Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (July 13) released the latest grading of water quality for 37 gazetted beaches and one non-gazetted beach (Discovery Bay) that are open for swimming.
        
     Nineteen beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 13 as Fair (Grade 2) and six as Poor (Grade 3).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:       

Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach	Middle Bay Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach	Pui O Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach	Repulse Bay Beach
Discovery Bay	South Bay Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach	St Stephen’s Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach	Tong Fuk Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach	Trio Beach
Kwun Yam Beach	Turtle Cove Beach
Lo So Shing Beach	Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Lower Cheung Sha Beach

 
Grade 2 beaches are:

Approach Beach	Golden Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach	Kadoorie Beach
Butterfly Beach	Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Cafeteria New Beach	Shek O Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach	Silverstrand Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach	Stanley Main Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach

 
Grade 3 beaches are:

Anglers’ Beach	Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Casam Beach	Lido Beach
Castle Peak Beach	Ting Kau Beach

 
     Compared with the grading released last week, Deep Water Bay Beach, Kwun Yam Beach and Middle Bay Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1, and Clear Water Bay Second Beach and Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach from Grade 3 to Grade 2. Casam Beach and Castle Peak Beach have been changed from Grade 2 to Grade 3.
      
     “The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches,” an EPD spokesman said.
      
     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.
      
     While the ratings represent the general water quality at the beaches, the EPD spokesman reminded members of the public that water quality could be temporarily affected during and after periods of heavy rain. Bathers should avoid swimming at beaches for up to three days after a storm or heavy rainfall.
      
     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. read more

     The Government today (July 13) announced that Mr Jimmy Kwok has been re-appointed as Chairman of the Energy Advisory Committee, while 19 community personalities have been appointed as members. The appointments are for a term of… read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) released today (July 13) the key analytical accounts of the Exchange Fund at the end of June 2018.

     Foreign assets, representing the external assets of the Exchange Fund, decreased during the month by HK$0.5 billion to HK$3,539.5 billion.

     The Monetary Base, comprising Certificates of Indebtedness, Government‑issued currency notes and coins in circulation, the balance of the banking system and Exchange Fund Bills and Notes issued, amounted to HK$1,652.1 billion.

     Claims on the private sector in Hong Kong amounted to HK$212.9 billion.

     The analytical accounts of the Exchange Fund are released in accordance with the International Monetary Fund’s Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS) and are referred to as the Analytical Accounts of the Central Bank under SDDS (Annex).

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     At present, four press releases relating to the Exchange Fund’s data are issued by the HKMA each month. Three of these releases are issued to disseminate monetary data in accordance with the SDDS. The fourth press release, on the Exchange Fund’s Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account, is made in accordance with the HKMA’s policy of maintaining a high level of transparency. For the month of July 2018, the scheduled dates for issuing the press releases are as follows:
 

July 6 (Issued)	SDDS International Reserves (Hong Kong’s Latest Foreign Currency Reserve Assets Figures)
July 13	SDDS Analytical Accounts of the Central Bank (Analytical Accounts of the Exchange Fund)
July 31	SDDS Template on International Reserves and Foreign Currency Liquidity
July 31	Exchange Fund Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account

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     The Town Planning Board today (July 13) announced amendments to the draft Mong Kok Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).
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     The Board’s decisions on two representations were the subjects of judicial reviews (JRs). According to the Court’s ruling on one of the JRs, the Board’s decisions on the related representation had to be remitted to the Board for consideration. The Board has reviewed the development restrictions, including building height restrictions and requirements of non-building area, and setback and building gap for various development zones, taking into account the implications of various building and design guidelines, permissible development intensity, as well as planning, air ventilation and urban design aspects to provide flexibility for future redevelopments.  

     The Board has now made amendments to the OZP as outlined in the Schedule of Amendments. The amendments mainly involve revisions of building height restrictions for various development zones; rezoning of the government sites at Sai Yee Street mainly from “Government, Institution or Community” and “Other Specified Uses” (“OU”) annotated “Multi-storey Car/Lorry Park” to “Commercial (4)”; amendment to the development requirements for a site at the junction of Shanghai Street and Soy Street; and incorporation of “Art Studio (excluding those involving direct provision of services or goods)” as a Column 1 use in Schedule II of the “OU” annotated “Business” and “Residential (Group E)” zones and corresponding amendment to replace “Place of Recreation, Sports or Culture” under Column 2 by “Place of Recreation, Sports or Culture (not elsewhere specified)”. Opportunity is also taken to amend the Notes and Explanatory Statement of the OZP to reflect the above amendments and to update the general information on various land use zonings and the planning circumstances, where appropriate.

     The draft Mong Kok OZP No. S/K3/31, incorporating the amendments, 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 Tsuen Wan and West Kowloon District Planning Office, and the Yau Tsim Mong District Office.

     Any person may make written representation in respect of the amendments to the Secretary of the Board on or before September 13. Representations made to the Board will be available for public inspection.

     Copies of the draft Mong Kok OZP are available for sale at the Map Publications Centres in North Point and Yau Ma Tei. The electronic version of the OZP can be viewed at the Board’s website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb). read more

     The Government announced today (July 13) that the Chief Executive has appointed Mr Thomas Ho On-sing as a member of the Advisory Committee on Post-service Employment of Civil Servants (ACPE) for a term of two years from July 17… read more