55 h. ago Does Hong Kong’s loan shark law proposal lack bite needed to tame debt collectors?

A proposal to tighten regulations over Hong Kong’s notorious loan sharks is too narrowly focused and will not tackle the root problem of unruly debt collectors, according to lawmakers and legal experts. The legislators and specialists criticised the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau’s plan to set a cap on borrowing activity for low-income earners and impose stricter rules for loan “referees”, saying it failed to tackle the shadowy network of intermediaries who enabled predatory...

Politics

55 h. ago Does Hong Kong loan shark law proposal lack bite needed to tame debt collectors?

A proposal to tighten regulations covering Hong Kong’s notorious loan sharks is too narrowly focused and will not tackle the root of the problem of unruly debt collectors, according to lawmakers and legal experts. The legislators and specialists criticised the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau’s plan to set a cap on borrowing activity for low-income earners and impose stricter rules for loan “referees”, saying it failed to tackle the shadowy network of intermediaries who enabled...

Politics

68 h. ago Hong Kong children in cramped flats have poorer mental health: survey

Hong Kong children who feel they lack study and play areas at home have poorer mental health and academic results, a poll has found. Survey results published on Monday also showed that about 40 per cent of children living in subdivided flats said they did not have enough of the spaces at home, a rate that was higher than those in other types of housing. Hong Kong Metropolitan University and the Society for Community Organisation (SoCO) jointly conducted the poll. “We hope to look into what...

Politics

3 d. ago New rules proposed for Hong Kong legislators suggest lack of discipline

When we have a 90-member-strong legislature, things get done. Hong Kong’s Legislative Council has passed 117 bills, 98 per cent more than in the previous term. The bulk of lawmakers’ work is, well, making laws, so it speaks to the council’s efficiency that twice as many bills have been passed after a 28.6 per cent increase in its membership. Rules also limit the time that Legislative Council members get to speak: we generally require they get whatever they need to get off their chests within 15...

Politics

1 week ago Hong Kong should look to Africa, South America for new markets: trade body head

Hong Kong should develop new markets in Africa and South America as it faces obstacles in its traditional ones in Europe and North America, the head of the city’s trade promotion body has said. Trade Development Council chairman Frederick Ma Si-hang also said on Saturday that the city had to increase the size of its exhibition venues, noting that a “lack of space” was Hong Kong’s biggest disadvantage compared with different regions. Ma said that he expected Hong Kong’s exports in the second half...

Politics

4 w. ago Hong Kong shouldn’t let lack of space hold up Guangdong driver scheme: minister

Hong Kong should not be held back by a lack of land or parking spaces in pushing ahead with a plan to let Guangdong province residents drive to the city, the transport minister has said, as she reiterated that the scheme would be rolled out with strict controls. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan told lawmakers on Wednesday that the government was working with mainland Chinese authorities to implement the scheme and had ruled out the need to establish separate restricted zones or...

Politics