Latest news with #JohnLee
South China Morning Post
12 hours ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong's MTR Corp to carry out one-off inspection of critical rail assets
Hong Kong's rail operator will carry out a one-off inspection of all its overhead lines and signalling points, and is considering offering a free cross-harbour shuttle bus in the event of service suspensions as part of efforts to follow up on a series of recent blunders. The MTR Corporation on Friday rolled out an eight-point plan that falls under an existing HK$65 billion (US$8.3 million) five-year asset and maintenance upgrade announced in 2023. The move follows calls from Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu last month for the transport provider to improve on its 'inadequacies' in emergency response and contingency planning after three service disruptions occurred within a four-month period. In two incidents, engineering trains were stranded on a section of the East Rail line, while in another, services along the Tseung Kwan O line were suspended for five-hours last month. Transport minister Mable Chan said the government would continue to supervise and guide the MTR Corp in learning from its past failures and strengthening its risk prediction and mitigation capabilities. 'The MTR Corp must proactively address potential issues before they arise, enhance the safety of its railway systems and accelerate the application of innovative technologies to realise predictive maintenance for fortifying the overall resilience of the railway system,' she said. 'Its management should also leverage the wisdom of frontline staff and strengthen the sense of accountability among staff from different ranks.'
BBC News
17 hours ago
- BBC News
Wiltshire traveller site approved after rejection overturned
A four-pitch traveller site can be established after a refusal of planning permission was applicant, John Lee, applied for permission to provide accommodation for a single family, compromising a mobile home, a touring caravan and a day room with a bathroom, kitchen and dining space for four site in Grittenham, near Brinkworth in Wiltshire, originally received 37 objections, as some were concerned it "failed to integrate into its surroundings" due to its distance from local services.A planning inspector granted Mr Lee's appeal for the site earlier this month and awarded costs. Wiltshire Council launched a consultation in 2024 to find 128 new pitches and seven new sites for gypsies and travellers in the county by Lee's plans, originally submitted in August 2024, sought to redevelop land at Charlie's Place off Sodom Lane, near the M4. He applied to establish the pitches and a commercial barn measuring 20ft (6m) by 60ft (18m), the Local Democracy Reporting Service council's officers recommended granting the planning application, but councillors turned it down. As well as concerns about its distance from schools and healthcare providers, objections were made on highways and flood risk grounds, the size of the development and the use of hard standing in a rural Wildlife Trust, Dauntsey Parish Council, Grittenham and Brinkworth Parish Council and Tockenham Parish Council were among those objecting to the plans.
Iraq Business
a day ago
- Business
- Iraq Business
New Iraqi TIR Route "a Game-Changer" for Europe-GCC Logistics
By John Lee. The opening of new Iraqi TIR corridors has enabled a dramatic reduction in transit times between Europe and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), with journey durations cut from 24 days to just 10, according to a press release from the International Road Transport Union (IRU). Polish logistics company Milton Group recently completed a round-trip from Poland to the UAE using Iraq's overland TIR transit system. Carrying yacht engines and spare parts, the truck travelled through Poland, Bulgaria, Türkiye, Iraq, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia before reaching the UAE. The return leg to Poland was also completed overland, maintaining the 10-day timeframe for each direction. The route passed into Iraq through the Ibrahim Al-Khalil border and exited via Traibeel [Terbil], highlighting Iraq's emergence as a strategic land bridge for trade between Europe and the GCC. The corridor was made fully operational three months ago, with support from IRU members General Company for Land Transportation (GCLT) and Transforat. It forms part of Iraq's wider ambition to become a regional logistics and trade hub. Milton Group COO Waleed Kassem called the development " a game changer, " noting substantial time savings and enhanced logistics resilience by avoiding congested seaports. IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto praised Iraq's efforts, saying this new connectivity offers " faster and more secure journey times " and greater resilience amid regional uncertainties. See our Comprehensive Guide to Logistics in Iraq here. Full statement from the International Road Transport Union (IRU): From Europe to the GCC: New resilient Iraqi TIR routes slash journey times With Iraq now fully operational in the TIR system, new faster and more flexible transport routes are opening between Europe and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. One example: from Poland to the United Arab Emirates in 10 days, more than halving the traditional 24-day journey. Polish transport operator the Milton Group has successfully completed a roundtrip journey linking Poland to the GCC entirely by road, via Iraq's newly operational TIR corridors, with a journey time of 10 days compared to 24 days for traditional maritime-based multimodal routes. The truck, with two drivers, transported yacht engines and spare parts from a Polish factory through the EU to Bulgaria, then through Türkiye, Iraq, Jordan and Saudi Arabia before arriving at the customer's facility in the UAE. With the support of IRU members GCLT and Transforat and other partners, TIR corridors in Iraq became fully operational three months ago, reinforcing the country's aim to become a strategic regional logistics and trade hub. Milton, already experienced in multimodal routes between Europe and the Middle East, has been among the first companies to test the new road links. In this case, the trucks entered Iraq from Türkiye via the Ibrahim Al-Khalil border crossing and exited to Jordan via Traibeel. The results were striking: the full road journey took just 10 days, compared to the 24 days typically required for a multimodal route. To further enhance the economic viability of the trip, Milton organised a return load from the UAE back to Poland, completing the roundtrip within the same timeframe. Milton Group Chief Operating Officer Waleed Kassem said, "This new inland TIR transit corridor through Iraq is a game changer for trade between Europe and the Middle East. "By bypassing congested seaports and offering a fully overland route, we've already reduced our door-to-door transit time from 24 days to just 10, a tremendous improvement. "We see a huge opportunity in the development of this corridor and are proud to have taken part. At Milton, we look forward to scaling this route into a core pillar of efficient, secure, and time-sensitive logistics to the GCC region." IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto said, "It is truly inspiring to witness the successful launch of this new TIR route through Iraq, seeing the fruits of years of preparations and planning by the Iraqi authorities come to life. "This marks only the beginning of what promises to be a landmark development for resilient regional connectivity across the Middle East via Iraq, not only providing faster and more secure journey times, but offering significantly more route flexibility and resilience to transport and logistics operators to better manage regional uncertainty." TIR is the only globally recognised trade facilitation tool, backed by the UN TIR convention and managed by IRU, ensuring the seamless, secure and cost-effective transit of goods across international borders. (Source: IRU)
Iraq Business
a day ago
- Business
- Iraq Business
IMF: Iraq should Simplify Access to Foreign Exchange
By John Lee. The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) has issued a press release claiming extensive praise from an International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission, led by Jean-Guillaume Poulain, following meetings from 4th to 13th of May, 2025. The CBI statement, widely reported in local and international press, cites the post-meeting report from the IMF, which Iraq Business News publicised here. The report takes a more nuanced view of achievements to date. It does, however, commend the CBI for the successful transition to the new trade finance system, saying: " Trade finance is now fully processed by commercial banks through their correspondent banking relationships. "This has also supported the recent decline in the spread between the official and parallel market exchange rates. "Nonetheless, further efforts are needed to further reduce the spread, including by imposing Iraqi dinar usage for car and real estate transactions, improving customs controls to curb smuggling, and simplifying FX access. " Original report from IMF. Press release from CBI. [Arabic] (Sources: CBI, IMF)
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Civil servants in Hong Kong have to move with the times
Hong Kong's civil service has, with justification, been described by the government as the backbone of the administration, helping develop and execute policies while providing public services. But the need for the more than 173,000 civil servants to perform well and provide good value for money is as important now as it has ever been, as the city faces new challenges and a big budget deficit. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has championed a 'result-oriented' approach for the government and is determined civil servants will also meet high standards. Lee recently revealed plans to introduce a new accountability system for the civil service to complement the existing one for principal officials. There are, as yet, few details. But he said underperforming senior bureaucrats may face a pay freeze or other punitive measures. The aim is to improve leadership and policy implementation. It is a welcome development. Hong Kong's civil servants had their pay frozen for a year in April as part of measures to tackle the deficit, but rises for individuals are still possible within the pay bands. Civil servants are well paid and enjoy job security and generous fringe benefits. Their pay structure is rigid and outdated. There is much room for reform. Public servants already undergo annual appraisals to identify outstanding and underperforming individuals. Those falling short are given support to help them improve. There is a mechanism for the retirement of persistent underperformers. But a more rigorous and sophisticated system is needed to enhance accountability and ensure standards are raised. The new arrangements must be carefully structured, with clear objectives, to ensure they are transparent and fair. The system should include assessment of much-needed collaboration between different branches of the service as well as performance within departments. Lee has highlighted the need for reform of the bureaucracy in his policy addresses. Steps taken include amending the civil service code and introducing new awards for high performers. The civil service needs to modernise to improve efficiency, embrace new technology, and better meet the needs of the community. The new accountability system will help, but the process of reform must continue.
