The Transport Department (TD) today (June 3) reminded the public that to facilitate tram track renewal work at Connaught Road West, parts of the traffic lanes of Des Voeux Road West and Connaught Road West will be temporarily closed from about 10am next Monday (June 10) to about 10am on June 24 (Monday).
 
     During the above works period, all vehicles exceeding 10 metres in length will be temporarily prohibited from turning left from Connaught Road West westbound onto Wing Lok Street and diverted via Des Voeux Road West westbound, Queen Street southbound, Queen's Road West westbound, Centre Street northbound, Des Voeux Road West eastbound, Queen Street northbound and Connaught Road West eastbound.
 
     Appropriate traffic signs and road markings will be erected on-site to guide motorists.
 
     The TD anticipates that the traffic in the vicinity of the above road sections will be relatively busy. Motorists should exercise tolerance and patience in case of traffic congestion. Members of the public are advised to be alert to the latest traffic news or the department's website (www.td.gov.hk).
 

     The Labour Department (LD) will hold a public talk entitled "Work and healthy lifestyle" on June 10 (Monday). It will discuss how to adopt a healthy lifestyle, through a balanced diet, regular exercise, adequate rest and stress management, to help employees face daily work and challenges. Demonstration of workplace exercise will also be included.
      
     The talk will be given by the LD's occupational health nurse at 3pm in the Lecture Hall, Hong Kong Science Museum, 2 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui.
      
     The LD will hold another talk entitled "Health hazards of hot environment at work" on June 19 (Wednesday). The talk, designed for workers in a hot environment to enhance their awareness of heat stroke prevention, will cover the symptoms, first aid treatment and preventive measures of heat stroke.
      
     The talk will be given by the LD's occupational health nurse and occupational hygienist at 3pm in Activity Room 1, G/F, Hong Kong Central Library, 66 Causeway Road, Causeway Bay.
      
     Both talks will be conducted in Cantonese. Admission is free. For enquiries or registration, please call 2852 4040.

     The Education Bureau (EDB) announced today (June 3) that the Mainland University Study Subsidy Scheme (MUSSS) 2019/20 will, from today until September 2, be open for applications from eligible Hong Kong students pursuing undergraduate studies in 181 designated Mainland institutions.
      
     Eligible students may apply for means-tested subsidy or non-means-tested subsidy under the MUSSS, while the former is for students who have passed a means test only. The subsidy under MUSSS is granted on a yearly basis. The subsidised period would be the normal duration of the undergraduate programmes pursued by the student concerned in the designated Mainland institution. Eligible applicants could only receive either means-tested subsidy or non-means-tested subsidy in an academic year.
      
     For the 2019/20 academic year, the amount of full-rate subsidy and half-rate subsidy under means-tested subsidy are HK$16,800 and HK$8,400 respectively. The amount of non-means-tested subsidy is HK$5,600. There are 181 designated Mainland institutions, including 112 institutions participating in the 2019/20 Scheme for Admission of Hong Kong students to Mainland Higher Education Institutions and 69 others. The MUSSS is not subject to any quota.
      
     "It is envisaged that the MUSSS will benefit the bulk of Hong Kong students pursuing undergraduate studies in the Mainland with different financial needs. Hong Kong students who receive and have completed senior secondary education in Hong Kong, including those studying local and non-local curricula as well as non-Chinese speaking students, and meeting other criteria, will be eligible for the MUSSS," said a spokesman for the EDB.
      
     Details of the MUSSS and the application form are available at the EDB website (www.edb.gov.hk/en/edu-system/postsecondary/policy-doc/musss/2019.html). Eligible students should submit the completed application forms to the EDB by post, on or before August 2 (for students who entered the designated Mainland institutions before the 2019/20 academic year) or September 2 (for students who will first enter the designated Mainland institutions in the 2019/20 academic year). The EDB will notify individual applicants of the application result by the first quarter of 2020.

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (June 3) that due to big waves, the red flag has been hoisted at Lo So Shing Beach in Islands District. Beach-goers are advised not to swim at the beach.

     To support the employment of persons with disabilities, the Social Welfare Department (SWD) launched the Support Programme for Employees with Disabilities (SPED) in June 2013 to provide employers of persons with disabilities with a one-off subsidy for each employee with disabilities for procurement of assistive devices and/or workplace modifications. The programme seeks to facilitate employees with disabilities in discharging their duties in the workplace and enhance their work efficiency. The SPED is open for application all year round with effect from February 11, 2019.
      
     The subsidy is capped at a maximum support level of $20,000 for each employee with disabilities. Starting from 2014-15, a grant of up to $40,000 may be considered for deserving cases for which the price of a single item of assistive device and its essential accessories exceeds $20,000.
      
     A wide range of assistive devices and workplace modifications which cater to the special needs of employees with disabilities at the workplace will be considered. Examples include computer accessories or adaptive equipment, optical magnifying devices, hearing and assistive devices, Braille products and handrails.
      
     The Po Leung Kuk has been commissioned to serve as the SPED Administrator. It assists in administering and promoting SPED, provides advisory services and follows up on the progress of the subsidised programmes, prepares assessments on the applications and make recommendations to the Committee on the SPED set up by the SWD for consideration.
      
     Employers may apply for a subsidy under the SPED through nomination of the following referring organisations:
 

1. non-governmental organisations (NGOs) operating SWD-subvented vocational rehabilitation services;
2. NGOs running training courses for persons with disabilities or persons recovering from work injuries with the funding support of the Employees Retraining Board;
3. the Selective Placement Division of the Labour Department;
4. the Vocational Training Council; or
5. the SPED Administrator (Po Leung Kuk).

             
     Employers may submit their completed application forms together with the required documents by mail or by hand to the SWD through the referring organisations. No application fee is required and each applicant may submit more than one application.

     For enquiries, please contact Po Leung Kuk SPED Office by phone at 3980 9677, by email at sped@poleungkuk.org.hk or by fax at 3980 9633.

     For more details, the information note and SPED application form, people may visit and download from the SWD homepage www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_rehab/sub_listofserv/id_vocational/id_sped.