Various government departments, together with volunteers today conducted a shoreline clean-up along the remote rocky beach in Kung Pui Wan, Tap Mun to remove two tonnes of refuse.

The Environmental Protection Department, the Food & Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) and the Marine Department participated in the operation.

The Inter-departmental Working Group on Marine Environmental Management said the beach, facing the windy and wavy sea, is not easily accessible by working vessels and the rough terrain connecting the rocky beach also increases the difficulty of routine cleaning work.

FEHD cleaners along with the volunteers packed the refuse and delivered it on foot to a nearby pier for temporary storage. FEHD staff then took the refuse to the Marine Department's collection vessel in batches for onward delivery to a rubbish collection point for centralised handling.

To minimise the risk of spreading COVID-19, the operation was carried out in groups of no more than four participants each. They maintained an appropriate distance from each other and paid heed to personal protection, including wearing masks.

The working group thanked the volunteers for taking part and called on the public to keep the countryside and shoreline clean during outings.

For information on clean shorelines, visit the Clean Shorelines facebook and Instagram pages.

Vladimir Dragović and Irina Goryuchkina
Bull. Amer. Math. Soc. 57 (2020), 293-299.
Abstract, references and article information

The traditionally blue-collar neighbourhood of Sham Shui Po is home to a kaleidoscopic collection of landmarks, streets and shops.

Participants of the Sham Shui Po Ensemble project explored the area and told its story through video and music production.

One of the project’s creative productions, the short film Collage created by Cobe Yau and her team, documented the daily lives of the area’s residents.

Ms Yau said Sham Shui Po’s diversity inspired her team to combine footage of residents’ daily activities, such as the unloading of meat and vegetables in wet markets and hawkers selling their wares.

“We hope our viewers can realise that although there are some street sleepers and it may be a bit grimy in some parts of Sham Shui Po, there are also many interesting aspects that make this community stand out.”

Creative journeys

Sham Shui Po Ensemble is under the Community Record Company, an 18-month community-based programme which also showcases two other unique locales.

Last year, participants explored Sai Ying Pun under the West Side Re-Discovery project. Sham Shui Po Ensemble was launched in April and concluded in late July, while the Wander in To Kwa Wan project began this month.

Local documentary maker Wong Siu-pong, the Community Curator of the Sham Shui Po project, hopes participants are able to explore the community without bias.

“Apart from the basics of film production, I did not teach them a lot of filmmaking skills. I hope they learn to be humble when making a documentary.

“A lot of the time, we read the news to learn about a community. I hope they can discover these places without prejudice, this is important.”

Project participants were also able to paint a picture of the community with music.

Warren Luk joined the project’s music stream and wrote the song Rich on Life with his team.

“People always have preconceived ideas of Sham Shui Po. But when you walk through the neighbourhood, you can find lots of quirky and interesting landmarks.

“When you observe the interactions between residents there, you can see that although their lives may be tough, they are enjoying themselves a lot. It is very inspiring.”

The Community Record Company programme is organised by non-governmental organisation MaD Institute and sponsored by the Home Affairs Bureau’s Arts Capacity Development Funding Scheme, which seeks to strengthen Hong Kong’s cultural software and build up the arts sector.

Application details for the next funding exercise will be available in November.

A 53-year-old building on Fa Yuen Street near Prince Edward, like most of the buildings in Yau Tsim Mong District, was in poor condition two years ago. Walls, both inside and out, were worn down, staircases were broken, and with electrical installation panels exposed on the outside. 

But with the help of various subsidy schemes launched by the Government and Urban Renewal Authority, older buildings are being given a new lease of life. The schemes include Operation Building Bright 2.0 (OBB 2.0), the Fire Safety Improvement Works Subsidy Scheme (FSWS) and the Lift Modernisation Subsidy Scheme (LIMSS).
 

Helping hand

Octogenarian owner-occupiers Leung Ting-lam and Chu Lai-chun have lived in this building on Fa Yuen Street for more than two decades. They welcome the improvements, which include a new metal gate and lift.

“Modernising the lift was done so quickly. It only took a few months and that was the most satisfying part,” said Mr Leung. Ms Chu agreed that the lift no longer breaks down so regularly.

It cost $800,000 just to modernise the lift. Add to that the other repair and maintenance works, and the total cost exceeded $3 million. Those who own a flat had to shoulder tens of thousands of dollars in the 10-storey building containing 19 units.

For seniors on a fixed income, it is not easy to cover the full cost of repair works. With the government subsidies, they no longer have to worry about the financial burden of upgrading their buildings on their own.

Popular services

The lift modernisation work under the LIMSS is assisted by the Electrical & Mechanical Services Department. The department’s Assistant Director Raymond Poon said the subsidy can cover up to 60% of the total cost of the works - plus a consultation fee - with a cap of $500,000 per lift for eligible buildings.

For elderly owner-occupiers, they can receive the full cost of relevant works capped at $50,000 per domestic unit.

Up until August 1, the department received around 1,171 applications for the scheme involving nearly 5,000 lifts in the first round of applications. This far exceeded the quota of 1,400 lifts set for the round, a response Mr Poon described as overwhelming.

Apart from the LIMSS, owner-occupiers can also apply for OBB 2.0 and other schemes to cover maintenance costs.

In one 58-year-old Hung Hom building, residents had to spend more than $800,000 to paint the common areas, replace above-ground drainage pipework and other structural upgrades.

The building’s owners’ corporation has applied for several funding schemes to get some financial relief, including OBB 2.0. Under this scheme, elderly recipients can receive the full cost of the work, subject to a cap of $50,000. Other owner-occupiers can receive 80%, capped at $40,000.

As of August, the owners or owners’ corporations of 479 Category One buildings were prepared to carry out the prescribed inspection and repair works for the common areas of their buildings under OBB 2.0. They can do so on a voluntary basis to comply with the Mandatory Building Inspection Scheme (MBIS) statutory notices.

These buildings are in 13 districts. Among them, Yau Tsim Mong has the largest number of applications, followed by Kowloon City and Sham Shui Po.

More help ahead

In the future, another $3 billion will be injected into OBB 2.0. This means a total of $6 billion will be used to benefit 5,000 buildings.

Development Bureau Principal Assistant Secretary Jasmine Choi said they have received feedback from the community which hopes the operation will eventually allow younger buildings to join the rehabilitation schemes.

Upon review, buildings between 40 and 49 years old with an outstanding MBIS statutory notice not yet complied with will be accepted in the next round of applications.

Apart from these younger structures, OBB 2.0 will also accept buildings aged 50 and older, even if they do not have an outstanding notice.

Seventy-year-old Theresa Chan suffers from joint degeneration, which is why she needs a walking stick.

“My joints are severely abraded. They are painful when I walk or stand. My doctor suggested I replace some joints with implants, but I don't want surgery,” she said.

Smart seniors

Interested in how gerontechnology can help improve the quality of life for older adults, Ms Chan joined the Gerontechnology Practitioner Training Course under Lingnan University’s Gerontechnology & Smart Ageing Project.

The course targets elderly people and caregivers. It introduces them to devices that help seniors get around with ease and live more independent lives.

Ms Chan was impressed by a smart walking stick that is equipped with senior-worthy features like a flashlight with an adjustable safety light, a siren for emergency use and a radio.

“I am grateful for the course because I can learn more about gerontechnology in my free time. After class, I can share my knowledge with others who have no idea about this new technology. It is modern and I want to keep up with the times and progress,” she said.

Youth opportunities

Gerontechnology has also opened up career opportunities for young people.

Cecilia Auyeung recently graduated from Lingnan University with a major in marketing. Last year she set up a social enterprise called Gatherly. It provides a platform for the elderly to teach other people handicraft skills and helps them to sell their products online.

Ms Auyeung joined the Socialpreneur Incubation Course under the Lingnan University project. It encourages the development of social enterprises in Hong Kong, gerontechnology and marketing. She quickly drew inspiration from other socialpreneurs.

“I discovered that my social enterprise has to change every two years according to market demands. For example, fabric bags are popular among youngsters. While the elderly at Gatherly are equipped with blue-dye techniques, I make use of their skills to create products that match the market situation.”

University contribution

According to the Census & Statistics Department, in 2036, the proportion of the population aged 65 and over is projected to be 31%. To meet the needs of an ageing population, the Government is promoting gerontechnology, which combines gerontology and technology. It focuses on providing effective solutions to increase vitality and quality of life.

The Lingnan University’s three-year project aims to enhance public understanding of gerontechnology and support smart ageing socialpreneurship development. The project also covers studies with the goal of building a database for gerontech products and services as well as social innovation and startups. The overall vision is to offer policy recommendations to the industry and Government.

Lingnan University Asia-Pacific Institute of Ageing Studies Project Manager Chloe Siu said: “Most of the participating students are willing to think out-of-the-box, using their creativity and knowledge learnt from their courses and to echo the needs of the society. We are trying to facilitate different stakeholders and community partners to create a co-working atmosphere.”

The university has also built a 2,000 sq ft Gerontech-X Lab to display over 40 gerontech products catered to healthcare, dining, living and transport. Anyone interested can book an appointment for a free visit from November 28.

Mozart once called the pipe organ the “king of instruments” and Hong Kong has musical royalty sitting in the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui.

It is hard to miss the pipe organ when you are inside the Cultural Centre Concert Hall. With its four manuals, 93 stops and 8,000 pipes, it can produce an exceptional array of timbre and volume.

“The pipe organ is the ‘pearl’ of a concert hall,” explained pipe organist Chiu Siu-ling.

“Its enormous range of sounds, coupled with a huge variety of tone colours, creates a remarkable musical experience equivalent to that of an orchestra. It is the king of instruments.”

Star performer

The four-storey tall pipe organ was hand-made by famed Austrian manufacturer Rieger Orgelbau and installed when the Cultural Centre was built 30 years ago. It has attracted several world-renowned performers to Hong Kong over the years.

“When we built it in 1989, it was the first, huge mechanically operated organ in Asia. I think it is still our biggest organ we have ever built in Asia,” Rieger pipe organ maintenance technician Gerhard Pohl said.

He added that the instrument is also remarkably versatile.

“There are many organs they are built just for one musical style. On this organ, you can play everything, even jazz music.”

Mr Pohl comes to Hong Kong once a year to give the 30-year-old organ its annual health check. In between visits by the manufacturer’s technicians, William Wen ensures the Cultural Centre’s star performer remains in tip-top condition.

Top tuner

Mr Wen is Hong Kong’s only pipe organ maintenance technician. He carries out routine checks on the instrument and tunes it every month.

“Keeping it in tune is my responsibility. I take care of it.”

Mr Wen was one of the first in Hong Kong to learn the instrument in the 1980s. He became interested in pipe organ maintenance after a visit to an organ manufacturing company in Europe.

He recalled that in the ‘80s, organists in Hong Kong were few and far between. He was called upon to test the Cultural Centre organ before the grand opening, making him one of the first organists to play it.

“It was dark in the hall, so at first, I only noticed the organ’s keys. When I got closer, I was astounded by just how big the instrument was.”

Mr Wen takes up to five hours per maintenance visit to thoroughly check the pipes and tune the organ. He explained that the organ is regularly updated and was fitted with an electrical coupler system, providing greater flexibility in switching between lighter and stronger key actions as desired by the player.

“It has been updated a few times. In 2010, the organ was installed with an electrical coupler system. I used to get someone to press the keys for me while I would tune it from inside. But now, I just need a mobile phone on which I can tune it by myself.”

Musical legacy

To promote organ music and nurture local organists, the Cultural Centre has been organising the “King of the Instruments” Pipe Organ Education Series annually since 1999. Now the programme’s principal instructor, Ms Chiu has been teaching from the outset.

“People are not allowed to touch the instrument in a lot of other concert halls, and they seldom hold pipe organ concerts. This is actually not good for the organ. It has to be played to keep it in good condition or the keys and parts will become hard and old. This inspires me teach and let more and more musicians learn and play the instrument,” Ms Chiu explained.

More than 300 organists have so far been trained on the Cultural Centre’s organ. But it has also played something other than music - it has played Cupid too.

Like-minded musicians

Pipe organist Simon Chan met his wife, Shirley Cheng, through the programme.

“I joined the Pipe Organ Education Series in 2000. After that, I continued learning the organ with Ms Chiu and eventually became one of the course tutors. I met my wife in 2003 on the course.”

Ms Cheng was also a student on the course. She switched majors from information technology to music and that fateful decision led to meeting her husband.

“He asked me to watch him play. He was playing a big piece which was powerful and loud, and that was when I fell for his charms.”

The couple decided to embark on a life journey together and now hope to pass on their love of music and the pipe organ to their children.

“I wish for my kids to learn music too and to find out more about the pipe organ. This instrument brought their father and mother together and I want them to know our story,” said Ms Cheng.

The organist-music teacher duo also hopes to share the joy of the pipe organ with the rest of the community.

Residents may have seen a distinctive white car, fitted with advanced imaging and sensory gadgetry, on its journey to create the next generation of Hong Kong maps.

As it travels up and down the city’s streets, it records the three-dimensional shapes of buildings ranging from the iconic Convention & Exhibition Centre to the Customs Headquarters Building, and even primary school campuses.

The vehicle, dubbed the Mobile Mapping System, is one of the latest technologies used by the Lands Department to survey the city.

Five pieces of equipment work in concert to collect detailed information for the 3D City Map - a core component of the digital infrastructure underpinning Hong Kong’s smart city development.

A high-resolution camera on top of the vehicle captures 360-degree images and a 3D laser scanner collects spatial measurements. An inertial navigation system and a global navigation satellite system receiver provide precise positioning.

Lands Department Assistant Land Surveyor Charlie Hung said one of the biggest advantages of this system is its ability to quickly and efficiently acquire data, which can be used to enrich 3D models and enhance existing maps.

“We can enhance the attributed information of our basic map. For example, the lamppost number, the building name or the street number.”

Drones are also used to map the city, she added. However, air surveying may not be suitable for collecting data from ground level. This is where the Mobile Mapping System vehicle comes into play.

Better data

The 3D City Map is part of the 3D Digital Map Development, which aims to contribute to an innovative, sustainable and smart Hong Kong.

Compared with traditional maps, the 3D City Map can provide more accurate and abundantly better spatial data.

The map will cover the entire city by 2023, serving as a handy tool for analysis and planning, according to Lands Department Land Surveyor Ben Fan.

He said: “Based on the 3D digital map, we can develop various kinds of applications such as land administration, environmental assessment, town planning and also transport and engineering studies.”

The latest transport infrastructures such as the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, the Central-Wan Chai Bypass and the Heung Yuen Wai Highway have also been scanned.

In the next stage of the 3D Digital Map Development, the department will create the 3D Indoor Map. As a start, data from 150 buildings in Kowloon East will be collected first before extending to other buildings in the city.

The last stage 3D models of objects such as trees and lampposts for city modelling will be produced.

The ambulance service has been part of the Fire Services Department since 1919 and its mobile ambulance technology is keeping pace with the evolution of technology in hospitals.

To aid ambulance crews in the race against time to save lives, the department installed automatic chest compression machines in all ambulances in October.

The advanced device helps medics respond to a cardiac arrest by delivering uninterrupted compressions at the right rhythm and the right amount of pressure.

Fire & Ambulance Services Academy Deputy Commandant (Ambulance Services Training) Terence Ng explained that the device enables paramedics to treat patients on their way to the hospital.

“It has other advantages as well, like reducing the compression pause significantly, lowering the risk of injuries suffered by ambulance personnel as a result of performing chest compressions in different environments, allowing ambulance personnel to perform chest compression continuously in a constrained environment, and releasing more ambulance manpower to carry out other treatment procedures.”

Keeping pace

Such advanced equipment was not available to ambulance crews in the past.

Retired Principal Ambulanceman Simon Wong and Assistant Chief Ambulance Officer Conrad Yung visited the Fire & Ambulance Services Education Centre & Museum to discover the century-long history of ambulance services in the city.

Both have witnessed the continuous improvement and development of equipment, knowledge and techniques of ambulance personnel.

Mr Wong joined the Fire Services Department as an ambulanceman in 1978 and retired after 34 years of service. He noted one of the major changes to the department was the implementation of the Paramedic Ambulance Service in 2005.

“When I joined the department, we were well trained to provide ambulance services. We would arrive at the scene and then transport the patient to the hospital as soon as possible. We rarely provided pre-hospital treatment. However, when I retired, there was an obvious change. Ambulance personnel now provide paramedic care for patients in ambulances.”

Mr Ng said the service provides medications and equipment to help improve the survival rate of emergency patients.

“Advanced treatments like airway insertion and defibrillation used to be confined to the hospital. However, paramedics brought them into pre-hospital settings. Paramedics administer advanced treatments and protocols to the patient at the scene or en route to hospital in order to stabilise the patient and increase the patient’s survival rate. This protocol allows ambulance personnel to treat a wide range of emergencies, including cardiac arrest, shortness of breath and cardiac origin chest pain.”

Mr Yung, who joined the Fire Services Department in 1960, noted that treatment methods have come a long way since then.

“I was an ambulanceman when typhoon Wanda hit Hong Kong in 1962. At that time, ambulances were only equipped with respiratory equipment, a medicine box and blankets. These tools are simple but important. But in the past, even though we knew that a patient had internal bleeding, we could not do anything to help. We did not have the tools and equipment for that.”

Ambulances these days are equipped with ultrasound scanners to detect internal bleeding.

Up-close look

The Fire & Ambulance Services Education Centre & Museum, housed inside the Fire & Ambulance Services Academy in Tseung Kwan O, has a four-story exhibition hall offering interactive and multimedia information facilities.

Visitors can get a close-up look at fire appliances and ambulances parked in the large exhibition areas, as well as uniforms and equipment.

The venue is open for group and individual visits which can be booked on its website.

Entrepreneur Ricky Chan’s information technology company has been hard at work developing a virtual reality application that enables designers and their clients to walk through different versions of their home or office without having to physically move a single piece of furniture.

From the colour of the walls to the style of fixtures and fittings, Mr Chan’s app caters to all personal tastes and design ideas.

“We have customers who are interior designers or furniture retailers. Our virtual reality application brings their sketches to life. Designers in the past needed weeks to produce sketches. Now they can make designs instantly,” he explained.

Up to 40% of the application was developed at Smart-Space 8 in Tsuen Wan, Cyberport’s first co-working space outside its main Pok Fu Lam campus.

“Cyberport provides funding that helps to lower our expenses and we can hold seminars here with a rental fee that is much lower than the market price,” Mr Chan added.
 

The 20,000 sq ft space launched last year was specifically designed with young entrepreneurs in mind and provides workshops and seminars for startups. For companies that wish to join the Smart-Space 8 community, one of its founders must be aged between 18 and 35 and the company itself should not have been in operation for longer than seven years.

Smart-Space 8 users are entitled to comprehensive entrepreneurial support and value-added services to accelerate their businesses such as the Cyberport Creative Micro Fund and Cyberport Incubation Programme.

Mr Chan, who lives in the New Territories, said the added bonus of setting up shop in Smart-Space 8 is the commute, as Cyberport in Pok Fu Lam is farther away for him and his clients.

Cyberport may be expanding beyond Pok Fu Lam, but some entrepreneurs like agriculture technology company CEO and founder Gordon Tam have opted to stay at the home campus because of the incentives available.

“The business network here is unique. There are so many startups and we encourage and learn from each other.”

Mr Tam’s company sells vegetables from an indoor farm to local supermarkets and is now exploring the overseas market. He credits the vibrant community and ecosystem at Cyberport for building up his business.

“Traditional agriculture comes with a host of problems and the efficiency of Hong Kong’s agriculture industry is relatively low. This is why we are looking into indoor agriculture. We want to grow plants in industrial buildings.”

When Mr Tam joined the Cyberport Incubation Programme, his firm was offered two years of rent reduction. But more importantly, he said, the space is a one-of-a-kind ecosystem where his team can brainstorm ideas and continue to innovate.

Other startup owners share the same sentiment. Information technology company CEO and founder Stark Chan noted that with Cyberport as a public body, it offers a lot of support and rents are more stable.

“We have been here since we first started up. My colleagues are familiar with this environment and the atmosphere is good for innovation,” Mr Chan said.

The modern day phenomenon of fast fashion has completely changed consumer and retailer behaviour.

The latest trends fresh off the catwalk are now available off the rack in record time and for a fraction of the price. But these garments are usually made of cheap, low quality materials that fall apart after a few wears and end up in the landfill.

Fast fashion’s impact on the environment is huge. This is where environmental non-governmental organisation Redress plays a role.

Drawing board

Launched in 2007, Redress works to reduce waste in the fashion industry. It promotes sustainability through organising fashion shows, seminars and exhibitions in Hong Kong and abroad.

In 2011, the EcoChic Design Award was born. Relaunched as the Redress Design Award in 2018, it is open to emerging fashion designers and design students all over the world. The award aims to inspire designers to create mainstream clothing with minimal textile waste.

Redress Circular Fashion Programme Director Kay Liu explained the motivation behind setting up the award came from discovering that 80% of a product’s environmental impact is determined during the design stage.

“That means designers have a lot of influence on how their product is going to impact the environment, so we really want to spread the message for fashion designers to understand the power they have and to positively impact the industry,” Ms Liu added.

The competition works to educate emerging fashion designers around the world about sustainable design theories and techniques to drive growth towards a circular fashion system.

In the space of a decade, the award has evolved from a local competition to the largest global platform for talented fashion game changers to transform the fashion industry worldwide.

Fashion muse

Keith Chan is one of those young design talents. His collection, inspired by Hong Kong’s signature neon signs, won him the Hong Kong Best Prize for 2019.

Mr Chan said his fellow competitors inspired him to try out different sustainable design techniques. A designer from Spain used natural plant dyes to colour her garments and changed his perspective on the industry’s dyeing methods.

“This is not only about design, you also need to consider our society, really think about the materials you use and how to make your outfit better,” Mr Chan noted.

Fashion design students like Jasmine Leung were also inspired through joining the competition.

Each competition cycle takes participants on an educational journey lasting several theory and design-packed months to educate designers about fashion’s negative environmental impacts.

By attending seminars and completing various tasks for her collection, Ms Leung gained a better understanding of eco-fashion.

“The award gave me an opportunity to acquire practical fashion knowledge beyond the classroom. I have learnt about circular design strategy, like applying the concept of zero waste, recycling and upcycling.”

Major milestone

The Redress Design Award marks its 10th cycle this year. Many of its alumni have gone on to establish more than 40 sustainable brands globally, with some already receiving international recognition.

A new addition to this year’s contest is the Redress All-Star design competition which is open to alumni from past cycles to mark the milestone birthday. Applications for the Redress Design Award 2020 officially opened on January 8.

To celebrate the 10th cycle, a retrospective exhibition is also being held at The Mills until January 19, where visitors can get a close-up look at all the winners’ creations.

Children gain a valuable insight into Hong Kong’s waterworks by directing the flow of water at an attraction designed to emulate the water cycle at the Water Supplies Department’s brand new H2OPE Centre.

They learn how rain passes through catchwaters in mountains and is filtered and distributed to people’s homes at the attraction, one of the 54 games or displays at the water education centre.

Kids can also try their hand at a fishing simulator to learn about tips and advice on fishing in reservoirs and discover ways to recycle and save water at other exhibits of the 720-sq m centre, which opened in December.

“It is extremely fun. We do not have this at school. I know how to save water now,” student Kim Lam said.

“Usually, we sit in a classroom and answer questions. But now we can learn about water in Hong Kong by playing games. It is excellent,” fellow student Alan Zeng added.

Children can also watch immersive videos at the centre’s 3D dome theatre.

Deeper understanding

The department hopes the centre will raise public awareness about water conservation.

“Its exhibits, live demonstrations and interactive games help visitors gain more insight into Hong Kong’s water resources,” Water Supplies Department Senior Engineer Irene Tong explained.

People can also visit the city’s important waterworks facilities such as the Waterworks Heritage Trails and the High Island Reservoir in Sai Kung, by joining the department’s Excursion with Water Save Dave. 

Water Save Dave is the department’s mascot to help promote a water conservation culture in the community.

Water Supplies Department Engineer Fion Chan said: “Water Save Dave is blue and shaped like a water drop to encourage us to cherish every single drop of water.

“We hope that guided tours of waterworks facilities will raise the public’s awareness about water resources and conservation.”

The recent economic downturn has dealt a severe blow to many employees. However, for Shiu Yin-ming and Poon Man-kit, the crisis has brought them skill-upgrading opportunities.

Miss Shiu has over 30 years’ experience in the retail industry. Her last job was a salesperson at a lighting store. Struck by the competition with online stores and a series of protests, the shop closed in October last year and left her unemployed.

“I have got no choice. Many people in Hong Kong have mortgage burdens. It is the most worrying part. And it is frightening to see my account balance drop,” she said.

Miss Shiu spent several months trying to get a job but failed.

“Of course I was frustrated. Perhaps the employers think that young people are more hard-working. It is difficult for middle-aged people like me to get a job. It hurt my confidence and I hesitated to keep going."

Seeing the demand in the healthcare industry, Miss Shiu decided to swap careers. She joined the Love Upgrading Special Scheme and enrolled in the Foundation Certificate in Care-related Support Worker Training.

The course covered basic pathology and healthcare skills. It also arranged recruitment from the Hospital Authority in class. Miss Shiu said the special course helped her to find a job and she will soon work at a nursing home.

“It is like an admission ticket. During an interview at a nursing home, the interviewer asked how I would change a nappy for an elderly person. I answered what I had learnt from the course. Moreover, as I have not participated in an interview after so many years of work, the interview skills that I have learnt from the course have geared me up,” she said.

Better prospects

Young newcomers to the job market are also affected by the economic downturn.

Mr Poon has been engaged in casual work in the catering industry. The 19-year-old said there used to be plenty of casual job opportunities on career websites, but that is no longer the case. He has been underemployed in recent months and feels his family just see him as someone who is not in education, employment, or training.

“The full-time waiters have not got much work to do, and each of them is assigned to be responsible for a few positions. So, the restaurant does not need extra casual manpower. My relatives look down on me like I am a neet,” he said.

Mr Poon has enrolled in the Foundation Certificate in Barista Training to gain experience in different positions in the industry.

"Many coffee shops and hotels need people to make latte art. I think the course will help me get a job more easily. I plan to further enroll in other courses relating to pastry-making," he added.

Skills upgrade

The Love Upgrading Special Scheme, launched in last October, provides free training to employees affected by the recent economic downturn to upgrade their skills. The courses are conducted in full-time or part-time mode and offer special allowances.

According to the Employees Retraining Board, as of the end of March, more than 12,200 people have applied for the scheme. About one-third of them are aged between 50 to 59.

The applicants mainly come from the catering, retail, social and personal services industries.

The most popular course is the Foundation Certificate in Care-related Support Worker Training, followed by courses related to baker and pastry cook, barista and security training.

Employees Retraining Board Executive Director Byron Ng said the 66 courses under the scheme were specially selected.

“We want to help those employees in the hard-hit industries like tourism, catering, retail, hotel, construction, etc. Also, we want to provide courses in industries which demand heavy labour during this period, such as healthcare and innovative technology.”

The scheme does not impose any restrictions on the trainees’ industry and educational attainment.

“We hope to encourage all unemployed or underemployed employees, including those who are highly educated, and take these chances to upgrade their own skills so they can re-enter the market smoothly,” Mr Ng said.

He added that those who have completed a full-time vocational skills course will get a follow-up service that includes three months of employment.

The second phase of the scheme will be launched in July, and the monthly maximum allowance is expected to increase from $4,000 to $5,800.

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(Center for Genomic Regulation) An analysis of 13,000 tumours highlights two previously overlooked genes as potential new therapeutic targets for cancer treatment. Researchers also identify potential new therapeutic targets for male infertility. Both findings are the result of the most comprehensive evolutionary analysis of RNA modification proteins to date, published today in the journal Genome Biology.

(Wiley) A recent Psycho-Oncology analysis of published studies found that few cancer survivors received financial information support from healthcare facilities during their initial treatment, even though cancer-related financial toxicity has multiple impacts on survivors' health and quality of life.

(American Association for Cancer Research) Combining intratumoral electroporation of interleukin-12 (IL-12) DNA (tavokinogene telseplasmid, or TAVO) with the immune checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab (Keytruda) led to clinical responses in patients with immunologically quiescent advanced melanoma, according to results from a phase II trial.

(University of Virginia Health System) Focused ultrasound, the researchers hope, could revolutionize treatment for conditions from Alzheimer's to epilepsy to brain tumors -- and even help repair the devastating damage caused by stroke.

(Wiley) Heart failure and cancer are conditions with a number of shared characteristics. A new study published in the Journal of Internal Medicine found that in patients with heart failure, several known tumor markers can also be indicators of heart failure severity and progression.

(Impact Journals LLC) Oncotarget Volume 11, Issue 12 reported that the p16 tumor suppressor is coded by CDKN2A and plays an important role during carcinogenesis and tumor progression in numerous tumor entities.

(Luxembourg Institute of Health) Scientists at the Department of Infection and Immunity of the Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH) revealed a novel mechanism through which the immune system controls autoimmunity and cancer. In the special focus of the researchers were regulatory T cells -- a type of white blood cells that act as a brake on the immune system.

(Walter and Eliza Hall Institute) The anti-cancer medicine venetoclax could improve the current therapy for estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer - the most common form of breast cancer in Australia - according to preclinical studies led by Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researchers. The promising preclinical results for this 'triple therapy' have underpinned a phase 1 clinical trial in Melbourne, Australia, that is combining venetoclax with hormone therapy and CDK4/6 inhibitors in patients with ER+ breast cancer.

(JAMA Network) Death certificate data were used to compare the rate of opioid-related deaths in the US among cancer survivors with that of the general population from 2006 through 2016. Whether opioid-associated deaths in cancer survivors, who are often prescribed opioids for cancer-related pain, are rising at the same rate as in the general population is unknown.

(University of Helsinki) Mutations in white blood cells can contribute to abnormal immune profile after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

(JAMA Network) The considerations and challenges affecting the palliative care specialty and delivery of palliative care in the COVID-19 era, as well as potential solutions, are discussed in this Viewpoint.

(JAMA Network) This essay discusses similarities between a doctor's experiences with diagnoses of cancer and COVID-19.

(University of Houston) A University of Houston biomedical researcher is developing a new device to treat babies with blood disorders, because current technology is designed for adults. The ability to perform lifesaving leukapheresis safely and effectively in these most vulnerable pediatric patients will significantly increase their access to highly effective cell-based therapies.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government welcomes the promulgation of the Meteorological Development Plan ...