Hong Kong: DANGER posting.

[Al E. Vator]

A message to CX, Dragon Air etc.

The HK Press and Donald Tsang can ignore this but the expatriate labour force isn't. To preserve their health and that of their kids, Expats are leaving HK in droves and companies are now having to pay danger-money to lure new employees.

From todays Fairfax press in Australia originally from Financial Times Asia:

Expats steer clear of Hong Kong air
Marc Moncrief
March 12, 2007



Photo: AP
Something in the air: smog pervades Hong Kong Disneyland.

POLLUTION is chasing professionals out of Hong Kong and could undermine the financial centre's prospects, according to the editor of the Financial Times Asia edition.

FT Asia editor Victor Mallet said many of Hong Kong's financial heavyweights had begun to look elsewhere for better places to work and raise children.

"Some investment bankers, fund managers, hedge fund managers and others who are mobile are already beginning in some cases to move from Hong Kong — say, to Singapore — for the sake of their families," Mr Mallet said.

A study released in September by human resources firm Hudson showed air pollution was making it difficult for 35 per cent of businesses to attract talent to Hong Kong.

Forty-four per cent of executives said expatriate employees were leaving Hong Kong companies because of air pollution. The bulk of those who left — 34 per cent — relocated to Singapore, while 21 per cent came to Australia.

To attract talent, companies were offering higher wages or better housing allowances to expatriates.

Hong Kong is east Asia's premier financial services centre, but its air is among the dirtiest in the world — far dirtier than other well-known smog-afflicted cities such as Los Angeles or Tokyo.

Much of the money stoking China's expansion enters via Hong Kong, making the city's health key to the world's growth engine.

Last week Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao told the country's annual parliamentary gathering that China must become greener — even if that means reining in economic growth.

China's economy grew 10.7 per cent last year, but Mr Wen said the country should try to slow that rate to 8 per cent.

"We must make energy saving, decreased energy consumption, reduced emission of pollutants and intensive use of land the breakthrough point and main fulcrum for accelerating economic restructuring and changing the pattern of economic growth," Mr Wen said.

But despite the rhetoric, China's carbon emissions are expected to increase to nearly three times 2003 levels by 2030. FT Asia's Mr Mallet said Chinese internal politics would have to change for Mr Wen's words to bring action.

"You know the old saying about China; "The mountains are high and the emperor is far away.' " Mr Mallet said. "That applies to environmental policy and investment policy as much as anything else."

http://geobay.com/a3f259

The message seems clear. With an ever worsening pilot-shortage, HK airlines will need to come up with more attractive packages or basing plans to attract and retain aircrew and thus maintain their business plans.

Time for the pilot union to start applying pressure.

[jtr]

"Time for the pilot union to start applying pressure."

Now on a more serious note....

[Dirty Lungs]

From terradaily.com....:uhoh:

Hong Kong Pollution Leaves Tourists Choking

http://www.terradaily.com/images/hong-kong-night-bg.jpg
Hong Kong at night.
by Staff Writers
Hong Kong (AFP) Mar 20, 2006
Green activists said Sunday that Hong Kong's multi-billion dollar tourism industry was at risk after a survey found half the visitors to the city had complained of the worsening air pollution.

Friends of the Earth Hong Kong said the poll of tour guides also found that one in ten tourists suffered pollution-linked health problems while visiting the semi-autonomous southern Chinese territory.
The poll of more than 150 tour guides and agents who accompanied overseas and mainland Chinese tourists in Hong Kong also found that 40 percent of visitors were aware of the city's pollution problems before arriving. "Hong Kong's lucrative tourism business, its international image and its citizens' health are at risk from the pollution in this city," said Edwin Lau, Friends of the Earth Hong Kong coordinator.
"Matters have got to a terrible state in a very quick time," Lau added, citing an study that found Hong Kong Airport recorded one day of smog-related poor visibility in every 3.5 days last year, up from one in eight in 2002.
Last week smog levels rose to such dangerously high levels that the government was forced to warn people with breathing or heart problems to stay indoors.
Visibility also plummeted, blocking out the city's famous high-rise views and reducing visibility in the busy harbour to less than a kilometer.
The government has said most of the pollution rolls in from mainland China's heavily industrialised Pearl River delta region, which has seen huge economic growth in the past decade.
However, Friends of the Earth Hong Kong and local campaigners Clear the Air say local power producers are also major culprits.
"The pollution is not 'coming down from China'," said Annelise Connell, chairperson of Clear The Air, in a statement. "The sulphur dioxide levels are really bad ... which shows that our own power plants are involved in regional pollution," she added.
Lau said Hong Kong's two major power plants, which use a high level of polluting coal, and the city's bus companies, which rely on vehicles with poor emissions controls, were the major sources of pollution. Tourism last year brought in a record 22 million visitors.


If you are thinking of moving here (especially with a family), then educate yourself. A good place to start: www.cleartheair.com.hk (http://www.cleartheair.com.hk) :( :( :(

[aubo]

Very correct about pollution, but an even greater issue is the discrimination that the Chinese are pounding us with hourly. I can't wait to get out, 17 years is enough of their crap. Even CX (London via HL) is attacking us before the plane is to lifts off of the ground. Their ignorance is becoming their education level.

[VR-HFX]

Are you all just tired or both sick and tired?

Have the mercury levels in your system checked.

There have been enough bad stories in the past 12 months to make me believe there is a real health problem in the pilot community in HK.

The common denominator seemed to be KA and living in DB but some recent CX cases have also come to light. In my mind there is now more than anecdotal proof to suggest working in HK and spending a lot fo time in China will reduce your life expectancy.

If you are suffering from short-term memory loss...and I mean more than just forgetting where last month's salary went...and problems with coordination...get out of HK and get it checked. Some doctors in OZ are building up quite a data base.

Perhaps Dr Cocks could put some numbers on the board?

[wannagetout]

I think this is an excellent idea. Lets hear what the pollution and living in HK is doing to us. Please list anyone (no names) you have heard of who has been ill. I bet there are dozens.......They just won't admit it.

[Shagtastic]

Was just reading an article in MoneyWeek which advises investors to get out of Chinese investments such as stocks.

The reason being Chinas' ageing population with no pensions provisions, it's one child policy means there are not enough workers to support the old, and it's worsening pollution accelerating health problems amongst it's population.

Net result is that China will not be able to sustain it's economic growth at current levels. Not a bad thing when it comes to endangered speices used as cures for erectile dysfunction in the rich.:eek:

As for heavy metal poisons in your system you can get 95% of it out with carbon injections directly into the liver where they accumulate. The carbon binds to the heavy metals and your system then excretes it. Not cheap though, about £2000 in Europe for a course of 6 injections and a blood test or two.

Shags

[hostile23]

I agree with this post. Having heard of a lot of people getting sick. I heard of a CX guy recently long term sick that won't be coming back. Some viral thing. Maybe just a rumour but I could see it happening more and more with the patterns we are forced to do these days.

[AAIGUY]

Bought Air Purifier last week. It's been running nonstop in clean mode. (it tells what mode its in..)

[hostile23]

Yep, but I think the air quality is only part of the problem. I think the hotels we stay in are pretty shabby. I have heard of guys picking up some pretty awful sounding bugs at some of these places. Especially the 777 guys. God knows what bugs are lurking out there just waiting.

[hostile23]

Just FYI, the guy in question had some very nasty virus. Found out yesterday he resigned. Anyone know him?

[Lowkoon]

Saturday was a record level of polution in central, the government are all over it though, they blamed light winds and sunlight for the high reading. :ugh: Ummm would have thought it was cars, taxis and busses and power stations that caused it, but there you go! You learn something new every day! Imagine, a place, a horrible place that just has light breezes and plenty of sunshine, must be one polluted ****h@le! Lucky these guys are in charge. :hmm:

[hostile23]

Hearing of more and more expats leaving. My wife is getting fed up with the pollution and the general poor quality of life in Hong Kong. My kids are suffering quite badly as well with mystery illnesses all the time. I really think I will be moving on soon. I'm not even really enjoying the job either so what's the point in staying?

[Mink]

Pollution in Hong Kong
The big wheeze

Mar 29th 2007 | HONG KONG
From The Economist print edition
Where official thinking is as foggy as the sky



https://www.economist.com/images/20070331/CAS132.gif
HONG KONG'S harbour offers one of the world's most spectacular views—when you can see it through the smog that often shrouds it. The government lays the blame largely on emissions drifting from mainland China, implying Hong Kong is powerless to clean up its air. Yet much of the blame lies at home.
Over the past decade the number of hazy days has increased dramatically most years (see chart). Poor air is forcing runners and hikers back indoors wheezing. No other developed city has such filthy air. Hong Kong's air pollutant concentrations are now 200% above norms set by the World Health Organisation.
A government study a few years ago claimed that 80% of Hong Kong's pollution came from mainland factories and power plants. However, a new report by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and Civic Exchange, a think-tank, finds that in 2006 Hong Kong's air pollution was caused more often by local sources (road traffic, coal-fired power stations and ships) than by factories in southern China. Local emissions were the main cause of pollution on 192 days; those from the Pearl River Delta on the mainland on 132 days. The other 41 days had low pollution.


This does not necessarily contradict the government's findings. Pollution from the mainland may well be worse measured by volume, so more pollution probably does come from the mainland (where many factories are owned by Hong Kong firms). But the findings do suggest that Hong Kong can itself do more to improve its air.
For a start, the government could come clean about the problem. The official air pollution index (API) is a sham. When it gives a “moderate” reading, the same pollution could register “very high” on the EU's measure. Anthony Hedley, of the University of Hong Kong, estimates that air pollution causes 1,600 deaths a year, and 6.8m visits to the doctor—one for every resident. Pollution brings heavy costs besides health care. Hong Kong has become a less desirable place to live. Firms report that they are having to pay more to lure foreign talent. So dirty air hurts Hong Kong's competitiveness as well as its citizens' lungs.

[niceneasy]

My daughter and I repatriated (to Australia) some six months ago. That clear runny nose she had for three and a half years in HK disappeared immediately (she is now four). Ex husband remains in HK and has had some lurgy (coughing mainly, hacking and some also a non descript, almost consant cold like symptom) for basically five years. Someone called it the "100 day cough" when we first arrived. Well, several hundred have gone by now. The black gunk (excuse me) doesn't come out of my nose any more. Many, many of my friends ignore the pollution because of the $. (We had made a decision to repatriate because of the pollution - the separation simply brought it fwd a little while).