HK Leisure and Cultural Services Department forced part-time employees to volunteer for mass testing

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA

Image : The Leisure and Cultural Services Department urges part-time employees to undergo universal testing for the novel coronavirus. The right picture shows the letter from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, and the left picture shows the testing center at the No. 1 Boundary Street Stadium. (Photographed by Li Shaochang/Provided by Liu Jiahao)

According to Ming Pao's report on 2 September 2020, Hong Kong's Leisure and Cultural Services Department sent an email on 1 September 2020 to part-time contract instructors, team leaders and camp instructors, saying that they "have the opportunity to contact the public at work." , "to call on part-time employees to participate in the testing plan". Veteran basketball coach Liu Jiahao said that there is no time limit for the reopening of the venue. A negative test does not mean that there will be no infection in the future. He questioned the Hong Kong government as "seemingly a stubborn figure" and described the plan as "forced and voluntary." They will go to private institutions for testing. The Leisure and Cultural Services Department replied to inquiries that whether part-time employees have participated in the universal community testing program is not a factor for consideration in the future employment of part-time employees.

Lau Jiahao told this newspaper that he received an email from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department today, calling on part-time employees to undergo a national test, and he must reply on or before September 14 whether he will participate. He said that at present 70% of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department's gymnasium is used as a testing center. The department will reopen the gymnasium and other venues indefinitely. The coaches are just "waiting (reopening)." He believes that the negative test does not mean that there will be no infection afterwards. In addition, medical care is concerned about the infection control problem in the field. For example, the sampling staff does not change the protective clothing every time the sample is taken, and has reservations about the national testing plan.

Lau Jiahao pointed out that even if the venue is to be reopened in the future or to other places to teach classes, if the Leisure and Cultural Services Department requires a negative certificate, he will choose a private organization for testing. He is also one of the preparatory committee members of the Hong Kong Sports Coaches Union, saying that the union has received inquiries through Facebook. Some coaches are worried about whether they will not be able to teach classes without testing. The union will check with the LCSD later.

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department replied to this newspaper’s enquiry that because the department’s part-time contract instructors and staff have the opportunity to contact the public while working, the LCSD recently sent a letter to call on part-time staff to participate in the universal community testing program and to learn about their participation in the form of reply slips. According to the department, the participation of part-time employees in the plan and the submission of return slips are all voluntary, and the information collected is only for statistical purposes; whether part-time employees participate in the plan or submitting the return slip is not a consideration for future employment. It will continue to propose appointments to part-time employees in accordance with the existing established procedures.

Ref : https://news.mingpao.com/ins/%e6%b8%af%e8%81%9e/article/20200901/s00001/1598960078802/%e5%85%a8%e6%b0%91%e6%aa%a2%e6%b8%ac-%e5%ba%b7%e6%96%87%e7%bd%b2%e5%87%bd%e5%85%bc%e8%81%b7%e5%93%a1%e5%b7%a5%e4%bf%83%e5%9b%9e%e8%a6%86%e5%8f%83%e5%8a%a0%e5%85%a8%e6%b0%91%e6%aa%a2%e6%b8%ac%e5%90%a6-%e7%b1%83%e7%90%83%e6%95%99%e7%b7%b4-%e5%bc%b7%e8%bf%ab%e7%9a%84%e8%87%aa%e9%a1%98