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eign domestic helpers who are work- Legislator Fernando Cheung services are in shortage.
ing in Hong Kong because we have no Chiu-hung says the pilot scheme is Though the pilot scheme is well-
choice,” Lau adds. “If we don’t train worth implementing on a large scale. received by the participants, Cheung
them, it is impossible for us to import He thinks it is beneficial to provide believes importing foreign domestic
sufficient foreign domestic helpers to training to domestic helpers or providing them with cer-
cater to the great demand in the mar- helpers, as there are tain training is not the ultimate solu-
ket.” around 380,000 tion. “You won’t expect people with
of them in Hong different cultural and language back-
Best medicine? Kong. However, grounds to take care of the elderly and
Under the policy of “ageing-in- he is concerned the needy,” he says.
place”, foreign labour will play a major if employers will
role in providing care services. Amid offer domestic
of positive responses from foreign do- Fernando Cheung helpers free time
mestic helpers and their employers Chiu-hung to join the train- Edited by Erica Li
regarding the pilot scheme, a spokes- ing courses.
man for the Social Welfare Depart- Although “ageing-in-place” can be
ment says the government is consid- achieved by both private foreign car-
ering to extend it to other districts egivers and domestic helpers, Cheung
with training places being increased thinks the government fails to facili-
to around 800. tate “ageing-in-place” because public

You won’t expect people with different cultural and language

backgrounds to take care of the elderly and the needy