Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at the opening ceremony of Malvern College Hong Kong today (March 11):

Consul General Andy (British Consul-General to Hong Kong and Macao, Mr Andrew Heyn), Mr Black (Chairman, Malvern College Council, Mr Robin Black), Jacqueline (Co-founder and Chief Executive, Malvern College International, Asia Pacific, Ms Jacqueline So), Dr Lister (Founding Headmaster, Malvern College Hong Kong, Dr Robin Lister), teachers and students, parents,

     Good afternoon. It gives me great pleasure to join you for the formal opening of Malvern College Hong Kong.

     I'm pleased to say I was here nearly three years ago for the school’s foundation-stone-laying ceremony. It's gratifying to be back today to see the vision for this school realised, and so superbly. Bringing together the United Kingdom's Malvern College and its more than 150 years of tradition with this stunning, state-of-the-art campus, Malvern College Hong Kong is providing quality education to more than 400 students of different nationalities. I understand the number will rise to 700 in the next academic year.

     The speakers before me spoke of Malvern's heritage and philosophy, of providing students with a "holistic education". I'm delighted to know that the school embraces whole-person development, including leadership training and critical thinking; that Malvern College's students benefit not only from a compelling emphasis on STEM subjects, including coding and robotics workshops, but also sports, art, community service, even a Forest School programme.

     As former chairperson of the HKSAR Government's International Business Committee, I know the importance of a vibrant international school sector to meet the needs of our large and growing global community. Indeed, Hong Kong is home to Asia's largest international school sector, with more than 50 international schools in the city. Malvern College is a welcome addition. Schools such as Malvern College Hong Kong expand our educational horizons and our imagination. More than new schools, they create new ways of thinking for our students, our teachers and, down the road, for Hong Kong. They make our city even more attractive to global businesses. In doing so, they affirm our status as Asia's world city.

     But for a city like Hong Kong where land is in short supply, the Government has to play a facilitating role in growing the international school sector. That's why we introduced the School Allocation Exercise. It ensures an open and competitive bidding process for vacant school premises and greenfield sites. In fact, this very site was awarded to Malvern College Hong Kong through that same competitive process in 2014, along with sites allocated to the Shrewsbury International School and the French International School Tseung Kwan O Campus. I had the pleasure of officiating at their opening ceremonies last year.

     For Malvern College Hong Kong, I would say that this is an extraordinary location, and fits perfectly with the school's dedication to international excellence, particularly in science and mathematics, innovation, technology and creativity. Hong Kong Science Park, the Institute of Biotechnology, the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Education University are all close by. All, in one way or another, are contributing to Hong Kong's fast-emerging expertise in innovation, technology and creative thinking. I'm confident that Malvern College Hong Kong will build continuing connections of all kinds with these institutions. And I have no doubt that the school, its students and Hong Kong will excel deep into this 21st century of opportunity and boundless promises. 

     My congratulations once again to Malvern College Hong Kong, its Council, Supervisor, Headmaster and teachers on a brilliant beginning. I wish you all a very happy afternoon. Thank you very much.

        

     Business receipts in value terms of many major service industries showed increases of different magnitudes in the fourth quarter of 2018 when compared with the fourth quarter of 2017, according to the provisional figures of business receipts indices released today (March 11) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD).

     Comparing the fourth quarter of 2018 with the fourth quarter of 2017, a double-digit increase was recorded in business receipts of the warehousing and storage (+11.8%) industry.

     On the other hand, the real estate industry recorded a decrease of 9.5% in business receipts during the same period, followed by the courier (-5.0%) and information and communications (-4.5%) industries.

     Analysed by service domain, business receipts of the tourism, convention and exhibition services domain increased by 7.3% year-on-year during the same period, while those of the computer and information technology services domain also increased by 5.3% year-on-year.

     On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, business receipts in value terms of many major service industries recorded decreases of different magnitudes in the fourth quarter of 2018 when compared with the third quarter of 2018. In particular, business receipts of the real estate industry decreased by 10.8%. On the other hand, the courier industry registered an increase of 11.7% in business receipts during the same period.

     Comparing the fourth quarter of 2018 with the third quarter of 2018 and on a seasonally adjusted basis, business receipts of the tourism, convention and exhibition services domain increased by 2.6%, while those of the computer and information technology services domain also increased by 8.3%.

     For 2018 as a whole, almost all major service industries recorded year-on-year increases in business receipts. Double-digit increases were recorded in the warehousing and storage (+12.4%), accommodation services (+10.3%) and financing (except banking) (+10.3%) industries.

     Analysed by service domain, business receipts of the tourism, convention and exhibition services domain increased by 10.1%, while those of the computer and information technology services domain also increased by 3.3% during the same period.

     Table 1 presents the business receipts indices and their corresponding year-on-year rates of change in respect of selected service industries and service domains for the recent five quarters and the whole year of 2018, while Table 2 shows the corresponding quarter-to-quarter rates of change in the business receipts indices for the recent five quarters based on the seasonally adjusted series.

     The revised figures of business receipts indices for the fourth quarter and the whole year of 2018 will be released at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp70.jsp?subjectID=7&tableID=093&ID=0&productType=8) and relevant publications of the C&SD starting from April 18, 2019.

     Data for compiling the business receipts indices are mainly based on the Quarterly Survey of Service Industries conducted by the C&SD, supplemented by relevant data provided by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Hong Kong Tourism Board.

     A service domain differs from a service industry in that it comprises those economic activities which straddle different industries but are somehow related to a common theme. It may include all activities carried out by all establishments in a service industry that is closely related to the domain. For a service industry that is less closely related, however, only a portion of the establishments in the industry or even only part of the economic activities of the establishments is related to the domain. Taking the tourism, convention and exhibition services domain as an example, it includes all services of hotels and travel agents, and some (those involving visitors as customers) but not all of the services of restaurants, retailers and transport operators.

     The classification of service industries follows the Hong Kong Standard Industrial Classification Version 2.0, which is used in various economic surveys for classifying economic units into different industry classes.

     More detailed statistics are given in the report "Quarterly Business Receipts Indices for Service Industries, Fourth Quarter 2018". Users can download this publication free of charge at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp70.jsp?productCode=B1080006).

     Members of the public who have enquiries about the business receipts indices may contact the Business Services Statistics Section of the C&SD (Tel: 3903 7267 or email: business-receipts@censtatd.gov.hk).

     The Census and Statistics Department maintains a computerised Central Register of Establishments which contains information relating to some 410 000 active establishments in Hong Kong. Information kept in the Register is updated on a quarterly basis through feedback from various surveys of the department and administrative returns from relevant government departments. Information in respect of the fourth quarter of 2018 is now updated in the Register.
 
     The Register serves mainly as the sampling frame for various economic surveys conducted by the department. In addition, many other government departments and private organisations also make use of the disclosable particulars kept in the Register for their surveys, publicity, business promotion, customer classification and research work. These disclosable particulars cover the name, address, type of business and employment size class of the establishments. They are available to the public in the following two forms.
 
20% sample listing
 
     A sample listing containing 20% of the records randomly selected from the Register, together with disclosable particulars of the establishments, is available to users. Users may apply for all or part of the records in the 20% sample listing in writing by providing the following information:
 
* Particulars of the applicant (including name, position, organisation, address, telephone, fax and email);
 
* Details of the project (including name, purpose, expected completion date, and specifications of information required such as industries, employment sizes and districts); and
 
* Medium of delivering the information (e.g. photocopy or CD-R and file format such as Visual FoxPro, Excel or text, if applicable).
 
     The application can be faxed to 2827 2296, emailed to cre@censtatd.gov.hk or posted to the Employment Statistics and Central Register of Establishments Section, Census and Statistics Department, 20/F, Wanchai Tower, 12 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong.
 
     The information can be supplied in the form of CD-R or photocopies at the following rates:
 
* CD-R – a charge of about $1,540 per listing, compiled to the user's requirements (exact amount depending on the complexity of the job concerned);
 
* Photocopies – a ready, standard listing is available for photocopying (in part if desired). A charge of $1.30 per page is levied.
 
Matching operation with specified establishments
 
     Users may apply to conduct matching operations for a list of establishments in their databases and then extract disclosable particulars for the matched establishments from the Register. The matching operation will be done using the application program supplied by the user and conducted on the computing facilities in the Department. Both the name and address of establishment will be used as matching keys.
 
     Users may apply for this service item by submitting a proposal of the matching operation to the department. The proposal should cover the intended use of the information derived from the matching operation, the specifications of the establishment database provided by the user, the details of the matching process and the specifications of the output data.
 
     The information can be supplied in the form of CD-R.  A charge will be levied at the following rates:
 
* a minimum charge of about $4,800 for the service required (exact amount depending on the complexity of the matching operation conducted); plus
 
* $1 per matched record with information supplied to the user.
 
Enquiries
 
     Further details about the above service items can be obtained from the Employment Statistics and Central Register of Establishments Section of the department at Tel: 2582 4760; fax: 2827 2296; or email: cre@censtatd.gov.hk.

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 11) that due to a suspected red tide sighting, the red flag has been hoisted at Silverstrand Beach in Sai Kung District. Beach-goers are advised not to swim at the beach until further notice.

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Monday, March 11, 2019 is 103.5 (same as last Saturday's index).

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Saturday, March 9, 2019 is 103.5 (down 0.1 against last Friday's index).