The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr James Lau, visited Kwai Tsing District this afternoon (March 6).
 
     Mr Lau first visited a youth centre of the Federation of New Territories Youth Foundation in Tsing Yi, where he was briefed on the centre's facilities and services, including its annual Mainland summer internship programme. He had a chat with past participants and said he was glad to learn that they had made use of the job placement in Fujian to understand more about the latest developments and work culture in the Mainland, and had been actively equipping themselves for career planning.
 
     He then proceeded to the Women Service Association in Kwai Chung Estate to learn more about the Neighbourhood Support Child Care Project provided there. Launched by the Social Welfare Department, the Project aims at providing flexible day care services for children to meet the needs of parents in the neighbourhood. Mr Lau had an exchange with the persons-in-charge and child carers, saying that in this year's Budget, the Government will allocate additional resources to increase professional and supporting manpower for the Project to strengthen training for home-based child carers so as to enhance the quality of services. In addition, incentive payments to these carers will be raised.  
 
     Before concluding the visit, Mr Lau exchanged views with the Chairman of the Kwai Tsing District Council, Mr Law King-shing, and other members on various issues of concern, including management fees of the Mandatory Provident Fund schemes, cross-border mobile payment and opening of bank accounts.
 

Ends/Wednesday, March 6, 2019
Issued at HKT 18:22

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