The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Friday, November 9, 2018 is 105.8 (up 0.3 against yesterday's index).

     The Government announced today (November 9) that Mr Woo Ying-ming, Deputy Commissioner of Correctional Services, will take up the post of Commissioner of Correctional Services on November 25, 2018 when Mr Lam Kwok-leung commences his pre-retirement leave.
 
     The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Joshua Law, said, "Mr Woo Ying-ming has accumulated abundant experience of 29 years in the Correctional Services Department and possesses proven leadership and management skills. I am confident that he will be able to lead the Department to meet the challenges ahead."
 
     On the retirement of Mr Lam, Mr Law said, "As the Commissioner of Correctional Services, Mr Lam has made sustained efforts in providing a secure, safe, humane, decent and healthy environment for people in custody, and working in collaboration with the community and other agencies to provide opportunities for rehabilitation of offenders. We sincerely wish him a fulfilling and happy retirement."
 
     Brief biographical notes on the two officers are set out below:
 
Mr Lam Kwok-leung
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     Mr Lam Kwok-leung, aged 56, joined the Correctional Services Department as Officer in March 1984 and was promoted to Senior Superintendent of Correctional Services in January 2008, to Chief Superintendent of Correctional Services in October 2009, to Assistant Commissioner of Correctional Services in September 2010 and to Deputy Commissioner of Correctional Services in June 2015 before being appointed as the Commissioner of Correctional Services in August 2017.
 
 
Mr Woo Ying-ming
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     Mr Woo Ying-ming, aged 53, joined the Immigration Department as Assistant Immigration Officer in August 1988. He was appointed as Officer of the Correctional Services Department in February 1989 and was promoted to Senior Superintendent of Correctional Services in January 2011 and to Assistant Commissioner of Correctional Services in May 2012. Mr Woo has been Deputy Commissioner of Correctional Services since August 2017.

    

     The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft Kwun Tong (South) Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).
      
     "The approved OZP provides a statutory land use planning framework to guide the development and redevelopment within the Kwun Tong (South) area," a spokesman for the Town Planning Board (the Board) said today (November 9).
      
     The planning scheme area, covering about 387 hectares, is located within the Kwun Tong District in East Kowloon. The planning scheme area can be separated into two main portions in terms of land use. The portion to the southwest of Kwun Tong Road is one of the major employment centres in the main urban area, i.e. the Kwun Tong Business Area (KTBA), which is under transformation to meet the changing needs of the non-polluting industrial and business sectors, whereas the portion to the northeast of Kwun Tong Road and Lei Yue Mun Road is predominantly occupied by residential developments, particularly public housing estates.
      
     All the industrial sites in the KTBA are zoned "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Business" ("OU(B)") to encourage the transformation of the area into a business district comprising a mixture of commercial, office and non-polluting industrial uses. In addition, seven sites in the KTBA are zoned "Commercial (1)" ("C(1)") to provide commercial facilities for the workers. The "OU" zone also covered sites for specific uses including petrol filling station and sewage treatment plant. The "OU" and "C(1)" zones take up about 46.82 hectares and 1.21 hectares of land respectively.
      
     To the northeast of Kwun Tong Road are two Urban Renewal Authority Development Scheme Plan (DSP) Areas, namely the Kwun Tong Town Centre (KTTC) – Main Site and KTTC – Yuet Wah Street Site, taking up about 5.06 hectares of land. The two sites are rezoned "Comprehensive Development Area (1)" ("CDA(1)") and "CDA(2)" respectively on the approved DSPs which are intended for comprehensive development/redevelopment of the area for residential, government and/or commercial uses with the provision of open space and other community and supporting facilities.
      
     About 137.73 hectares and 14.46 hectares of land are zoned "Residential (Group A)" and "Residential (Group B)" respectively for private and public housing developments. To cater for the needs of the local residents and/or a wider district, region or the territory, about 44.93 hectares of land are zoned "Government, Institution or Community". About 41.43 hectares of land are zoned "Open Space" for both active and passive recreational uses. Some 28.50 hectares of land are zoned "Green Belt" and the rest of the planning scheme area, about 67.26 hectares, are reserved for road and nullah.
      
     The approved Kwun Tong (South) OZP No. S/K14S/22 is now available for public inspection during office hours at the Secretariat of the Board, the Planning Enquiry Counters of the Planning Department in North Point and Sha Tin, the Kowloon District Planning Office, and the Kwun Tong District Office.
      
     Copies of the approved OZP are available for sale at Map Publications Centres in North Point and Yau Ma Tei. The electronic version of the plan can be viewed at the Board’s website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb).

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (November 9) released the latest grading of water quality for nine gazetted beaches. Other beaches have been closed to swimmers from November 1 for the winter season. 
        
     Seven beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1) and two as Fair (Grade 2).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:        

 
Grade 2 beaches are:

 
* Big Wave Bay Beach, Clear Water Bay Second Beach, Deep Water Bay Beach, Middle Bay Beach and Stanley Main Beach remain closed until further notice due to the severe damage brought about by Typhoon Mangkhut earlier. 
      
     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades according to the level of E. coli in the water. Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.
      
     A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. The latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the department's websites on Beach Water Quality (www.beachwq.gov.hk and www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline 2511 6666.

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (November 9) released the latest grading of water quality for nine gazetted beaches. Other beaches have been closed to swimmers from November 1 for the winter season. 
        
     Seven beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1) and two as Fair (Grade 2).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:        

 
Grade 2 beaches are:

 
* Big Wave Bay Beach, Clear Water Bay Second Beach, Deep Water Bay Beach, Middle Bay Beach and Stanley Main Beach remain closed until further notice due to the severe damage brought about by Typhoon Mangkhut earlier. 
      
     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades according to the level of E. coli in the water. Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.
      
     A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. The latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the department's websites on Beach Water Quality (www.beachwq.gov.hk and www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline 2511 6666.