The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (March 26) that all public libraries will be closed on Good Friday (April 19), while Students' Study Rooms will be open from 8am to 9.30pm.
 
     Apart from individual libraries' closing days, public library opening hours on the Ching Ming Festival (April 5), the day following Good Friday (April 20) and Easter Monday (April 22) will be the same as on other public holidays.
 
     Moreover, computer system maintenance work will be carried out from 8am to 11.59pm on April 19. The following services will be suspended during the period:
 

• library mobile app services and Internet and telephone renewal services;
• other online library services, including the library catalogue, borrowers' record enquiries, reservation of library materials and Internet and Digital Service Workstations, the Multimedia Information System and electronic resources (e-Books and e-Databases); and
• self-service library stations (readers can still return library materials during the period, while the loan record will be updated on the next working day).

     Details can be obtained from notices posted at all public libraries and the website at www.hkpl.gov.hk/en/library-notices/library-notices-list.html. For enquiries, please call 2921 0208.

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 26) that due to big waves, red flags have been hoisted at Stanley Main Beach and Big Wave Bay Beach in Southern District, Hong Kong Island. Beach-goers are advised not to swim at these beaches.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     Members of the public are invited to attend the Hospital Authority (HA) Board Meeting to be held on March 28 (Thursday) at 3.30pm. 
 
     The HA Board Meeting has been open to members of the public since 1998 to demonstrate the continuous effort of the Authority to enhance its transparency and public accountability. The HA Board holds meetings at regular intervals to discuss major health policy issues which have an impact on the public.
 
     Through these open meetings, the community is able to understand more about the role and functions of the HA Board as well as the operation and services of the HA and its hospitals.
 
     The HA Board will discuss the following agenda items in the coming meeting:
 

• Hospital Authority Annual Plan 2019-20;
• Progress Update on Integrated Chinese-Western Medicine Pilot Programme;
• Chief Executive's Progress Report on Strategic Priorities; and
• Cluster Presentation Programme – New Territories East Cluster Joint Replacement Centre.

 
     The meeting agenda and papers will be made available to the public at the meeting. Members of the public are reminded that they can attend the Board Meeting only as observers and will not be participating in the meeting discussions.
 
     Members of the public who are interested in attending the coming Board Meeting have to make advance booking by contacting the Secretariat of the HA Board at 2300 6797 during office hours. To facilitate booking arrangement, members of the public are advised to provide their name and contact telephone number. In view of the limited seating available in the Public Gallery of the meeting venue, seating will be reserved on a first-come, first-served basis.
 

     The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and Investment Agreement signed between Hong Kong and Australia today (March 26) provide a new platform for the two sides to meet and review trade and investment initiatives with a view to promoting deeper and broader economic integration, the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau, said at a luncheon seminar in Sydney, Australia.

     The two Agreements covering trade in goods, trade in services, investment and other related areas not only offer zero tariffs for Hong Kong products, but also provide legal certainty and better access to the Australian market to Hong Kong business people, thereby bringing the bilateral trade and investment relationship between the two economies to new heights, he said.

     "With these two agreements in place, I encourage Australian enterprises to invest more in Hong Kong. Being one of the world's freest economies buttressed by the rule of law and an independent judiciary, Hong Kong has many core strengths that have stood the test of time. Among them are a simple and low tax regime, high-quality services, a skilled and talented workforce with global vision, and free flow of information and capital," he continued.

     He stressed that Hong Kong will continue to make full use of its unique status conferred by the Basic Law and the principle of "one country, two systems" to expand its FTA network, with a view to achieving deeper economic integration with different parts of the world.

     During his stay in Sydney to sign the Agreements with the Australian Minster for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Mr Simon Birmingham, Mr Yau took the opportunity yesterday (March 25) to visit Destination NSW, where he was briefed on the latest tourism developments in New South Wales and its promotional strategies for various flagship events. He also paid a courtesy call on the Chinese Consul General in Sydney, Mr Gu Xiaojie.

     Mr Yau will return to Hong Kong this evening.

      

     The Labour Department (LD) will hold a public talk entitled "Occupational health of office workers series (III): More exercise, smart work" on April 2 (Tuesday). During the talk, the LD's occupational health nurse will introduce the benefits of exercise, with demonstration and practice of workplace exercise. The talk will be held at 3pm in Activity Room 1, G/F, Hong Kong Central Library, 66 Causeway Road, Causeway Bay.
      
     The LD will hold another talk entitled "Noise hazards and prevention of hearing loss" on April 8 (Monday) on the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Noise at Work) Regulation and the Occupational Deafness Compensation Scheme. Given by the LD's occupational hygienist and occupational health nurse, and a representative from the Occupational Deafness Compensation Board, the talk will also cover the health hazards caused by noise at work and measures for preventing hearing loss. It will be held at 3pm in the Lecture Hall, Hong Kong Space Museum, 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui.
      
     Both talks will be conducted in Cantonese. Admission is free. For enquiries or registration, please call 2852 4040.