Special traffic arrangements will be implemented in Happy Valley tomorrow (April 24). The arrangements will come into effect one and a half hours before the start of the first race and will last until the crowds have dispersed after the race meeting.

A. Traffic arrangements before the commencement of the first race

1. Road closure

     Southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Queen's Road East and the up-ramp outside Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) will be closed except for vehicles heading for Aberdeen Tunnel.

2. Traffic diversions

– Southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Village Road and the up-ramp outside HKJC will be re-routed one way northbound;
– Vehicles from eastbound Queen's Road East heading for Wan Chai and Happy Valley will be diverted to turn left to Morrison Hill Road;
– Traffic along southbound Morrison Hill Road heading for Happy Valley will be diverted via Sports Road and Wong Nai Chung Road;
– Traffic along Queen's Road East cannot turn right to Wong Nai Chung Road except for vehicles heading to Aberdeen Tunnel;
– Traffic from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Queen's Road East will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from southbound Canal Road flyover to Morrison Hill Road to turn right at the junction of Wong Nai Chung Road and Queen's Road East; and
– Traffic from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Happy Valley or Racecourse will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from southbound Canal Road flyover to Canal Road East, southbound Morrison Hill Road, Sports Road and Wong Nai Chung Road.

B. Traffic arrangements before the conclusion of race meeting

1. Road closure

     The following roads will be closed from 35 minutes before the start of the last race:

– The up-ramp on Wong Nai Chung Road outside HKJC leading to Aberdeen Tunnel;
– Southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Queen's Road East and the up-ramp leading to Aberdeen Tunnel;
– Southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Village Road and the Public Stands of HKJC;
– Westbound Leighton Road between Wong Nai Chung Road and Canal Road East; and
– Southbound Morrison Hill Road between Leighton Road and Queen's Road East.

     In addition, southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between the up-ramp leading to Aberdeen Tunnel and the Public Stands of HKJC will be closed from about 10 minutes before the start of the last race.

2. Traffic diversions
     
     The following traffic arrangements will be implemented from 35 minutes before the start of the last race:

– Eastbound Queen's Road East at its junction with Morrison Hill Road will be reduced to one-lane traffic heading for northbound Canal Road flyover;
– Vehicles from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Wan Chai will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from Canal Road East, U-turn slip road beneath Canal Road flyover, Canal Road West and Hennessy Road;
– Vehicles from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Happy Valley will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from Canal Road East, eastbound Leighton Road and Wong Nai Chung Road;
– Traffic on southbound Morrison Hill Road will be diverted to turn left to eastbound Leighton Road;
– Traffic along southbound Morrison Hill Road heading for Happy Valley will be diverted via eastbound Leighton Road and Wong Nai Chung Road; and
– Traffic along westbound Leighton Road will be diverted to Wong Nai Chung Road.

C. Learner drivers prohibition

     Learner drivers will be prohibited to turn left from Caroline Hill Road to Leighton Road between one and a half hours before the start of the first race and one hour after the last race. In addition, learner drivers will be prohibited from accessing the following roads within the above period of time:

– Shan Kwong Road between Yik Yam Street and Wong Nai Chung Road;
– Village Road between its upper and lower junctions with Shan Kwong Road;
– Percival Street between Hennessy Road and Leighton Road;
– Canal Road East; and
– The service road leading from Gloucester Road to Canal Road flyover.

D. Suspension of parking spaces

     Parking spaces on southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Sports Road and Blue Pool Road will be suspended from 11am to 7pm during day racing, from 4.30pm to 11.59pm during evening racing, and from 5pm to 11.59pm during night racing.

     Any vehicles found illegally parked within the precincts of the above affected areas will be towed away without prior notice.

     Actual implementation of road closure and traffic diversion will be made by the Police at the time depending on traffic conditions in the areas. Motorists should exercise tolerance and patience, and follow the instructions of Police on site.

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

     Exchange Fund Bills tender results:
 

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     Hong Kong Monetary Authority tenders to be held in the week beginning April 29, 2019:
 

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:

     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (April 23) that since the water off Silver Mine Bay Beach in Islands District is now suitable for swimming, the red flag has been lowered.

     The red flag was hoisted at the beach earlier on after a red tide was found.

     The Social Welfare Department (SWD) will invite applications from tomorrow (April 24) until May 31 from eligible individuals and organisations for the Jockey Club IT Scheme for People with Visual Impairment (28th Round) and the Central Fund for Personal Computers (40th Round).
           
     The objectives of the Jockey Club IT Scheme for People with Visual Impairment are to support non-governmental and non-profit-making organisations providing services or schooling for persons with visual impairment (PVIs) to acquire advanced Chinese screen readers, Braille displays and accessories to assist PVIs to surf the Internet, and to subsidise individual PVIs in need to purchase these devices for the purpose of studying or employment and with genuine financial difficulty. Previous beneficiaries of the Scheme may re-apply if there are proven genuine financial difficulties and needs for study or employment purposes.
           
     The items supported under the scheme are advanced Chinese screen readers, Braille displays of 40 cells and accessories/portable devices.
           
     Successful organisation applicants will be supported in full for purchasing a high-performance Chinese screen reader set (capped at $9,800) and/or Braille displays (capped at $36,000) and/or accessories (capped at $66,300) on the reference list under the Scheme. Successful individual applicants will be sponsored to purchase a high-performance Chinese screen reader set with an amount not more than $9,800 and/or accessories/portable devices not more than $49,600 in value and/or Braille displays on the same reference list not more than $32,400 in value.
           
     Eligible organisations may lodge their applications by completing the designated forms. For individual applications, nomination from subvented non-governmental rehabilitation organisations, the student affairs offices of local tertiary institutions, principals of local secondary/primary schools, or the Selective Placement Division of the Labour Department (LD) is required, and applications should be submitted through the nominating organisation in the designated form together with the quotations for the items concerned. Invitation letters have been sent to the relevant organisations to invite nominations.
           
     As for the Central Fund for Personal Computers, the Fund aims to assist eligible persons with disabilities in acquiring the required computer facilities for self-employment or receiving supported employment services at home with guidance and follow-up services to be provided by the referral rehabilitation organisations or the Selective Placement Division of the LD. Applicants must:
      
(a) be users of rehabilitation services of and nominated by rehabilitation service organisations or the Selective Placement Division of the LD;
(b) have difficulties in engaging in open employment;
(c) provide a viable business plan which has to use computer facilities;
(d) have financial difficulty in acquiring the required computer facilities;
(e) be capable of using computer to carry out the business plan; and
(f) have the consent of the nominating organisations or the LD to provide guidance and follow-up services after the applicants' acquisition of the computer facilities.
           
     For enquiries, please contact the Rehabilitation and Medical Social Services Branch of the SWD at 3586 3594, through email to eoimc@swd.gov.hk or by fax to 2834 7046.
           
     Details of the above schemes are available on the SWD website (www.swd.gov.hk) and CyberAble.net (www.CyberAble.net). Information notes and application forms can be downloaded from the websites.
 

     The Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Michelle Li, today (April 23) signed a Letter of Intent on Cultural Exchange and Co-operation with the Director of the Henan Provincial Administration of Cultural Heritage, Mr Tian Kai, to strengthen cultural exchange and collaboration between the two sides and facilitate the sharing of resources.

     In the coming five years, the two sides will strive to strengthen exchange and collaboration, such as organising new exhibitions through co-curation and loan of exhibits. Communication among museum professionals of both sides will be enhanced by knowledge sharing and training activities including museum forums and thematic seminars. Collaboration in exchange and training on heritage conservation will be enhanced. Co-operation plans will be formulated to promote research and education on antiquity studies. The two sides will also work closer to create synergy by exchanging information on co-organising major exhibitions with foreign museums.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department endeavours to deepen its relationship with Mainland museums and cultural institutes. Agreements were signed last year with several of them, including the Shanghai Museum, the Hubei Provincial Museum, the National Museum of China and the Nanjing Museum.