Special traffic arrangements will be implemented in Happy Valley tomorrow (May 16). 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 Forum on Mainland-Hong Kong Cooperation in Innovation and Technology held today (May 15) by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government was attended by over 100 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), as well as representatives of the HKSAR Government and the technology sector. The forum discussed new opportunities brought about by opening up science and technology funding by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and the Ministry of Finance for application by Hong Kong higher education institutions and research institutions.

     In her address, the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, highlighted that the forum was meant to brief research experts at the earliest opportunity on the newly announced guidelines of the Central Government in support of the development of innovation and technology in Hong Kong and Macao.

     Under the guidelines, universities and research institutions in the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macao can now bid for funding to undertake central fiscal science and technology projects, on the basis of merit and competition. The new arrangements have realised cross-boundary remittance of project funding, which the local technology sector has long been calling for.

     Mrs Lam said, "Local research will be funded by the science and technology funding of the Central Government. This will foster technological co-operation between Hong Kong and the Mainland and give full play to the unique advantages in technology of the two places, laying a solid foundation for the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park in the Lok Ma Chau Loop. The policy also paves the way for building the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area into an international innovation and technology hub and provides incessant impetus for the current-term Government in spurring innovation and technology development."

     A Vice Minister of Science and Technology, Professor Huang Wei, announced details of the new policy at the forum. Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council Mr Huang Liuquan and Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR Mr Tan Tieniu also addressed the forum.

     In the panel discussion hosted by the President of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Professor Timothy Tong, a number of speakers had in-depth discussions on the new policy. They are:
 

• Professor C C Chan
  Academician of the CAE
• Professor Nancy Ip
  Member of the CAS and Vice-President for Research and Graduate Studies and the Director of the State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
• Professor Pei Duanqing
  Director General of the Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, CAS
• Professor Tang Xiaoou
  Co-Founder of SenseTime Group Limited
• Mr Wu Xueti
  Deputy Director General of the Department of Resource Allocation and Management, MOST

     Also attending the forum were the Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Nicholas W Yang; the Permanent Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing; and the Commissioner for Innovation and Technology, Ms Annie Choi.

     The Government published today (May 15) the Consultation Report on Review of Electoral Arrangements, setting out the views received during the public consultation conducted in late 2017 and the Government's recommendations on the way forward for three issues related to electoral arrangements.

     "During the almost seven-week public consultation period, we have received more than 15,400 submissions. We also consulted Members of the Legislative Council (LegCo) at the meeting of the LegCo Panel on Constitutional Affairs, met with the Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of the 18 District Councils and deputations/individuals to solicit their views during the consultation period," a Government spokesman said.

     "On regulation of election advertisements (EAs) published through the Internet (including social media), overwhelming support has been received for providing an exemption in the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance (Cap. 554), such that a third party (i.e. individuals or groups that are neither the relevant candidates whose elections are promoted or prejudiced nor their election expense agents) incurring merely electricity and/or Internet access charges can be exempted from the criminal liability arising from incurring election expenses as a result of expression of views on the Internet that constitutes an EA."

     The spokesman added, "The Government plans to implement the proposed exemption through an amendment Bill to be introduced into the LegCo within 2018."

     On regulation of election surveys, the Government observes that there is yet to be a consensus in the community on the three issues raised in the Consultation Paper, including whether election surveys conducted outside the No Canvassing Zones on the polling day should be regulated, whether election surveys conducted prior to the polling day should be regulated, and whether any change should be made to the existing regulation on exit polls on the polling day. Some respondents have also raised questions on the feasibility and effectiveness of implementing any regulation. In this regard, it is proposed not to make any change to the existing regulation for the time being.

     On the polling hours, among the views received during the public consultation period, views from political parties were rather diverse, while the overwhelming majority of other written submissions were not in favour of shortening the polling hours of LegCo and District Council elections. It is proposed that the present polling hours of elections should be maintained for the time being before the Government reviews other issues related to polling hours (e.g., whether alternative arrangements could be provided for electors who are unable to go to the polling stations in person on the polling day to cast their votes), and before a consensus is reached by the community.

     The Consultation Report is available on the website of the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau at www.cmab.gov.hk.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson for Castle Peak Hospital made the following announcement today (May 15):
 
     Twelve patients (aged 27 to 69) in a female adult psychiatric ward presented with respiratory symptoms since May 11. Appropriate viral tests were arranged for the patients and their test results were positive for Rhinovirus. The patients concerned are being treated under isolation with stable condition.
 
     Admission to the ward has been suspended and restricted visiting has been imposed. Infection control measures have already been stepped up according to established guidelines. All other patients in the ward are under close surveillance.
 
     The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow-up.

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 is 99 (up 0.1 against yesterday's index).