Review Report of the Residential Child Care and Related Services. Members noted that the Government had identified areas requiring focused efforts for improvement, including service monitoring and supervision, service quality and service planning. The Social Welfare Department has started following up the recommendations. Actions taken included, in particular, strengthening inspection and enforcement efforts, and setting up service quality groups comprising Justices of the Peace and independent persons from different backgrounds of the community to conduct unannounced inspections at residential child care centres.



     In addition, members noted that the Government had completed the stakeholder engagement exercise on the legislative proposal on the mandatory reporting requirement for suspected child abuse cases and reported on the outcome to the Panel on Welfare Services of the Legislative Council on November 14. Members also noted the stakeholders’ support in general for the legislative proposal and their offering of views on implementation details, including reporting criteria, obligations and safeguarding provisions of making reports, resources and supporting measures, as well as public education and promotional work. The Government aims to introduce a bill into the Legislative Council in the first half of 2023.

The Chairman, National Commission for Minorities, Shri Iqbal Singh Lalpura holds a meeting of the Commission in New Delhi


The monthly meeting of the National Commission for Minorities was held today  under the chairmanship of Shri Iqbal Singh Lalpura, Chairman. The Vice-Chairman and members of the Commission were present during the meeting along with all senior officers. Important issues with respect to the Commission were  discussed during the meeting.



From 30th  June, 2022 to 20th September, 2022, NCM has received 511 petitions out of which 317 have been disposed off.  In remaining 194 cases, action has been initiated and reports have been called /are at present at different levels of submission.


During the same period from 30th  June to 20th September, 2022, National Commission for Minorities held hearing for 13 cases and gave  suitable direction to the concerned to resolve the issues at the earliest.






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Medicare Commission Recommends Lowering Home Care Payments Reports AAMSI

 The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission has recommended reducing the 2022 home health care base payment rate by 5 percent according to information shared today by the director of the American Association for Medicare Supplement Insurance.

“Medicare paid $17.1 billion in 2020 for home care according to the just-published report to Congress,” notes Jesse Slome, director of the Medicare and long-term care insurance advocacy organizations.

The report was issued by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission., an independent congressional agency established by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 to advise the U.S. Congress on issues affecting the Medicare program.

“Medicare spending on home care declined 4.7 percent compared to the prior year,” Slome noted on the call with agents who market Medicare and long-term care insurance protection. “The recommendation is especially important because when it comes to long-term care people want to remain in their own home more than ever.”

Slome reminded the professionals that the Medicare.gov website specifically explains that Medicare does not pay for many home care services that are considered long-term care. “Educating people is the key to making sure that they are properly prepared for whatever the future brings,” Slome advised. “Can Medicare and Medicaid expenditures keep growing at levels that some say are not sustainable? That’s a reason people should underate a little of their own planning.”

The Association posted some of the highlights of data from the March 2022 Report to Congress from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC). To learn more about Medicare home care information go to https://www.medicaresupp.org/does-medicare-cover-home-care/.

The American Association for Medicare Supplement Insurance (AAMSI) and the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance advocate for the importance of planning. For more information, visit the organization’s websites at www.medicaresupp.org and www.aaltci.org.

American Association for Medicare Supplement Insurance

Jesse R. Slome

818-597-3205

https://www.medicaresupp.org

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  • Finance

Cabinet approves Memorandum of Understanding between Competition Commission of India and Competition Commission of Mauritius


The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Competition Commission of India (CCI) and Competition Commission of Mauritius (CCM) for promotion and strengthening of co-operation in competition law and policy.


Implementation Strategy and Targets


The MoU aims to promote and strengthen cooperation in matters of competition law and policy through exchange of information, sharing of best practices and capacity building initiatives. It is intended to promote mutual co-operation in the areas of technical co-operation, experience sharing and enforcement co-operation. The resultant outcomes would benefit consumers at large and promote equity and inclusiveness.  


Impact:


The MoU between CCI and CCM is expected to:


(a)     Address anticompetitive restraints that affect international trade;


(b)      Improve enforcement of the Competition Act, 2002 by CCI;


(c)      Promote understanding of competition policy;


(d)      Capacity building;


(e)      Bring diplomatic benefits;


Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Competition Commission of India on the Indian side and Competition Commission of Mauritius on the other side would be major beneficiaries in this Memorandum of Understanding.


Background:


Section 18 of the Competition Act, 2002 permits CCI to enter into any memorandum or arrangement with any agency of any foreign country for the purpose of discharging its duties or performing its functions under the Act.


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DS/SKS




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