The Transport Department today (November 15) announced that two auctions of traditional vehicle registration marks will be held on December 1 (Saturday) and 2 (Sunday), in Meeting Room S421, L4, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai.
 
     "A total of 300 vehicle registration marks will be put up for public sale at each auction. The lists of marks have been posted at the department's website, www.td.gov.hk," a department spokesman said.
 
     Applicants who have paid a deposit of $1,000 to reserve a mark for auction should also participate in the bidding (including the first bid at the reserve price of $1,000). Otherwise, the mark may be sold to another bidder at the reserve price.
 
     People who wish to participate in the bidding at the auction should take note of the following important points:
 
(a) Successful bidders are required to produce the following documents for completion of registration and payment procedures immediately after the successful bidding:
 
(i) the identity document of the successful bidder;
(ii) the identity document of the purchaser if it is different from the successful bidder;
(iii) a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation if the purchaser is a body corporate; and
(iv) a crossed cheque made payable to "The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" or "The Government of the HKSAR". (For an auctioned mark paid for by cheque, the first three working days after the date of auction will be required for cheque clearance confirmation before processing of the application for mark assignment can be completed.) Successful bidders can also pay through the Easy Pay System (EPS). Payment by post-dated cheques, cash or other methods will not be accepted.
 
(b) Purchasers must make payment of the purchase price through EPS or by crossed cheque and complete the Memorandum of Sale of Registration Mark immediately after the bidding. Subsequent alteration of the particulars in the memorandum will not be permitted.
 
(c) A vehicle registration mark can only be assigned to a motor vehicle which is registered in the name of the purchaser. The Certificate of Incorporation must be produced immediately by the purchaser if a vehicle registration mark purchased is to be registered under the name of a body corporate.
 
(d) Special registration marks are non-transferable. Where the ownership of a motor vehicle with a special registration mark is transferred, the allocation of the special registration mark shall be cancelled.
 
(e) The purchaser shall, within 12 months after the date of auction, apply to the Commissioner for Transport for the registration mark to be assigned to a motor vehicle registered in the name of the purchaser. If the purchaser fails to assign the registration mark within 12 months, allocation of the mark will be cancelled and arranged for re-allocation in accordance with the statutory provision without prior notice to the purchaser.
 
     For other auction details, please refer to the Guidance Notes – Auction of Vehicle Registration Marks, which can be downloaded from the department's website, www.td.gov.hk.

     The Hong Kong Public Libraries will hold "Fun Reading at Your Neighbourhood – Pop-up Library" in various districts from mid-November to January next year. With book displays, e-book borrowing services and other activities such as story-telling and crafts workshops, members of the public can enjoy the fun of reading in the community.
 
     The Pop-up Library will display more than 250 books, including picture books and books themed on sports, science and technology for visitors to enjoy reading on the spot. Other activities will include an e-Reading experience, Ventriloquist Storytelling and Crafts Workshop, happy selfies and game booths. Upbeat, the first "young old" a cappella group under the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, has been invited to perform at the last event to convey positive energy with their voices.
 
     The Pop-up Library will appear at the following venues and times:
 
Tuen Mun Cultural Square
Date: November 18 (Sunday)
Time: 11am to 6pm
 
Fung Tak Park, Wong Tai Sin
Date: December 1 (Saturday)
Time: 11am to 6pm
 
On Tat Estate Plaza, Kwun Tong
Date: December 15 (Saturday)
Time: 11am to 6pm
 
Exhibition Hall, Sheung Wan Civic Centre
Date: January 20 (Sunday)
Time: 11am to 6pm
*A cappella performance from 3pm to 4pm
 
     Each Pop-up Library will feature Ventriloquist Storytelling and Crafts Workshop in which ventriloquists will also conduct interactive games with children. The storytelling and crafts workshops will be held from noon to 1.15pm and from 4pm to 5.15pm (only the noon session is available on January 20). Each session can enrol 15 pairs of parent and child (one child aged 4 to 12 accompanied by one carer). Interested people can register on-site 30 minutes before the session starts on a first-come, first-served basis.
 
     Admission for all activities is free and members of the public are welcome to attend. For enquiries, please visit www.hkpl.gov.hk/en/extension-activities/event-category/144063/fun-reading-at-your-neighbourhood-pop-up-library or call 2921 3599.

     Police will implement special traffic arrangements this Saturday (November 17) to facilitate a public event to be held on Hong Kong Island.

Road closure
————

     The following roads will be intermittently closed from 2pm until the crowd has dispersed and traffic resumes normal:

1. Gloucester Road U-turn slip road between southbound and northbound Gloucester Road;
2. Southbound Gloucester Road between Victoria Park Road flyover and Causeway Road;
3. Sugar Street;
4. Jardine’s Bazaar;
5. Tang Lung Street;
6. Canal Road East between Hennessy Road and Russell Street;
7. Westbound Yee Wo Street between Pennington Street and Hennessy Road;
8. The leftmost lane of westbound Hennessy Road between Yee Wo Street and Queensway;
9. Yun Ping Road between Kai Chiu Road and Pak Sha Road;
10.Kai Chiu Road;
11. Lee Garden Road between Kai Chiu Road and Hennessy Road;
12. Canal Road West between Sharp Street West and Hennessy Road;
13. Wan Chai Road between Canal Road West and Morrison Hill Road;
14. Bowrington Road between Sharp Street West and Hennessy Road;
15. The leftmost lane of eastbound Queensway between Rodney street and Hennessy Road;
16. Southbound Rodney Street;
17. Eastern section of Edinburgh Place;
18. Eastbound Connaught Road Central near Hong Kong City Hall;
19. Westbound Harcourt Road service road between Rodney Street and Cotton Tree Drive;
20. U-turn slip road of westbound Harcourt Road service road; and
21. If necessary, eastbound Harcourt Road between Tim Wa Avenue and Edinburgh Place.

Traffic diversions
——————

     The following traffic diversions will be implemented from 2pm, until the crowd has dispersed and traffic resumes normal:

1. Traffic along southbound Gloucester Road cannot turn right to northbound Gloucester Road;
2. Traffic along eastbound Great George Street will be diverted to turn left to northbound Gloucester Road, except for vehicles heading for southbound Tai Hang Road flyover;
3. Traffic along eastbound Yee Wo Street cannot turn left to Sugar Street;
4. Traffic along Irving Street will be diverted to turn right to northbound Pennington Street;
5. Traffic along westbound Russell Street must turn left to southbound Canal Road East;
6. Traffic along westbound Hennessy Road cannot turn left to southbound Canal Road East;
7. Traffic along northbound Pennington Street will be diverted to turn right to eastbound Yee Wo Street;
8. Traffic along Yun Ping Road will be diverted to turn left to Lan Fong Road;
9. Traffic along northbound Canal Road West near the junction with Sharp Street West will be diverted to up-ramp leading to northbound Canal Road flyover;
10. Traffic along eastbound Sharp Street West will be diverted to up-ramp leading to northbound Canal Road flyover;
11. Traffic along eastbound Sharp Street West cannot turn left to northbound Bowrington Road;
12. Traffic along northbound Bowrington Road must turn right to eastbound Sharp Street West;
13. Traffic along eastbound Wan Chai Road must turn right to southbound Morrison Hill Road;
14. Traffic along westbound Hennessy Road cannot turn left to southbound Canal Road East;
15. Traffic along eastbound Queensway cannot turn left to northbound Rodney Street;
16. Traffic from United Centre Bus Terminus must turn left to westbound Drake Street;
17. Traffic along eastbound Connaught Road Central cannot enter ground level of eastbound Harcourt Road intermittently, and must go straight to eastbound Harcourt Road flyover;
18. Traffic along northbound Garden Road cannot enter eastbound Harcourt Road and northbound Tim Wa Avenue intermittently, and must turn left to westbound Lambeth Walk or make a U-turn to southbound Cotton Tree Drive;
19. Traffic along westbound Harcourt Road heading for eastbound Queensway will be diverted via westbound Harcourt Road flyover and southbound Murray Road;
20. Traffic along eastbound Connaught Road Central heading for eastbound Queensway and southbound Cotton Tree Drive will be diverted via eastbound Harcourt Road flyover, eastbound Gloucester Road, northbound Fenwick Street, westbound Fenwick Pier Street, westbound Fenwick Pier Street flyover, westbound Harcourt Road flyover and southbound Murray Road;
21. If necessary, traffic along southbound Victoria Park Road flyover will be diverted to turn right to westbound Gloucester Road;
22. If necessary, traffic along southbound Gloucester Road heading for Causeway Road will be diverted to southbound Tai Hang Road flyover; and
23. If necessary, traffic along westbound Harcourt Road cannot enter ground level of westbound Harcourt Road service road intermittently, and must go straight to westbound Harcourt Road flyover.

Suspension of parking spaces
—————————-

     The disabled parking spaces on northbound Gloucester Road near Sugar Street will be suspended between 1pm and 5pm.

     Vehicles may not be permitted to access or leave car parks along the route during the road closure period.

     Actual implementation of the traffic arrangements will be made depending on traffic and crowd conditions in the area. Motorists are advised to exercise tolerance and patience and take heed of instructions of the Police on site.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation:
 
     The Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) published its State of the Region (SOTR) Report 2018-2019 on November 14.
 
     The SOTR Report is an annual statement of the PECC's views on the major developments affecting Asia-Pacific regional co-operation. The Report contains a macroeconomic overview of the current state of the region and related issues. It also includes views from opinion leaders from government, business and academic sectors on key developments in the region and priorities for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).
 
     The Report stated that the Asia-Pacific economy is expected to grow by 3.9 per cent in 2018 and 3.7 per cent in 2019. The PECC's index of economic integration in the region showed a rebound after two consecutive years of falling. The Report identified the top five policy priorities for the region, namely rising trade tensions and the future of the World Trade Organization and the multilateral trading system; the emergence of anti-globalisation and anti-trade sentiments; progress on the APEC growth strategy to promote balanced, inclusive, sustainable, innovative and secure growth; progress towards the Bogor Goals and the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific; and investing in human capital development in the digital age.
 
     The Report also examined the future of work in the Asia-Pacific region. There is expectation that the sizes of workforces will decline due to the introduction of new technologies, that the levels of skills required will rise and that the occupational and skill structures of the workforces will change. The impact of technological change is likely to be at the forefront of concerns over the coming years.
 
     The SOTR Report 2018-2019 is now available for download at the link below:
www.pecc.org/research/state-of-the-region.
 
     The Hong Kong Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation (HKCPEC) was established in March 1990 to co-ordinate Hong Kong's participation in the PECC. In line with the nature of the PECC, the composition of the HKCPEC is tripartite, comprising members from the Government, the business sector and academia.
 
     The PECC is a non-governmental organisation set up in 1980 to develop closer co-operation in trade and economic issues among economies in the region. For more information, please visit www.pecc.org.

     The Legislative Council Kowloon West geographical constituency by-election will be held on November 25. The Registration and Electoral Office (REO) today (November 15) reminded electors that they must carry the original of their Hong Kong identity card to the designated polling station to vote.
 
     The REO has mailed poll cards to about 490 000 registered electors of the Kowloon West geographical constituency to inform them of where they should cast their votes on the polling day.
 
     "Electors may only cast their votes at the designated polling station as specified on their poll card. They are advised to note the address of the designated polling station on their poll card to ensure that they go to the correct polling station," a spokesman for the REO said.
 
     "Electors can log in to the Online Voter Information Enquiry System (www.voterinfo.gov.hk) if they have not yet received their poll card to check whether they are registered electors of the Kowloon West geographical constituency and their designated polling station. They can also call the election hotline 2891 1001 for enquiries," he said.
 
     In addition to the poll card, the electoral mail sent by the REO to each elector of the Kowloon West geographical constituency also includes an introductory leaflet on the candidates, a map indicating the location of the designated polling station, a voting procedure guide and a publicity leaflet on clean elections.
 
      "Electors must carry the original of their Hong Kong identity card or other specified alternative documents to the designated polling station to collect their ballot papers to cast their votes," the spokesman said.
 
     "Voting is very simple. Electors must use the chop provided by the polling stations to stamp the ballot paper with a tick in the circle opposite the name of the chosen candidate. Electors should then fold the ballot paper once according to the pre-folding by polling staff to conceal the mark before putting the ballot paper into the ballot box."
 
     A total of 73 ordinary polling stations in the Kowloon West geographical constituency and a maximum of 22 dedicated polling stations will be open on the polling day for about 490 000 electors of the Kowloon West geographical constituency listed on the 2018 Final Register to cast their votes. The polling hours for the ordinary polling stations and the dedicated polling station set up at Cheung Sha Wan Police Station will be from 7.30am to 10.30pm. For the dedicated polling stations set up at penal institutions, for security reasons, the polling hours will be from 9am to 4pm.
 
     Once the poll closes, all ordinary polling stations will be converted into counting stations for counting of votes. The counting stations will be open to the public once the conversion has been completed. Members of the public will be able to watch the counting process at designated areas inside the counting stations.
 
     A media centre will be set up at Tiu Keng Leng Sports Centre, 2 Chui Ling Road, Tseung Kwan O, where the election results will be announced by the Returning Officer. A public gallery will be set up for members of the public to watch the announcement of results at the media centre. In view of the limited seating capacity, admission to the public gallery will be arranged on a first-come, first-served basis from 11pm on November 25. To facilitate admission control, members of the public admitted to the venue will be required to wear a wristband provided by the REO for identification purposes.
 
     Measures have been taken by the REO to enable electors with special needs to exercise their right to vote. "In this by-election, over 90 per cent of the polling stations are accessible to electors with mobility difficulty or those who use wheelchairs. Where possible, the REO will install temporary ramps at polling stations to assist them," the spokesman said.
 
     The location map enclosed with the poll card specifies clearly whether the designated polling station is accessible to electors who are wheelchair users or have mobility difficulty.
 
     "Electors with mobility difficulty or those who use wheelchairs may apply to the REO by November 20 (next Tuesday) (i.e. at least five days before the polling day) through the election hotline (2891 1001), fax (2891 1180) or email (reoenq@reo.gov.hk) for re-allocation to another polling station in case they have been allocated to a polling station inaccessible to them. If possible, the REO will also arrange for rehab buses to take them to and from polling stations upon request," he added.
 
     On the other hand, the Electoral Affairs Commission encourages candidates to provide a text version of their introduction to enable electors with visual impairment to understand the content using software aids. The text versions provided by candidates have been uploaded to the election website (www.elections.gov.hk). Electors with visual impairment may also listen to the candidates' introductions by calling the dedicated telephone line 2893 3762. Braille templates will be provided at polling stations to assist electors with visual impairment to vote.
 
     To help electors who are not familiar with Chinese and English cast their votes, guides on the voting procedure in seven ethnic minority languages (Bahasa Indonesia, Tagalog, Thai, Hindi, Nepali, Urdu and Punjabi), Japanese and Korean will be available at every polling station. Information on the by-election in these languages has also been uploaded to the election website.
 
     The REO has also made arrangements with the Centre for Harmony and Enhancement of Ethnic Minority Residents run by the Hong Kong Christian Service to provide a telephone simultaneous interpretation service with the seven ethnic minority languages to help electors who are not familiar with Chinese and English make enquiries to the REO on election matters from November 12 to 16 and from November 19 to the polling day.
 
     A pictorial guide showing the voting procedure will also be provided at polling stations to help electors with hearing or communication problems and electors who are not familiar with Chinese and English to understand the voting procedure.
 
     Information about the by-election is available on the election website (www.elections.gov.hk). For enquiries, please call the election hotline on 2891 1001.