Special traffic arrangements will be implemented in Happy Valley today (March 6). 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 Hospital Authority:

     During the winter surge, the Hospital Authority is closely monitoring the service demand of Accident and Emergency Departments and the occupancy rate in public hospitals. Key service statistics are being issued daily for public information. Details are in the appended table.

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 (March 6) that due to big waves, red flags have been hoisted at Stanley Main Beach and Big Wave Bay Beach in Southern District, Hong Kong Island; Clear Water Bay Second Beach in Sai Kung District.  Beach-goers are advised not to swim at these beaches.

     The 2019 Community Cultural Ambassador Scheme organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department has been rolled out recently with the aim of promoting arts in the community. Leading the Scheme are 20 Cultural Ambassadors comprising local performing artists and arts groups who will present some 570 events from March covering a wide range of art forms including music, dance, Chinese opera, theatre and multimedia art at community venues.
 
     This year, two special topics are featured in addition to the events for the general public. They are performing arts projects designed for encouraging youth participation and projects themed "Stay Strong under Adversity".
 
     Performing arts projects designed for encouraging youth participation include:

– "I Ain't Afraid of No Jazz" by Wong Tak-chung, Patrick Lui and Alan Kwan;
– "Along the Silk Road" by Windpipe Chinese Music Ensemble;
– "Merry Go-Round in Shatin" by Rex Cheng and Iris Lau;
– "Slash Youth．Random Thoughts" by Musical Trio;
– "Grad in My Dream" by Hong Kong Circus;
– "Hong Kong Smarties' Spy" by Theatre Space; and
– "A Better Tomorrow" by Theatre Ronin.
 
     Performing arts projects themed "Stay Strong under Adversity" include:

– "Amazing Plants: Survive in a Tight Corner" by the Studio Theatre for Love and Life;
– "'Stand up and tall' Stories about Wenchuan Earthquake" by Class 7A Drama Group;
– "Hong Kong Heroic Stories: Adversity Makes Men" by Chan Suk-yi, Ng Kit-yan, Ng Yui-man and Wong Yat-hei;
– "The Nonsensemakers Hand in Hand Capable Theatre – I M Perfect Rainbow" by the Nonsensemakers; and
– "Fallen Butterfly – Stress Relief and Soar above City and Suburb" by Siu Lung Fung Dance Theater.
 
     Performing arts projects featuring both topics include:

– "Chinese Music Wave" by Hua Xia Chinese Music Association;
– "Self-Searching and Gratification through World Music" by John Chen Ensemble;
– Street Dance Theatre "Hidden Dragon" by Wong Chi-wing, Lo Cheuk-on and Shaw Siu-wai;
– "Heading Ahead" by DanceArt Hong Kong;
– "'Call Me Hipster' Youth Multi-arts Life-education Programme" by Arts' Options; and
– "Journey to the West: Everyone is Good at Something" by Drama Gallery.
 
     Other projects include:

– "Cantonese Opera Open Stage" by Wong Siu-sang; and
– "Passing on the Mellifluous Legacy – The Mei School of Peking Opera" by the Hong Kong Youth of Chinese Opera College.
 
     For detailed information, please call 2591 1300 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/ab/en/ccas2019.php or the Facebook page and Instagram account of the Community Cultural Ambassador Scheme.
 
     The Community Cultural Ambassador Scheme has been held since 1999. Every year, through an open invitation exercise, local performing artists and arts groups are invited to act as Cultural Ambassadors to conduct a wide range of interesting and meaningful outreach activities including workshops, lecture demonstrations, exhibitions and performances at various public spaces in the community so as to develop interest among the general public or different community groups in performing arts, and make arts part of daily life.

     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, today (March 5) attended the opening ceremony of the second session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC). She also visited a cultural and technological innovation park and took part in an exchange session at a financial institution.

     The second session of the 13th NPC commenced in Beijing this morning. Premier Li Keqiang delivered the government work report in the meeting, which Mrs Lam attended as the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

     Premier Li reviewed the work in 2018 in the government work report, including the substantive progress made in the development plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the commissioning of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. On the promotion of regional co-ordinated development, the report noted that the development plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area will be implemented in 2019, strengthening regulatory interface, fostering efficient flows of factors of production and facilitating personnel exchange. Premier Li reiterated in the work report that the Central Government supports Hong Kong in seizing the immense opportunities brought about by the Belt and Road Initiative and the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and in giving full play to Hong Kong's advantages to fully enhance mutually beneficial co-operation with the Mainland. Mrs Lam said she was most encouraged, adding that the HKSAR Government will uphold the "One Country, Two Systems" principle to promote proactively the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

     In the afternoon, accompanied by the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, Mrs Lam toured Tianning No.1 Cultural and Technological Innovation Park. Revitalised from an idle power plant with the preservation of industrial heritage, including the main plant and power generation boilers, the site has been transformed into an open-plan industrial park for projects featuring cultural-financial and cultural-technological integration. Mrs Lam visited a media creative workshop and an art performance venue in the park and exchanged views with the persons-in-charge there.

     Mrs Lam then attended a seminar organised by Bank of China, at which she briefed more than 300 participants, including the bank management and staff members as well as enterprise representatives, on the vision and actions of the HKSAR Government. Stressing that Hong Kong possesses unique advantages under "One Country, Two Systems" and various traditional strengths, Mrs Lam said the city will strive to boost its external relations and proactively participate in and contribute to the Belt and Road Initiative and the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. On the financial services industry, Mrs Lam pointed out that Hong Kong is an international centre for banking, asset and wealth management as well as insurance and risk management, with leading global offshore Renminbi business and capital markets, and is promoting the development of the bond market, green finance and financial technology. She said that Hong Kong will seize the opportunities brought about by the country's relaxation of market access in the financial industry and strive to enhance and consolidate Hong Kong's financial services.

     In the evening, Mrs Lam attended a dinner hosted by the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong. She will continue her visit to Beijing tomorrow (March 6).