The following is issued on behalf of the Major Sports Events Committee:
 
      The Major Sports Events Committee (MSEC) has awarded "M" Mark status to the LINK Hong Kong Open, which will be held at the Hong Kong Golf Club (Fanling) from November 21 to 24.
 
      The Chairman of the MSEC, Mr Wilfred Ng, said today (November 15), "We are very pleased to award the "M" Mark status to the LINK Hong Kong Open. The Hong Kong Golf Open is the oldest annual international sporting event in Hong Kong, attracting top players from around the world each year. The event showcases Hong Kong's capability to host world-class sports events and further solidifies Hong Kong's status as a sports events capital."
 
     In addition, Hong Kong will host the golf event for the 15th National Games (NG) to be held next year. The LINK Hong Kong Open will also serve as a test event for the NG.
 
     The "M" Mark System aims to encourage and help "local national sports associations" and private or non-government organisations to organise more major international sports events and nurture them into sustainable undertakings. Sports events meeting the assessment criteria will be granted "M" Mark status by the MSEC. Funding support will also be provided to some events.
 
      For details of "M" Mark events, please visit www.mevents.org.hk.

     The results of Primary One discretionary places for September 2025 will be released next Monday (November 18) by all government and aided primary schools.
 
     A spokesman for the Education Bureau (EDB) said today (November 15), "There are 41 781 children applying for discretionary places in government and aided primary schools this year, of whom 20 644 will be offered a place in these schools. Among them a total of 10 644 children are applicants with sibling(s) studying or with parent(s) working in the schools that they have applied to, whereas the remaining 10 000 are selected according to the Points System."
 
     Parents who have already activated their Primary One Admission e-platform (ePOA) account are reminded to check the results via the ePOA from 10am next Monday. Parents can also bring the parent's copy of the paper Application Form for POA and check the results of their discretionary place application between 9am and 5pm on that day at the school to which they have applied. 
 
     Parents whose children have been offered a discretionary place are advised to note carefully the registration arrangements of the schools concerned and the documents required for registration, such as the parent's copy of the paper Application Form for POA or the electronic application record in the ePOA, as well as the specified number of photographs of their children. They should register their children next Wednesday (November 20) or Thursday (November 21) at the school to which they have applied during school hours. 

     "Parents who cannot register within the specified period should notify the person-in-charge of the school in advance to make alternative arrangements. Otherwise, they will be deemed to have given up their discretionary place," the spokesman said.

     Under the POA System, each government or aided primary school may make use of about 50 per cent of its total Primary One places as discretionary places. The approximate 50 per cent of places remaining will be reserved for Central Allocation at a later stage.
 
     "Parents of applicant children who have failed to secure a discretionary place or who have opted for Central Allocation only will be invited by the EDB via letter in early January 2025 to submit the Choice of Schools Form via ePOA from January 13 to 19 or to make choices of schools for Central Allocation at a designated Central Allocation Centre on January 18 or 19. We encourage parents to register with 'iAM Smart+' (www.iamsmart.gov.hk/en/reg.html) as early as possible and activate their ePOA account using 'iAM Smart+' for more convenient and faster electronic services. 
 
     "For applications for participation in POA 2025 made after January 19, parents are required to approach the School Places Allocation Section of the EDB to complete the necessary procedures. The EDB will separately arrange a Primary One place for the applicant children in June 2025," the spokesman said.
 
     "Parents should note that once their children have been allocated a Primary One place, they cannot take part in the POA System again in the future," he added.

     The Government announced the appointments to the Board of Directors of the Hong Kong Genome Institute (HKGI) today (November 15).
 
     The Secretary for Health has reappointed Mr Philip Tsai Wing-chung and Professor Raymond Liang Hin-suen as the Chairperson and the Deputy Chairperson of the HKGI respectively, with their tenure ending on July 26, 2026.
 
     Separately, a total of 12 non-official Directors have also been reappointed, while three non-official Directors, namely Professor Allen Chan Kwan-chee, Professor Herbert Chia Pun-kok and Professor Ian Wong Chi-kei, have been newly appointed. The tenure of all non-official Directors will end on November 4, 2026.
 
     The HKGI, a private company limited by guarantee and wholly owned by the Government, commenced full operation in 2021 to implement the Hong Kong Genome Project (HKGP) as its first key initiative. The HKGI is committed to fostering the development of genomic medicine in Hong Kong. With support from the Health Bureau, it has been closely collaborating with the Department of Health, the Hospital Authority, the medical schools of local universities and other stakeholders to accelerate the integration of genomic medicine into clinical applications, advance scientific research, nurture talent and enhance public genomic literacy.
 
     The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, said, "As the HKGP progresses towards a new stage, the Government anticipates that the HKGI will actively use genomic data in formulating a directory for inherited and rare diseases to facilitate early diagnosis and treatment by clinical teams, while supporting drug research and development as well as clinical trials to drive the development of Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub.
 
     "I am confident that, under the sterling leadership of Mr Tsai and Professor Liang, together with support from the Board comprising members with extensive experience in diverse fields, the future development of the HKGI will scale new heights and benefit more patients in future."
 
     Professor Lo also expressed gratitude to the retired members, namely Professor Chan Wai-yee and Professor Alfonso Ngan Hing-wan, for their staunch support and invaluable contributions to the work of the HKGI during their tenure.
 
     The latest membership of the Board of Directors of the HKGI is as follows:
 
Chairperson:               Mr Philip Tsai Wing-chung
Deputy Chairperson:    Professor Raymond Liang Hin-suen
Non-official Directors:  Professor Allen Chan Kwan-chee
                                 Mr Ray Chan
                                 Ms Ivy Cheung Wing-han
                                 Professor Herbert Chia Pun-kok
                                 Professor Wallace Lau Chak-sing
                                 Dr Shawn Leung Shui-on
                                 Dr Isabella Liu
                                 Professor Dennis Lo Yuk-ming
                                 Mr Tim Pang Hung-cheong
                                 Mr Stephen Wong Kai-yi
                                 Professor Ian Wong Chi-kei
                                 Dr Michael Wong Lap-gate
                                 Professor Wong Yung-hou
                                 Professor Yip Shea-ping
                                 Professor Yiu Siu-ming
                                 Chief Executive Officer, Hong Kong Genome Institute
                                 (Dr Lo Su-vui)
Official Directors:        Under Secretary for Health
                                 (Dr Libby Lee Ha-yun)
                                 Deputy Secretary for Health
                                 (Mr Sam Hui Chark-shum)
                                 Deputy Director of Health
                                 (Dr Teresa Li Mun-pik)

     The Government announced today (November 15) the launch of a retail infrastructure bond for subscription by Hong Kong residents.
 
     The target issuance size of the retail infrastructure bond is HK$20 billion, with each lot offered at HK$10,000 and a tenor of three years. Interest will be paid semi-annually at a rate linked to inflation in Hong Kong, subject to a minimum of 3.5 per cent.
 
     This issuance is the retail part of the Infrastructure Bond Programme. Proceeds will be credited to the Capital Works Reserve Fund for investment in infrastructure projects in accordance with the Programme framework. The Government will publish information on the allocation of the proceeds on an annual basis.
 
     The subscription period of the retail infrastructure bond will start from 9am on November 26 and end at 2pm on December 6. Hong Kong residents may make applications through a placing bank, securities broker or the Hong Kong Securities Clearing Company Limited.
 
     The retail infrastructure bond will be issued on December 17 and listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong on the following business day (December 18). It can be traded in the secondary market. To facilitate higher participation from Hong Kong residents, a maximum allocation of HK$1 million per investor will be stipulated, meaning that each investor will be allocated 100 lots of the bond at most.
 
     "The Government's issuance of the retail infrastructure bond will provide to citizens a safe and reliable investment option with steady returns, as well as a 'sense of participation' and a 'sense of gain' in support of infrastructure projects for Hong Kong's long-term development. It will, on the other hand, finance infrastructure projects to facilitate their early completion for the good of the economy and people's livelihood. This issuance will also further promote the development of the retail bond market and financial inclusiveness," the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, said.
 
     The Financial Secretary announced in the 2024-25 Budget that the Government will issue HK$20 billion worth of retail bond this year. Subject to the subscription response, the Government may exercise discretion to increase the issuance size to a maximum of HK$25 billion from the original HK$20 billion target.
 
     The offering terms and subscription arrangements of the retail infrastructure bond, including the list of placing banks, as well as the details of the Infrastructure Bond Programme, will be available on the Hong Kong Government Bonds website (www.hkgb.gov.hk).

Attention TV/radio announcers:
 
Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:
 
     As the Hong Kong Observatory has cancelled all typhoon warning signals, the Civil Engineering and Development Department today (November 15) announced that the Chai Wan Public Fill Barging Point will be reopened at 1pm for public use.