The Government gazetted today (April 18) the proposed amendments to the proposed widening of Tung Chung Road North. 
      
     Details of the proposed amendments are set out in the Annex. The plans and scheme of the proposed amendments are available for public inspection at the following government offices during office hours:
 
Central and Western Home Affairs Enquiry Centre,
G/F, Harbour Building,
38 Pier Road, Central, Hong Kong
 
Islands District Office Main Office,
20/F, Harbour Building,
38 Pier Road, Central, Hong Kong
 
Islands Home Affairs Enquiry Centre (Tung Chung),
1/F, Tung Chung Post Office Building,
6 Mei Tung Street, Tung Chung,
Lantau Island, Hong Kong
 
District Lands Office, Islands,
19/F, Harbour Building,
38 Pier Road, Central, Hong Kong
 
     The gazette notice, scheme, plan, resumption plan and location plan will be available at www.thb.gov.hk/eng/psp/publications/transport/gazette/gazette.htm.
      
     Any person who wishes to object to the proposed amendments is required to address to the Secretary for Transport and Housing an objection in writing, which can be submitted via the following means:
 

• By post or by hand to the Transport and Housing Bureau's drop-in box No. 6 located at the entrance on 2/F, East Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong.  The box is available for use between 8am and 7pm from Monday to Friday (except public holidays);
• By fax to 2868 4643; or
• By email to gazettethb@thb.gov.hk.

     A notice of objection should describe the objector's interest and the manner in which he or she alleges that he or she will be affected by the proposed amendments. Objectors are requested to provide contact details to facilitate communication. A notice of objection should be delivered to the Secretary for Transport and Housing not later than June 17, 2019.

     The Government gazetted the nomination period for the Rural By-election today (April 18). Twenty-eight Rural Representative vacancies will be open for nominations from April 30 to May 14.

     The by-election will return one Resident Representative for each of the 20 Existing Villages and one Indigenous Inhabitant Representative for each of the eight Indigenous Villages. The 20 Existing Villages are Po Toi, Yung Shue Ha, Ngau Au, Lai Chi Wo, Luk Keng Wong Uk, Hoi Pong Street, Lung Mei, Ma Nam Wat, Pak Tam Chung, Ping Tun, Tai Street (West), Tung A, Ha Yeung, Ping Chau Sha Tau, Uk Tau, Kam Shan Village, Shuen Wan Chan Uk, Shuen Wan Wai Ha, Ham Tin and Wo Yi Hop, while the eight Indigenous Villages are Po Toi, Sok Kwu Wan, Ma Wat Tsuen, Long Ke, Wong Keng Tsai, Pak Tam Au, Kau Liu Ha and Yin Ngam.

     To be eligible for a Resident Representative By-election, a candidate must be a resident of the Existing Village and must have been a resident of the Village for the six years immediately preceding the nomination. His or her principal residential address must be in the Village and "principal residential address" means the address of the dwelling place at which the candidate resides and which constitutes his or her sole or main home. The candidate must also be a registered elector of the Village.

     For an Indigenous Inhabitant Representative By-election, a candidate must be an indigenous inhabitant as well as a registered elector of the Indigenous Village and ordinarily reside in Hong Kong.

     All candidates of both categories must be Hong Kong permanent residents aged 21 or above and each candidate must be nominated by at least five registered electors from the Village concerned. Each elector may nominate only one candidate. No one can stand as a candidate in more than one village.

     Nomination forms are available at the Home Affairs Department (HAD), the Home Affairs Enquiry Centres in the New Territories and the Rural Representative Election website (www.had.gov.hk/rre).

     Nomination forms must be submitted in person to the Returning Officer concerned between 9am and 5pm from Mondays to Fridays, and from 9am to noon on Saturdays, except general holidays.

     The name list of nominated candidates will be uploaded to the Rural Representative Election website for public inspection. The Returning Officer will publish a gazette notice on the list of validly nominated candidates within 14 days after the nomination period.

     A spokesman for the HAD said that if there is more than one validly nominated candidate for the same Indigenous Village or Existing Village, a poll would be held for that Village on June 16 (Sunday). Eligible electors will receive a polling notice which specifies the date, time and place of the poll.

     For enquiries, please call 2152 1521 or visit the Rural Representative Election website.

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 (April 18) that due to big waves, red flag has been hoisted at Clear Water Bay Second Beach in Sai Kung District.  Beach-goers are advised not to swim at the beach.

     The Water Supplies Department announced today (April 18) that owing to water mains connection works to be carried out at Siu Sai Wan Salt Water Pumping Station, the flushing water supply to some premises in Chai Wan and Siu Sai Wan districts will be suspended from 9am to 6pm on April 25.

     Flushing water supply to the Methodist Church Epworth Village Community Centre, Shan Tsui Court and north of Lok Man Road in Chai Wan will remain normal. There will be weak flushing water supply to the following premises in Siu Sai Wan: Siu Sai Wan Complex, Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground, Cheerful Garden, Fullview Garden, Harmony Garden, Kai Tsui Court, The Chinese Foundation Secondary School, Hon Wah College, Lingnan Hang Yee Memorial Secondary School and Pui Kiu Primary School.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     During the winter surge, the Hospital Authority (HA) is closely monitoring the service demand of Accident and Emergency Departments and the occupancy rate in public hospitals. Key service statistics are being issued daily for public information. Details are in the appended table.

     In addition, the weekly bulletin "Surge in Brief" (appended) is issued every Thursday to illustrate the past month's trends of key service statistics in public hospitals. "Surge in Brief" can be accessed in the HA Winter Surge designated webpage (www.ha.org.hk/goto/wintersurge/en).