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 (June 4) that due to big waves, red flags have been hoisted at Stanley Main Beach,  Shek O Beach and Big Wave Bay Beach in Southern District, Hong Kong Island; Silverstrand Beach, Clear Water Bay First Beach and Clear Water Bay Second Beach in Sai Kung District. Beach-goers are advised not to swim at these beaches.

     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, accompanied by the Chairman of the Tsuen Wan District Council (TWDC), Mr Chung Wai-ping, and the Vice Chairman of TWDC, Mr Wong Wai-kit, as well as District Officer (Tsuen Wan), Miss Jenny Yip, attended the 2018 Tsuen Wan Dragon Boat Race at Tsuen Wan Promenade this afternoon (June 3), at which she watched a race and presented prizes to the winners. It has been the sixth Tsuen Wan Dragon Boat Race since it was held again in 2013. With the participation of more than 120 teams from Hong Kong, Macao, Guangdong and overseas, the race attracted many members of the public to watch at the promenade, creating a joyful atmosphere. Mrs Lam toured the stalls at the venue on traditional food, local youth service, social enterprises and rehabilitation service for mental illness. In particular, the stall of Hong Kong Children and Youth Services was manned by young people of ethnic minorities in the district. Noting that Hong Kong is an inclusive society, Mrs Lam encouraged them to take part in more district and Chinese traditional cultural activities to better integrate into the Hong Kong society.

     Before attending the activity, she dropped by the Tsuen Wan Sports Centre which will be commissioned soon. Designed and constructed by the developer of an adjacent private housing estate, the fully-equipped sports centre has a total area of about 12 000 square metres. Its multi-purpose main arena, with a secondary arena as well, has a seating capacity of about 1 900 persons, enabling the staging of major local and international sports events. It also features the district's first public indoor play room for children and an outdoor climbing wall. The sports centre is expected to be commissioned in the third quarter of this year.

     "I took part in the planning of this project and other development projects in Tsuen Wan while I was serving as the Secretary for Development. I am pleased and excited to see that the sports centre will be commissioned soon. The new sports centre of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department is set to further enhance the leisure and sports facilities for residents of New Territories West and enable the hosting of more major sports competitions and activities in the district, providing better quality of life for residents," Mrs Lam said.

            

     The Hong Kong Cup dragon boat race was held at the promenade of Yamashita Park in Yokohama, Japan, today (June 3).

     The championship went to Kawasaki Nishiguchi Sanbore Paradise, which beat 12 teams in the race and was presented with the Hong Kong Cup trophy by the Principal Hong Kong Economic and Trade Representative (Tokyo), Ms Shirley Yung.

     The Yokohama Dragon Boat Races, which has been held since 1994, attracted a total of about 180 teams this year to compete in a four-day event spread across two consecutive weekends. The Hong Kong Cup race, sponsored by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Tokyo (HKETO), was one of the highlights. 

     The HKETO also set up a booth and display panels at the race venue to introduce to park visitors and race spectators the latest developments in Hong Kong. The HKETO aimed to promote cultural exchanges between Hong Kong and Japan as well as enhance Japanese people's understanding of Hong Kong through participating in the event.

      

     The Harbour Area Treatment Scheme (HATS) of the Drainage Services Department (DSD) has been awarded today (June 3) the 15th Tien-yow Jeme Civil Engineering Prize under the Municipal Engineering Category for the outstanding achievements of the HATS in the area of technological innovation and application.

     At the prize presentation ceremony in Beijing today, the Director of Drainage Services, Mr Edwin Tong, said that through conveying sewage generated from both sides of Victoria Harbour to the Stonecutters Island Sewage Treatment Works for further treatment and disinfection, the HATS has improved the water quality of the harbour. The project was implemented in two stages and spanned two decades. It is by far the largest sewerage infrastructure project. By adopting advanced engineering technologies, sewage conveyance tunnels with a total length of over 44 kilometres were constructed below sea level, ranging from 120 metres to 160 metres in depth. The Stonecutters Island Sewage Treatment Works, commissioned in 2001, now has an annual sewage treatment capacity of 900 million cubic metres and can serve more than 5 million people.

     Established by the China Civil Engineering Society and the Beijing Tien-yow Jeme Foundation for Development of Science and Technology in Civil Engineering, the Tien-yow Jeme Civil Engineering Prize commends civil engineering projects with outstanding achievements in technological innovation and application. The DSD was awarded the same prize in 2014 for the Stormwater Interception and Storage Schemes for Hong Kong Urban Areas project.

  

     The Task Force on Land Supply will hold four public forums from June to August to gauge public views on land supply options.

     Details and enrolment arrangements of the first public forum are as follows:

Date: June 16 (Saturday)
Time: 2pm to 5pm
Venue: Leighton Hill Community Hall
           (133 Wong Nai Chung Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong)

     The forum will be conducted in Cantonese. Simultaneous interpretation in English will be available. Interested members of the public may register from tomorrow (June 4) at 9am by using the following methods:

(i) Online: www.landforhongkong.hk/en/participation/engage_act.php;

(ii) Email/fax: download the registration form from the above website for return via email (pflandforhongkong.hk@a-world.com.hk) or fax (2865 2559); or

(iii) Telephone: 2114 4972 (9am to 5pm).

     Registration will close on June 8 (Friday) at 5pm. In view of the limited seating capacity at the venue, only one seat can be reserved for each registration, and requests will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis.

     Enrolment arrangements and other details of the remaining three public forums will be announced in due course.

     For enquiries, please contact the Public Engagement Director for the Task Force by telephone at 2114 4972 (9am to 5pm from Monday to Friday) or email (pflandforhongkong.hk@a-world.com.hk).