The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) today (March 8) announced a new service schedule of the two Coin Carts under the Coin Collection Programme, for the period of March 25, 2024, up to June 2, 2024. The schedule and other details of the Programme are shown on the HKMA webpage (coincollection.hkma.gov.hk).

     Since the launch of the Programme in October 2014 up to February 29, 2024, the two Coin Carts had carried out 1,186,000 transactions, collecting 929 million coins with a total face value of HK$1,465 million during the period. The collected coins are re-circulated to meet demand.

     The Coin Carts provide service at locations that are convenient to the public without affecting the normal flow of traffic and pedestrians. Locations that have suitable power supply facilities, such as the Leisure and Cultural Services Department mobile library service locations, are preferred so as to reduce the need for using the Coin Carts' own stand-by generators. This makes the Programme more environmentally friendly. In selecting the service locations, the HKMA has taken into consideration comments and suggestions given by district councils and members of public; and has consulted the Transport Department and the Hong Kong Police Force as necessary.

     The two Coin Carts collect coins from members of public in the 18 districts of Hong Kong on a rotating basis. Under normal circumstances each Coin Cart will stay at a location for a week, subject to availability of the parking space and the maintenance schedule of the Cart. Service hours are from 10am to 7pm. Each vehicle is equipped with two coin counting machines and operational staff will be present to provide assistance. An electrical wheelchair lift is available for use. Users can choose to exchange coins for banknotes or adding value to their stored value facilities, such as Octopus Cards or e-wallets (including AlipayHK, Octopus Wallet, Tap&Go, TNG Wallet and WeChat Pay). There is also a Community Chest donation box inside each vehicle. The coin collection service is free of charge.

     The HKMA will review the Programme from time to time; and will regularly update the service schedule to give advance notice to the public.

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 8) that due to big waves, the red flag has been hoisted at Stanley Main Beach in Southern District, Hong Kong Island. Beachgoers are advised not to swim at the beach.
 

     Hong Kong Customs yesterday (March 7) seized about 191 kilograms of suspected scheduled dried sea cucumbers and 369kg of suspected scheduled dried fish gills, with a total estimated market value of about $1.1 million, at the Kwai Chung Customhouse Cargo Examination Compound.

     Through risk assessment, Customs officers yesterday selected a 40-foot seaborne container, arriving in Hong Kong from Myanmar, for inspection. The batch of dried sea cucumbers and dried fish gills suspected to be scheduled under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance (Ordinance) (Cap. 586) was found inside the container.

     The case was handed over to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) for follow-up action.

     Under the Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing, exporting, or possessing any endangered species without a required licence is liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for 10 years. For licensing requirements for the species listed on different appendices, members of the public may visit the website: www.cites.hk. For enquiries, please contact the AFCD through email (hk_cites@afcd.gov.hk) or call 1823.

     Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

  

     The Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) today (March 8) gazetted a notice to invite tenders for the contract for Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area Second Phase Development – Contract 4 – Site Formation and Engineering Infrastructure Works (Contract No. YL/2023/04). The closing time for the tender is noon on May 3.
 
     The works mainly include:

1. site clearance and formation (including land decontamination works) for about 43 hectares of lands, together with provision of associated engineering infrastructure;
2. construction of district distributor and local roads connecting Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area to Tin Ha Road;
3. construction of pedestrian footbridges;
4. construction of a cycle track and pedestrian subway and associated retaining walls;
5. revitalisation of some sections of Tin Sam Channel;
6. construction of a sewage pumping station;
7. construction of associated works including water mains, drainage and sewerage works, district cooling mains, cycle tracks, footpaths, box culverts, landscaping works, electrical and mechanical works and other ancillary works; and
8. implementation of environmental mitigation measures (including noise barriers) and environmental monitoring works for the works mentioned above.

 
     The works are scheduled to commence in mid-2024 and will take about 54 months to complete.
 
     The CEDD has commissioned Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Limited to design and supervise the works. Interested contractors may obtain the forms of tender and further particulars from the company at Level 5, Festival Walk, 80 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong.
 
     Details of the tender notice are available on the CEDD website (www.cedd.gov.hk/eng/tender-notices/contracts/tender-notices/index.html). For enquiries, please call Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Limited at 2268 3400 during office hours.

     The Labour Department (LD) will hold a public talk entitled "Occupational Health of Office Workers Series (II) Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders for Office Workers" on March 18 (Monday) to raise office workers' awareness of musculoskeletal disorders of back and upper limbs arising from prolonged repetitive movements or improper sitting postures. The talk will cover the causes of and preventive measures for musculoskeletal disorders among office workers.
      
     The talk will be given by the LD's occupational hygienist and occupational health nurse at 3.30pm in the Lecture Hall of the Hong Kong Space Museum, 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui.
      
     The LD will hold another talk, entitled "First Aid in the Workplace" on March 20 (Wednesday). The talk will cover basic knowledge of first aid and explain how to assist and handle employees injured in workplace accidents through case illustrations.
      
     The talk will be given by the occupational health nurse at 3.30pm at the Lecture Theatre of the Hong Kong Central Library, 66 Causeway Road, Causeway Bay.

     Both talks will be given in Cantonese. Admission is free but pre-registration is required. Interested participants can register online (www.oshsreg.gov.hk). For enquiries, please call 2852 4040.