Migrants group says ‘job hopping’ a myth, slams Immigration crackdown

By The SUN 

Poster announcing the AMCB-led protest against crackdown on 'job hoppers'

A migrant domestic workers coalition has condemned as discriminatory the Immigration Department’s act of refusing work visas to foreign domestic workers they label as “job hoppers”  - even if all they did was to quit bad employers.

More than 170 workers and their supporters vented their anger against the Immigration crackdown in a live online protest on Facebook today, Mar 31, led by the Asian Migrants Coordinating Body.

PRESS FOR DETAILS

The rally came on the heels of a statement from Immigration that it rejected 355 work visas in January and February as it strengthened its campaign against suspected job-hopping MDWs. The figure exceeded the total work visa denials for the entire 2020.

The Immigration also said it had launched an operation on Mar 23 in which its officers visited “relevant” agencies to warn them against encouraging or inducing workers to shift employers.

Pindutin para sa detalye

AMCB spokespersons and other protest speakers said it is unfair for Immigration to accuse workers of job-hopping when they all they did was to leave employers who treated them badly in violation of their work contracts.

In an earlier statement, AMCB also dismissed as ridiculous allegations that FDWs accept cash incentives from employment agencies to change employers, or deliberately do bad work so they can be terminated.

CONTACT US!

 

As the processing of work visas usually take between two to three months, it does not make sense for FDWs to change employers on a mere whim because they cannot afford being jobless for that long, AMCB said.

AMCB has led the fight for migrant workers rights amid the pandemic (File)

“This is clear discrimination, stigmatization, and a crackdown amidst Covid-19 against over 350,000 foreign domestic workers who contribute significantly to the Hong Kong people, economy, and government,” said Dolores Balladares, who also heads United Filipinos in Hong Kong.

“This is a crackdown on powerless and impoverished migrant domestic workers who had been hit hard by the pandemic. This is clearly modern-day slavery. What they are saying is that, as domestic workers in Hong Kong, our rights and dignity don’t matter,” she said.

Tunghayan ang isa na namang kwentong Dream Love

Balladares said the malicious accusations of job-hopping force MDWs to keep silent about their working conditions and to just accept what the employers want them to do so as not to lose their livelihood.

“When we stand up for our rights and voice out our concerns, we are at risk of being accused of ‘job-hopping’ and sent back home. This fear forces many MDWs to accept a slave wage and slave-like working conditions,” she said.

Balladares says accusing FDWs of job hopping is discriminatory 

Cita, an Indonesian helper, said in a testimony that she ended her contract after being forced to work long hours and do excessive work. She found a new employer and got a new work visa, but it was voided when her ex-employer complained to Immigration.

Cita said that despite giving evidence of her poor working conditions, Immigration accused her of job-hopping and upheld the decision to cancel her visa. She was forced to return to Indonesia and reapply to come back and work for a new employer.

Cherry, a Filipina helper who had been denied days off, said in her testimony that she argued with her employer when she insisted on taking a holiday. After she was fired she found a new employer but Immigration rejected her visa application even if she was terminated just once.

The two workers’ testimonies highlighted the confusion caused by Immigration’s policy against so-called job hoppers, which appears to leave the fate of terminated helpers at the discretion of officers handling their cases.

AMCB's Sringatin says it's not a crime to look for a better employer

AMCB said it is obvious that Immigration and anti-migrant legislators and employers clamoring for sanctions against so-called job hoppers are out of touch with reality.

“Their accusations continue to burden many Hong Kong families who wish to hire an MDW who is already in Hong Kong so as to limit the risk of the (Covid-19 infection) and avoid the added expense of bringing in a worker from overseas,” said Balladares.

She urged Immigration to stop discriminating against MDWs and stop tagging them as job-hoppers and punishing them by denying employment visas. Instead, Immigration should investigate the inhumane conditions that many workers are forced to endure, she said.

Balladares also questioned why all other workers apart from FDWs are allowed to terminate contracts without getting any sanctions, and are not sent home if they quit their jobs and move to another employer.

“Why can’t MDWs have the same rights?” Balladares asked.

“We care for Hong Kong families but the Hong Kong government continues to refuse to care for us,” she said.

BASAHIN ANG DETALYE

One local, 5 imported new Covid-19 cases reported; 4 with variants

 By The SUN 

CHP chief Ronald Lam says 72% of all cases last week were imported

Six additional cases of coronavirus infections – one local and five imported - were reported in Hong Kong today, Mar 31.

But 10 preliminary positive cases were also reported, including two with unknown sources.

Of the five imported cases, three are Filipina domestic workers aged 29, 40 and 41, who all arrived on Mar 18 aboard Cebu Pacific flight 5J 572.

PRESS FOR DETAILS

The Filipinas all tested negative on arrival, but were found infected on their 12^th day in hotel quarantine. Further tests showed they also had the highly infectious coronavirus variant, identified as N501Y.

Another new arrival, a 53-year-old man who flew in from the United States also on Mar 18, was also found to carry the mutated virus.

The sole imported case that was declared free of the variant strain involved a 38-year-old female cargo plane crew who arrived from Turkey on Mar 29, and tested positive for Covid-19 at the airport.

Pindutin para sa detalye

Dr Ronald Lam, deputy director of health, said that 72% of all infections reported in the past week were imported. Of the 57 cases that were confirmed, 41 were imported and 16 were local.

Those who came in with the N501Y variant have also risen, bringing the total tally to 145. Of these, 71 were identified as British, 20 South African, and 5 Brazilian variants. Thirty-seven of the cases are unidentified, while 12 couldn’t be determines due to the patients’ low viral load.

The building where the sole local case lives will be inspected

Today’s only local case involves a 25-year-old clerk at a property management company in Kowloon whose source of infection cannot be traced. His work involves inspecting buildings managed by his company.

CONTACT US!

According to Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection, the patient tested negative for the virus only on Mar 17, when his residential building, Kwai Yick in Sai Ying Pun, was subjected to an ambush lockdown.

Chuang said the man might have been infected during or after the lockdown on his building, which will be inspected by health officials shortly.

Around 10 of his colleagues will be placed under quarantine, and compulsory testing notices will be issued on the buildings he visited for work.

Tunghayan ang isa na namang kwentong Dream Love

Among the preliminary cases, the two untraceable ones involve a 23-year-old ceiling renovation worker and a 56-year-old tea lady at Majestic restaurant on Fenwick Street in Wanchai.

Chuang said around 30 of the waitress’ colleagues will be quarantined, and the restaurant where she works will be closed for disinfection.

Dr Linda Yu of the Hospital Authority said Hong Kong now has a total of 11,468 confirmed cases of Covid-19 cases, of which 131 are receiving treatment in 21 public hospitals and the treatment centre at North Lantau Hospital.

Among them, nine patients are in critical condition, three are in serious condition while the remaining 119 are stable.

BASAHIN ANG DETALYE

Filipino chef gets suspended jail term for slapping 14-year-old boy

By Vir B. Lumicao 

The Morrison Hill park is a favorite among skateboard enthusiasts (Photo: Wanchai Worm)

A Filipino chef who admitted slapping a 14-year-old French boy during a dispute in a Wanchai playground was given a six-day jail term, suspended for one year, when he appeared in Eastern Court today, Mar 31. 

S. Bermejo was charged with one count of common assault for the incident that happened on Monday, Mar 29, in the Morrison Hill playground. 

PRESS FOR DETAILS

Court records show Bermejo, a Hong Kong resident, went to play on the skateboard ground in the park at around 6:25pm, but ended up getting into a dispute with the victim over a trivial matter.

In the heat of the argument, Bemejo slapped the boy with his bare hands, hurting his nose. Scared, the boy dialed 999 and reported the incident. He also called his parents.

When police arrived, they saw Bermejo, the boy and his parents at the playground. They took the boy to nearby Ruttonjee Hospital for a medical check-up, where doctors found he had swelling and tenderness in the nose.

Pindutin para sa detalye

Bermejo was arrested and he admitted the offense during questioning at the Wanchai Police Station. The next day, he again admitted the assault in a statement taken with the help of a Tagalog interpreter.

The prosecutor said Bermejo had two previous convictions not similar to the present case.

CONTACT US!

During mitigation, the duty lawyer representing Bermejo said the defendant was was working part-time as a chef earning $5,000 a month. He asked the magistrate impose a fine instead of a jail sentence. 

But Law said that after taking into account the defendant’s guilty plea, his previous records, and the boy’s age, a jail term was appropriate, though he decided to suspend it for 12 months.

Tunghayan ang isa na namang kwentong Dream Love

That means Bermejo cannot reoffend within this time or he will have to go to jail immediately to serve his sentence, plus whatever is meted him for the later offence. 

BASAHIN ANG DETALYE

 

 

 

 

   

Expert panel says not a single death traced to Covid-19 vaccine

By The SUN 

Covid-19 vaccines did not cause any of the 13 deaths reported so far, says the panel

A panel of experts advising the Hong Kong government on Covid-19 vaccination has found no connection between the deaths of 13 people and their having been given jabs earlier, according to a statement released tonight, Mar 30, on the government website.

According to the statement, a total of 13 people who died after immunization were reported to the Department of Health up until Mar 28. They comprised nine males and four females, between 55 and 80 years old.

PRESS FOR DETAILS

“Existing information indicates that most of these cases died of cardiovascular diseases,” said the statement.

The Expert Committee reportedly made its assessment on individual cases based on standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and all available information, including the medical conditions and history of the patient, vaccine information and preliminary autopsy findings.

The committee also took note of the mortality data in Hong Kong among people of similar age and health condition for the same period in previous years, before determining that there was nothing unusual in the number of deaths that occurred as a result of vaccination.

Pindutin para sa detalye

Earlier, the experts issued two separate reports that discounted vaccination as the cause of death in seven earlier cases.

“The medical history and preliminary autopsy findings of other cases showed that the outcomes of the deceased persons were not directly associated with Covid-19 vaccination,” said the statement, but added that a final assessment will be made when all information becomes available.

PRESS FOR DETAILS

In their latest report, the experts dealt with the six most recent deaths. 

The first case involved a 55-year-old woman who passed away on Mar 6. The full autopsy report on the case reportedly showed she died of “acute myocardial infarction” (stroke). Their investigation did not find any link to this medical condition and her previous vaccination.

CONTACT US!

 

In four other cases involving men aged between 59 to 66 years old, the preliminary autopsy also showed the cause of deaths as relating to heart problems, such as “coronary artery disease, ruptured myocardial infarction and coronary thrombosis, coronary and hypertensive heart disease, as well as coronary artery disease with acute ischaemia.”

The sixth case, a 61-year-old man who died on Mar 27 in hospital, also had the cause of his death listed as stroke.

Tunghayan ang isa na namang kwentong Dream Love

“Together with the remaining case who died of acute myocardial infarction, the Expert Committee considered that the outcomes of the deceased persons were not directly associated with Covid-19 vaccination,” said the statement.

The experts also base their study on how many people died in same period

According to the statement, the expert committee also relied on the city’s mortality rate in the same period (that is, from Feb 26 to Mar 20) of 2019 among people aged 55 and above, and found it consistent with the data this year. In that year, a total of 362 deaths due to ischaemic heart diseases and 602 for heart diseases were recorded.

“The Expert Committee reviewed these data and considered there is no unusual pattern identified so far,” said the statement. “The Expert Committee will continue to closely monitor the situation and collect more data for further assessment."

Any adverse events that follow vaccination are reported to the DH which carries out the initial investigation along with partners under the Covid-19 Vaccines Adverse Events Response and Evaluation (Care) Programme. If an unusual pattern is detected, the case is passed on to the Experts Committee for assessment.

However, the statement said that when there are obvious medical causes for clinical events including deaths, health care professionals may consider the case as not falling under the scrutiny of the expert panel. 

The rules also say that if death happens within 14 days of vaccination being received, it will be announced via a press release as soon as possible.

BASAHIN ANG DETALYE

CALL US NOW!

Call Us!

CALL US!

 

Free Covid-19 tests for FDHs on again in April

By The SUN 

The free test on wheels will now be given at four locations on Apr 4,5,11,18 and 25

Mobile stations offering free coronavirus tests will return to popular gathering places of foreign domestic helpers on all Sundays of April, plus the statutory holiday on Apr 5, to give workers free Covid-19 testing, the Labour Department said.
      
A statement issued on the government website said the deployment of the mobile stations, which are similar to those set up in March at popular FDH gathering places, is meant to encourage workers to get tested to safeguard their health.

PRESS FOR DETAILS

The announcement said the mobile specimen collection stations will open from 10am to 5pm on April 4, 5 (day after the Ching Ming Festival), 11, 18 and 25.

From the previous three, four mobile stations will now be set up at the following locations: the Chater Road precinct in Central, near the bus stop; Hing Fat street entrance of Victoria Park in Causeway Bay; Lai Chi Kok Park entrance near exit D of Mei Foo MTR station; and the Tsuen Wan Park entrance near Exit D of MTR Tsuen Wan West Station.

Pindutin para sa detalye

The government statement appealed to employment agencies and employers to encourage FDHs to receive the free testing service at the mobile stations, where no prior appointment is required. 

FDHs need only to bring their HKIDs or passports; no appointment needed

To avail themselves of the free testing, the FDHs just need to bring along their Hong Kong identity cards or passports and register their personal information on the spot at the government website www.tgptest.gov.hk, choosing the the category “Non-Government Staff - Foreign domestic helpers,” to receive an SMS notification of the test result.

PRESS FOR DETAILS

The FDHs will be given the barcode number of the specimen bottle they collect after registration for reference. If necessary, duty officers can assist FDHs in registration.    

The specimen collection is done through a combined nasal and throat swabs, and the samples collected are delivered straight to a specimens to the laboratory for testing. 

CONTACT US!

 

Everyone who tests negative for Covid-19 will get their test result via SMS while positive cases will be referred to the Centre for Health Protection for follow-up. The individual concerned will be contacted for treatment arrangements.      

Tunghayan ang isa na namang kwentong Dream Love

Enquiries can be made through the dedicated FDH hotline at 2157 9537 (manned by 1823) or by email fdh-enquiry@labour.gov.hk. 

BASAHIN ANG DETALYE

CALL US NOW!

Call Us!

CALL US!

 

 

 

7 new Covid-19 cases reported today, all save 1 imported

By The SUN 

CHP reported 7 new Covid-19 cases

Seven coronavirus infections were reported today, Mar 30, and all except one were imported. The only local case, a 44-year-old woman, is linked to a previous infection.

Three of the six imported cases were also found to have the highly infectious N501Y variant. They comprise two female domestic helpers – one Filipina and the other, Indonesian – as well as a seafarer from Ukraine.

PRESS FOR DETAILS

 

The Filipina, 41, arrived in Hong Kong on a Cebu Pacific flight on Mar 28, the Centre for Health Protection said. She was asymptomatic, but test results of her sample taken at the airport showed she was positive.

The Indonesian, 35, flew in on a Garuda flight on the same day, while the 22-year-old Ukrainian arrived on Saturday with a fellow seafarer, 21, on a KLM flight from Amsterdam via Bangkok.

Pindutin para sa detalye

The other imported cases were a 39-year-old male air crew of Turkish Airlines who arrived Sunday from Istanbul and a man aged 59 who flew in from Pakistan on Saturday.

Today’s seven new patients took Hong Kong’s Covid-19 tally to 11,462.

PRESS FOR DETAILS

The CHP said 143 cases were recorded in the past 14 days to Mar 29, including 71 local cases of which 19 were from unknown sources.
 
The Hospital Authority said that as of 9am today, 134 confirmed patients are being treated in 22 public hospitals and the treatment center at North Lantau Hospital.

CONTACT US!

 

Of these, nine patients are critical, three are serious and the remaining 122 are in stable condition.

Dr Chan says it's too soon to further relax infection control measures 

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Sophia Chan said Hong Kong can’t just yet relax its infection control measures drastically despite a decline in new infections because the government does not want everyone’s efforts in fighting the virus to go to naught.

Tunghayan ang isa na namang kwentong Dream Love

Speaking on an RTHK program, Chan said, “If we allow everything to return to normal, a hundred percent, there will certainly be risks.”

She spoke a day after the government announced religious gatherings will resume tomorrow; while beaches, swimming pools, museums and libraries will reopen Thursday.

Cinemas and performance venues will also be allowed to fill up to 75% of their capacity, from the previous 50%.

However, venues considered as high risk, like bars, karaoke parlors and party rooms will remain closed, at least for two more weeks.

Chan said the government would look at the overall virus situation and the risks of further relaxation before deciding whether to reopen them.

“We understand that it’s not that some industry has not been working hard enough in the past. I understand that industries are doing their best hoping to resume their businesses. This is something the government has to consider as a whole,” Chan said.

People should get their vaccine shots as soon as possible, as inoculation could help fight the pandemic and allow life to return to normal, she said. 

BASAHIN ANG DETALYE

CALL US NOW!

Call Us!

CALL US!