Grading of beach water quality released

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (May 31) released the latest grading of water quality for 38 gazetted beaches that are open for swimming and one non-gazetted beach (i.e. Discovery Bay*).   
   
     Fifteen beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 14 as Fair (Grade 2), nine as Poor (Grade 3) and one as Very Poor (Grade 4).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:
 

Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach Repulse Bay Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach Shek O Beach
Discovery Bay South Bay Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach St Stephen's Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach Stanley Main Beach
Kwun Yam Beach Tong Fuk Beach
Lo So Shing Beach Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Pui O Beach  

 
Grade 2 beaches are:
 

Cafeteria New Beach Kadoorie Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach Kiu Tsui Beach
Castle Peak Beach Middle Bay Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach Silverstrand Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach Ting Kau Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach Trio Beach
Golden Beach Turtle Cove Beach

 
Grade 3 beaches are:
 

Anglers' Beach Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Approach Beach Lido Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Butterfly Beach Silver Mine Bay Beach
Casam Beach  

 
Grade 4 beach is:
Lower Cheung Sha Beach
 
* Discovery Bay is a non-gazetted beach without lifeguard service.
 
     Compared with the grading released last week, Kiu Tsui Beach, Trio Beach and Turtle Cove Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2; Approach Beach, Casam Beach, Lido Beach and Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach from Grade 2 to Grade 3; and Lower Cheung Sha Beach from Grade 1 to Grade 4.
      
     "The deterioration of water quality at Lower Cheung Sha Beach was due to the heavy rain on May 28, while the changes in the other beaches are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches," an EPD spokesman said.
      
     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades according to the level of E. coli in the water. Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.
      
     While the ratings represent the general water quality at the beaches, the EPD spokesman reminded members of the public that water quality could be temporarily affected during and after periods of heavy rain. Bathers should avoid swimming at beaches for up to three days after a storm or heavy rainfall.
      
     A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. The latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the department's website on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.




Crowd safety management measures and special traffic arrangements for public order events on June 4

     Police will implement crowd safety management measures and special traffic arrangements on June 4 (Tuesday) to facilitate the holding of two public order events on Hong Kong Island.

(1)

Crowd safety management measures
——————————–

     All the gates to Victoria Park will be opened to arriving participants, except for Gate 5 and 15.

     Participants are encouraged to use public transport to go to Victoria Park and enter the venue through two ingress points: from the west via Gates 6 and 7 (entrances near Sugar Street and Great George Street) and from the east through Gate 14 (Hing Fat Street near Lau Sin Street). Participants arriving by MTR are advised to use exits A1 and A2 of MTR Tin Hau Station to reach Lau Sin Street and Gate 14 for convenient access to Victoria Park. Depending on the crowd situation, a queuing system will be initiated at Tin Hau Station Public Transport Interchange and the car park area along Hing Fat Street to facilitate the crowd (See diagram 1).

     When the football pitches 1 to 6 are saturated, the event marshals will direct the participants coming from the east side to the Central Lawn via the South Boulevard, or direct those coming from the west side to the Central Lawn via the West Boulevard and then via the North Boulevard (See diagram 2).

     When the Central Lawn is also saturated, the event marshals will direct the participants coming from the east side to the Band Stand via the East Boulevard and then the North Boulevard, or direct those coming from the west side to the Band Stand via the West Boulevard and then the North Boulevard (See diagram 3).

     Depending on the crowd situation, a section of Gloucester Road service road will be closed to facilitate the arriving crowd to enter the venue. Participants are not allowed to gather at Gloucester Road service road at any time to avoid causing obstruction. Police will also implement crowd safety management measures along Gloucester Road service road to facilitate members of the public to enter the park.

     For the safety of participants and other venue users, Police have designated both the South Boulevard and Middle Boulevard as the emergency vehicle access (EVA). In the event of an emergency where urgent assistance is required, vehicles may require speedy access along this route. Notices demarcating the EVA will be posted by the Police.

     To facilitate the arrival of participants, particularly to the Central Lawn area, Police will open up a section of the EVA between Gate 14 and the junction of Middle Boulevard and South Boulevard till about 8.30pm (See diagram 4). To keep the EVA clear is of paramount importance for the safety of participants. For such reason, participants are advised not to gather at the EVA at any time. All persons operating promotional or souvenir stalls should also avoid blockage of gates and ingress routes.

     On the event day, there will be public announcements inside Victoria Park to keep participants informed of the latest situation and amendments to arrangements. Participants are requested to follow the directions given by the event marshals and Police officers on site.

Special traffic arrangements
—————————-

A. Road closure

     Depending on the prevailing crowd and traffic situation, the following roads may be closed from about 4pm until the crowd has dispersed and traffic resumes normal:

– Sugar Street;
– Great George Street;
– Kingston Street;
– Paterson Street;
– Cleveland Street;
– Northbound Gloucester Road between Causeway Road and Gloucester Road service road; and
– Gloucester Road U-turn slip road between southbound and northbound Gloucester Road underneath Tai Hang Road flyover.

     Depending on the prevailing crowd and traffic situation, the following roads may be closed from about 6pm until the crowd has dispersed and traffic resumes normal:

– Southbound Gloucester Road between westbound Gloucester Road and Causeway Road;
– Tai Hang Road flyover;
– Hing Fat Street between Causeway Road and Lau Li Street, except for franchised buses and green minibuses (GMBs);
– Electric Road between Tsing Fung Street and Hing Fat Street, except for vehicles accessing to Park Towers;
– Lau Li Street between Hing Fat Street and Ngan Mok Street, except for vehicles accessing to Park Towers; and
– Yacht Street.

B. Traffic diversions

     The following traffic diversions will be implemented during the road closure period:

– Lau Li Street between Electric Road and Hing Fat Street will be re-routed to one-way westbound. Public light buses are not allowed to enter;
– Traffic along eastbound Yee Wo Street cannot turn left to Sugar Street;
– Traffic along westbound Gloucester Road cannot turn left to Cleveland Street and Paterson Street;
– Traffic along northbound Tai Hang Road flyover cannot turn left to Kingston Street and northbound Gloucester Road;
– Traffic along northbound Tai Hang Road will be diverted via eastbound Tung Lo Wan Road;
– Traffic along Victoria Park Road flyover heading for Tai Hang area will be diverted via eastbound Victoria Park Road, Wing Hing Street, westbound King's Road and Tung Lo Wan Road;
– Traffic along Victoria Park Road flyover heading for Tai Hang Road flyover must turn right to westbound Gloucester Road;
– Traffic along eastbound Causeway Road cannot turn left to Hing Fat Street, except for franchised buses and GMBs;
– Traffic along westbound King’s Road cannot turn right to Hing Fat Street, except for franchised buses and GMBs;
– Traffic along southbound Electric Road must turn left to eastbound Yacht Street or turn right to westbound Tsing Fung Street, except for vehicles accessing to Park Towers; and
– Traffic along northbound Ngan Mok Street must turn right to eastbound Lau Li Street.

C. Suspension of parking spaces and car parks

     Disabled parking spaces at northbound Gloucester Road near Sugar Street and parking spaces at Hing Fat Street public car park (except the disabled parking spaces) will be suspended from 12 noon until the crowd has dispersed and traffic resumes normal.

(2)

     The following roads will be intermittently closed from 10pm until the crowd has dispersed and traffic resumes normal:

– Westbound Yee Wo Street;
– Westbound Jardine’s Bazaar;
– Westbound Hennessy Road;
– Westbound Queensway;
– Westbound Queen’s Road Central;
– Westbound Queen’s Road West;
– Western Street; and
– Chiu Kwong Street.

     During the road closure period, vehicles may not be allowed to enter or leave car parks and hotels on the closed roads.

     Actual implementation of the crowd safety management measures and traffic arrangements will be made depending on traffic and crowd conditions in the areas. Motorists are advised to pay attention to special traffic signs and take heed of instructions of Police at scene.




Exchange Fund Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced today (May 31) that the total assets of the Exchange Fund amounted to HK$4,245.5 billion as at April 30, 2019, HK$74.3 billion higher than that at the end of March 2019. Foreign currency assets increased by HK$14.5 billion and Hong Kong dollar assets increased by HK$59.8 billion.

     The rise in foreign currency assets was mainly due to income from foreign currency investments and an increase in unsettled purchases of securities, which were partly offset by the sale of US dollars under the Currency Board arrangements.  The rise in Hong Kong dollar assets was mainly due to an increase in Exchange Fund Bills and Notes issued but not yet settled and additional placements from Fiscal Reserves.
      
     The Currency Board Account shows that the Monetary Base at the end of April 2019 was HK$1,630.0 billion, decreased by HK$9.4 billion, or 0.6%, from the end of March 2019. The decline was mainly due to a decrease in the balance of the banking system.
      
     The amount of Backing Assets decreased by HK$7.0 billion, or 0.4%, to HK$1,808.5 billion.  The decrease was mainly due to the sale of US dollars under the Currency Board arrangements, which was partly offset by interest from investments. The backing ratio increased from 110.74% at the end of March 2019 to 110.95% at the end of April 2019.

*******************************************************************************************

     At present, four press releases relating to the Exchange Fund's data are issued by the HKMA each month. Three of these releases are issued to disseminate monetary data in accordance with the International Monetary Fund's Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS). The fourth press release, on the Exchange Fund's Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account, is made in accordance with the HKMA's policy of maintaining a high level of transparency. For the month of May 2019, the scheduled dates for issuing the press releases are as follows:
 

May 7
(Issued)
SDDS International Reserves
(Hong Kong's Latest Foreign Currency Reserve Assets Figures)
 
May 14
(Issued)
SDDS Analytical Accounts of the Central Bank (Analytical Accounts of the Exchange Fund)
 
May 31
 
SDDS Template on International Reserves and Foreign Currency Liquidity
 
May 31
 
Exchange Fund Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account
 

 




Residential mortgage survey results for April 2019

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced the results of the residential mortgage survey for April 2019.
 
     The number of mortgage applications in April decreased month-on-month by 4.3 per cent to 15 026.  
 
     Mortgage loans approved in April 2019 increased by 7.9 per cent compared with March to HK$40.2 billion. Among these, mortgage loans financing primary market transactions increased by 5.9 per cent to HK$8.4 billion and those financing secondary market transactions increased by 12.8 per cent to HK$21.2 billion. Mortgage loans for refinancing increased by 0.6 per cent to HK$10.6 billion. 
 
     Mortgage loans drawn down during April increased by 6.5 per cent compared with March to HK$21.3 billion. 
 
     The ratio of new mortgage loans priced with reference to HIBOR increased from 86.1 per cent in March to 89 per cent in April. The ratio of new mortgage loans priced with reference to best lending rates decreased from 10.8 per cent in March to 8.1 per cent in April.
 
     The outstanding value of mortgage loans increased month-on-month by 0.4 per cent to HK$1,337 billion at end-April. 
 
     The mortgage delinquency ratio remained unchanged at 0.02 per cent and the rescheduled loan ratio remained unchanged at nearly 0 per cent.




Monetary statistics for April 2019

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     According to statistics published today (May 31) by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, total deposits with authorised institutions rose by 1.3 per cent in April 2019. Hong Kong-dollar deposits expanded by 1.6 per cent during the month, mainly driven by increases in demand and time deposits. Overall foreign-currency deposits picked up by 1.1 per cent in April. Renminbi deposits in Hong Kong increased by 1.7 per cent to RMB612.3 billion at the end of April. The total remittance of renminbi for cross-border trade settlement amounted to RMB420.7 billion in April, compared with RMB464.5 billion in March 2019.
 
        Total loans and advances went up by 0.8 per cent in April. Among the total, loans for use in Hong Kong (including trade finance) grew by 1.0 per cent from a month ago, and loans for use outside Hong Kong edged up by 0.1 per cent (Note). The Hong Kong-dollar loan-to-deposit ratio decreased to 87.3 per cent at the end of April from 87.8 per cent at the end of March, as Hong Kong-dollar loans grew at a slower pace than Hong Kong-dollar deposits.
 
       On a seasonally-adjusted basis, Hong Kong-dollar M1 rose by 1.7 per cent in April and declined by 5.4 per cent year-on-year. Seasonally unadjusted Hong Kong-dollar M3 picked up by 1.5 per cent during the month and decreased by 0.3 per cent from a year earlier. 

Note: The December 2018 figures for loans for use in/outside Hong Kong have been restated to reflect authorised institutions' reclassification of working capital loans. The reported month-on-month and quarter-on-quarter growth rates are calculated based on the reclassified loan data. As reclassified loan data before December 2018 are not available, year-on-year growth rates of loans for use in/outside Hong Kong (including their sub-components) as shown in Table 1H of the Annex are calculated based on the data without such reclassification.