Cops-and-gangsters films have long been an important genre in Hong Kong's film industry, with exciting battles between cops and criminals appealing to film lovers. The Hong Kong Film Archive (HKFA) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department has selected five classic cops-and-gangsters films produced in the 1980s from its flagship programme "100 Must-See Hong Kong Movies" for screening at North District Town Hall in December.
 
     Details of the screenings are as follows:
 
"Man on the Brink" (1981)                                              December 7
"Long Arm of the Law" (1984), "Police Story" (1985)         December 8
"The Killer" (1989), "City on Fire" (1987)                          December 9
 
     Undercover cop stories are often featured in Hong Kong films, and "Man on the Brink" is a pioneering film from the genre. Following the steps of lead character Ah Chiu, audiences can observe his internal struggle when shifting between the lives of being a cop and a triad member. The film also brings back scenes of the Kowloon Walled City, the Yau Ma Tei Wholesale Fruit Market and a public housing estate from the early 1980s on the screen. "Man on the Brink" won four Golden Horse Awards for Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Actor.
 
     Also featuring the Kowloon Walled City, "Long Arm of the Law" is equally exciting. Guangzhou robber Da Dong comes to Hong Kong to strike it rich but ends up in failure. When he is wanted for killing a policeman, the chases and firing scenes between Da Dong and the police are breathtaking. The screening will be accompanied by a post-screening talk hosted by film critic Daniel Chan.
 
     "Police Story" marked the most important turning point in superstar Jackie Chan's career. Apart from being scriptwriter, director and actor, Chan also served as action choreographer, setting up lots of dangerous scenes. Chan demonstrates extremely difficult action moves while bringing his character of a desperate cop fighting fiercely against a drug lord to life. The film won trophies for Best Film and Best Action Choreography at the Hong Kong Film Awards.
 
     "The Killer" and "City on Fire" both co-star Chow Yun-fat and Danny Lee, though the two actors switch sides between the two films. In "The Killer", the kindred spirits of an assassin played by Chow and a crime unit inspector played by Lee encounter a dilemma between law and friendship, while in "City on Fire" Chow plays an undercover cop who develops a friendship with Lee, the boss of a gang. "The Killer" will be accompanied by a post-screening talk hosted by film critic David Chan.
 
     All films are in Cantonese. "Man on the Brink", "Long Arm of the Law" and "Police Story" are with Chinese and English subtitles. "The Killer" and "City on Fire" are with English subtitles.
 
     Tickets priced at $45 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For credit card telephone bookings, please call 2111 5999. For programme enquiries, please call 2739 2139 or visit www.filmarchive.gov.hk/en_US/web/hkfa/programmesandexhibitions/2018-100ms-ndth/film.html.

     Renowned writer and veteran journalist Dr Louis Cha passed away on October 30. The Hong Kong Heritage Museum will set up a condolence point outside the Jin Yong Gallery from November 12 to 30 for members of the public to sign a condolence book and pay tribute to Dr Cha.
 
     In order to keep access to the condolence point clear, members of the public are requested not bring flowers, flower baskets or wreaths to the museum.
 
     The Hong Kong Heritage Museum is located at 1 Man Lam Road, Sha Tin. The condolence point will be open from November 13 to 30 during the museum's opening hours, except for the first day (November 12), when it will be open from 4pm to 6pm. The museum is open from 10am to 6pm on Mondays, Wednesdays to Fridays, and from 10am to 7pm on Saturdays and Sundays. It is closed on Tuesdays.

     Attached please find the condolence statement, "Hong Kong Heritage Museum mourns Dr Louis Cha".

     The self-service library station located at Island East Sports Centre Sitting-out Area will suspend services from 10.15am on November 12 (Monday) to the end of the day to facilitate periodic inspection and system testing at the venue, a Leisure and Cultural Services Department spokesman announced today (November 7).
 
     During the service suspension period, readers are welcome to use other public libraries to borrow or return library materials, or to use book drop services to return library materials beyond service hours. They may also renew library materials by telephoning 2698 0002 or 2827 2833 or via www.hkpl.gov.hk.

     Following is a question by the Hon Yung Hoi-yan and a written reply by the Secretary for Development, Mr Michael Wong, in the Legislative Council today (November 7):
 
Question:
 
     During the onslaught of super typhoon Mangkhut in Hong Kong in September this year, the coastal areas (including Hong Kong Island East near Heng Fa Chuen, Shek O, South Horizons, Sha Tin, Tseung Kwan O, Sai Kung and Sha Tau Kok) suffered severe flooding and quite a number of facilities (including roads, piers and bridges) there were damaged. Such situations have given rise to doubts over the capability of existing seawalls and breakwaters to withstand winds and waves. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) whether it has assessed the correlation between the serious damage to the facilities along the seafront of Tseung Kwan O South during the onslaught of Mangkhut and the capability of the seawall there to withstand winds and waves; if so, of the outcome and follow-up measures; if not, the reasons for that;
 
(2) of the design standards adopted for the existing seawalls and breakwaters; when such standards were formulated, and the date on which such standards were last updated; and
 
(3) whether it will conduct a comprehensive review of the design standards for the construction of seawalls and breakwaters so as to strengthen the capability of such facilities to withstand winds and waves; if so, of the details and timetable; if not, the reasons for that?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     The geographical position of Hong Kong makes it susceptible to weather-related threats such as tropical cyclone, rainstorm and storm surge. In particular, some low-lying coastal or windy locations are vulnerable to seawater inundation caused by extreme storm surges or huge waves, and consequential damage to facilities situated near the seaside. As climate change goes drastic, threats induced by extreme weather are expected to be more frequent and severe. Attaching great importance to climate change, the Government established in April 2016 the Steering Committee on Climate Change under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary for Administration. Besides, the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) has established the Climate Change Working Group on Infrastructure to co-ordinate the work among various works departments on tackling climate change, actively conduct relevant studies, align design standards, and uplift the resilience of major public infrastructures.
 
     Having consulted relevant departments, I provide below a consolidated reply to the three parts of the Hon Yung's question:
 
(1) During the passage of a typhoon, waves approaching shores may overtop seawalls. On September 16 this year, the maximum sustained winds near the centre of Mangkhut was 195 kilometres per hour (km/h), higher than the same of 1962's Wanda, 1971's Rose and last year's Hato (which were all 185 km/h), thus intensifying the severity of overtopping waves. As a result, some low-lying coastal or windy locations were exposed to threats of seawater inundation, causing different levels of damage to seaside facilities.
 
     As far as the southern seaside of Tseung Kwan O is concerned, during the passage of Mangkhut, huge waves rolled up by strong winds overtopped the seawall, inundated the promenade and waterfront park, and caused damage to some facilities at the seaside. Nevertheless, the structural integrity of the seawalls were not severely affected by the wave attack of Mangkhut. The relevant seawall structure comply with the design standards set out in the Port Works Design Manual published between 2002 and 2004 by the Civil Engineering Department (CED) .
 
(2) The CED published the Port Works Manual in 1992 to provide general technical and application guidance for professionals engaging in the design, construction and maintenance of port structures in Hong Kong. In 2002 to 2004, the CED published the Port Works Design Manual. The manual is divided into five sections, namely General Design Considerations for Marine Works; Guide to Design of Piers and Dolphins; Guide to Design of Reclamation; Guide to Design of Seawalls and Breakwaters; and Guide to Design of Beaches. In view of the potential impact on marine works in Hong Kong due to climate change, the CEDD (note: the former Civil Engineering Department and the former Territory Development Department merged into the Civil Engineering and Development Department in 2004) updated the Port Works Design Manual in January this year, incorporating projections of rise in mean sea levels and increase in wind speed due to climate change. The CEDD will continue to make reference to the latest climate change projections, and to collect updated weather data. In collaboration with the Hong Kong Observatory in monitoring the latest situation, the CEDD will review and update design standards set out in the Port Works Design Manual in a timely manner in order to enhance the resilience of marine works against wave impacts.
 
(3) The CEDD will commission a consultancy study for a period of 18 to 24 months to conduct a comprehensive review on low-lying coastal and windy locations, and carry out relevant investigations on storm surge and wave, so as to assess the impacts of extreme weather. Based on the findings of the study, the Government will review if it is necessary to update relevant design standards set out in the Port Works Design Manual, and formulate appropriate protection measures including options of improvement works and management measures to strengthen the resilience to wave impacts at the coastal areas. The Government will carry out a multi-pronged assessment on the suggestions of flood prevention strategy to identify long-term solutions to problems caused by huge waves.

     The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) announced today (November 7) that a public auction for stalls at the 2019 Che Kung Festival Fair will be held on November 21 (Wednesday).
 
     The annual fair will be held for 18 days from February 2 to February 19, 2019, at Chui Tin Street Soccer Pitch in Sha Tin. The upset bidding prices for the 44 dry goods stalls and four wet goods stalls are $4,620 and $1,100 respectively.
 
     The auction will begin at 9.30am at Wo Che Community Hall, Wo Che Estate, Sha Tin. Dry goods stalls will be auctioned first, followed by wet goods stalls.
 
     Bidders must be at least 18 years old and ordinarily resident in Hong Kong.
     
     Anyone can bid for more than one stall. A bidder must pay the bid price and register in person with his or her own name as the licensee of the stall immediately after successfully bidding for a stall. The bidder is also required to sign at once a licence agreement with the FEHD, or will forfeit the rights to operate the stall.
 
     Stall licensees should not destroy, damage or abandon any unsold commodities at and in the vicinity of the stall. They shall completely remove the stall structure and all paraphernalia, together with all refuse, debris and unsold commodities (whether damaged or otherwise) from the licensed area before 10pm on February 19, 2019.
 
     For more information about the auction, please call the FEHD's Sha Tin District Environmental Hygiene Office at 2634 0134. Details are also available on the FEHD website at www.fehd.gov.hk.