The Civil Service Bureau (CSB) made the following pay offers, effective retrospectively from April 1, 2018, to the staff side of the four civil service central consultative councils today (June 5):

(a) a pay increase of 4.06 per cent for civil servants in the upper salary band and the directorate (equals to the net pay trend indicator (PTI) for the upper salary band), subject to the pay points referred to in (i) and (ii) below the dollar values of which should be as specified:

(i) Master Pay Scale 34 at $70,590; and

(ii) General Disciplined Services (Officer) Pay Scale (GDS(O)) 20 and Police Pay Scale (PPS) 36 at $70,470, and GDS(O) 21 and PPS 37 at $70,970;

(b) a pay increase of 4.51 per cent for civil servants in the lower and middle salary bands (equals to the net PTI for the middle salary band).

     The above decision was made by the Chief Executive-in-Council (CE-in-Council) after considering all relevant factors under the established annual civil service pay adjustment mechanism, including:

* the net PTIs
* the state of Hong Kong's economy
* changes in the cost of living
* the Government’s fiscal position
* the pay claims of the staff side
* civil service morale

     "The CE-in-Council made the decision in accordance with the established mechanism. The pay offers for civil servants in the upper and middle salary bands are the same as their respective net PTIs (i.e. 4.06 per cent and 4.51 per cent respectively). The pay offer for civil servants in the lower salary band follows the net PTI for the middle salary band due to the 'bring-up' arrangement," a spokesman for the CSB said.

     "Under the 'bring-up' arrangement, if the net PTI for the lower salary band is lower than that for the middle salary band, its pay adjustment will be brought up to the same level of the net PTI for the middle salary band, subject to the decision of the CE-in-Council," the spokesman said.

     "In accordance with past practice, the pay offer for directorate civil servants follows the arrangement for civil servants in the upper salary band," the spokesman added.

     The Government will submit the pay adjustment proposal to the Legislative Council Finance Committee for consideration as soon as possible after the CE-in-Council considers the response from the staff side to the pay offers and makes a decision on the 2018-19 civil service pay adjustment.

     Police today (June 5) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Tuen Mun.

     Luk Wai-ip, aged 58, went missing after he was last seen on Tsing Chung Koon Road on May 29 afternoon. The nursing home staff made a report to Police on the same day.

     He is about 1.7 metres tall, 68 kilograms in weight and of medium build. He has a pointed face with yellow complexion and is bald. He was last seen wearing a pair of black-rimmed glasses, black T-shirt, black trousers and slippers.

     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing man or may have seen him is urged to contact the Regional Missing Person Unit of New Territories North on 3661 3112 or 6273 5787, or email to rmpu-ntn-1@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.

  

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

     The Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), Mr Norman Chan, together with the Deputy Mayor of the People's Government of Shenzhen Municipality, Mr Ai Xuefeng, and the Director-General of the Office of Financial Development Service (OFDS), Mr He Xiaojun, today (June 5) met with representatives of the winning organisations of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Fintech Award (please see Annex).
 
     The competition is a joint initiative between the HKMA and the OFDS with a view to further deepening financial cooperation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, promoting research and application of fintech in the two cities, and recognising financial institutions that apply fintech in new products, promote financial inclusion, and improve the overall efficiency of financial services. The "Shenzhen-Hong Kong Financial Collaborative Innovation Award" was added this time to encourage the collaboration between organisations in the two cities and the launching of high-quality cross-border financial products and services; the "Fintech Initiatives Award" focuses on rewarding innovative projects on digital currency, blockchain, artificial intelligence, big data analytics, etc.
 
     Mr Norman Chan said, "Financial institutions in Hong Kong and Shenzhen have actively participated in this competition and have outstanding performance. This has collectively served as a good role model for the deepening of Hong Kong-Shenzhen financial cooperation and the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Hong Kong and Shenzhen each has its own advantages in the development and application of fintech. Collaboration between the two can complement our edges, facilitate fintech talent development, and achieve a win-win situation."
 
     The next collaboration between the HKMA and the OFDS will be the launch of the Shenzhen Summer Internship Programme of the Fintech Career Accelerator Scheme 2.0 at the end of this month. Under the programme, 50 students from tertiary educational institutions in Hong Kong will be assigned to eight leading fintech firms on 6-week internships. 

    

     Special traffic arrangements will be implemented in Happy Valley tomorrow (June 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 during the 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 Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, will depart for Shanghai tomorrow (June 6) for a two-day visit.

     While in Shanghai, he will address the 9th Shanghai-Hong Kong Metropolitan Development Seminar. He will also meet with senior officials of the Shanghai Government and visit enterprises.
      
     Mr Chan will return to Hong Kong this Thursday night (June 7). In his absence, the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr James Lau, will act as Financial Secretary.