Special traffic arrangements will be implemented in Happy Valley today (February 27). The arrangements will come into effect one and a half hours before the start of the first race and will last until the crowds have dispersed after the race meeting.

A. Traffic arrangements before the commencement of the first race

1. Road closure
     
     Southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Queen's Road East and the up-ramp outside Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) will be closed except for vehicles heading for Aberdeen Tunnel.

2. Traffic diversions

– Southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Village Road and the up-ramp outside HKJC will be re-routed one way northbound;
– Vehicles from eastbound Queen's Road East heading for Wan Chai and Happy Valley will be diverted to turn left to Morrison Hill Road;
– Traffic along southbound Morrison Hill Road heading for Happy Valley will be diverted via Sports Road and Wong Nai Chung Road;
– Traffic along Queen's Road East cannot turn right to Wong Nai Chung Road except for vehicles heading to Aberdeen Tunnel;
– Traffic from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Queen's Road East will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from southbound Canal Road flyover to Morrison Hill Road to turn right at the junction of Wong Nai Chung Road and Queen's Road East; and
– Traffic from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Happy Valley or Racecourse will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from southbound Canal Road flyover to Canal Road East, southbound Morrison Hill Road, Sports Road and Wong Nai Chung Road.

B. Traffic arrangements before the conclusion of race meeting

1. Road closure

     The following roads will be closed from 35 minutes before the start of the last race:

– The up-ramp on Wong Nai Chung Road outside HKJC leading to Aberdeen Tunnel;
– Southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Queen's Road East and the up-ramp leading to Aberdeen Tunnel;
– Southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Village Road and the Public Stands of HKJC;
– Westbound Leighton Road between Wong Nai Chung Road and Canal Road East; and
– Southbound Morrison Hill Road between Leighton Road and Queen's Road East.

     In addition, southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between the up-ramp leading to Aberdeen Tunnel and the Public Stands of HKJC will be closed from about 10 minutes before the start of the last race.

2. Traffic diversions

     The following traffic arrangements will be implemented from 35 minutes before the start of the last race:

– Eastbound Queen's Road East at its junction with Morrison Hill Road will be reduced to one-lane traffic heading for northbound Canal Road flyover;
– Vehicles from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Wan Chai will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from Canal Road East, U-turn slip road beneath Canal Road flyover, Canal Road West and Hennessy Road;
– Vehicles from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Happy Valley will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from Canal Road East, eastbound Leighton Road and Wong Nai Chung Road;
– Traffic on southbound Morrison Hill Road will be diverted to turn left to eastbound Leighton Road;
– Traffic along southbound Morrison Hill Road heading for Happy Valley will be diverted via eastbound Leighton Road and Wong Nai Chung Road; and
– Traffic along westbound Leighton Road will be diverted to Wong Nai Chung Road.

C. Learner drivers prohibition
     
     Learner drivers will be prohibited to turn left from Caroline Hill Road to Leighton Road between one and a half hours before the start of the first race and one hour after the last race. In addition, learner drivers will be prohibited from accessing the following roads within the above period of time:

– Shan Kwong Road between Yik Yam Street and Wong Nai Chung Road;
– Village Road between its upper and lower junctions with Shan Kwong Road;
– Percival Street between Hennessy Road and Leighton Road;
– Canal Road East; and
– The service road leading from Gloucester Road to Canal Road flyover.

D. Suspension of parking spaces

     Parking spaces on southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Sports Road and Blue Pool Road will be suspended from 11am to 7pm during day racing, from 4.30pm to 11.59pm during evening racing, and from 5pm to 11.59pm during night racing.

     Any vehicles found illegally parked within the precincts of the above affected areas will be towed away without prior notice.

     Actual implementation of road closure and traffic diversion will be made by the Police at the time depending on traffic conditions in the areas. Motorists should exercise tolerance and patience, and follow the instructions of Police on site.

     Police yesterday (February 26) held the Regional Traffic Day on the Hong Kong Island to raise public awareness of road safety through stringent enforcement actions.

     A total of 372 officers from Traffic Hong Kong Island and District Traffic Teams of Eastern, Wan Chai, Central and Western Districts were deployed to take enforcement actions at traffic black spots on the Hong Kong Island.

     The operation resulted in the issue of 1,446 fixed penalty tickets and 54 summonses. Among the fixed penalty tickets and summonses issued, a total of 1,249 fixed penalty tickets were issued for illegal parking and the rest were for other traffic offences.

     Police figures revealed that a total of 238 traffic accidents involving casualties occurred on the Hong Kong Island in the first month of 2019, of which involved 60 pedestrian injuries.

     Police will continue to take regular enforcement actions to ensure road safety.

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 (February 27) that due to big waves, the red flag has been hoisted at Clear Water Bay Second Beach in Sai Kung District. Beach-goers are advised not to swim at the beach.

     Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at the Memorandum of Understanding Signing Ceremony between the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the Royal College of Art on establishing the Artificial Intelligence Design Laboratory today (February 26):

Dr Lam (Council Chairman of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), Dr Lam Tai-fai), Professor Chan (Interim President of PolyU, Professor Philip Chan), Dr Thompson (Vice Chancellor of the Royal College of Art, Dr Paul Thompson), Professor Barfield (Deputy Vice Chancellor and Provost of the Royal College of Art, Professor Naren Barfield), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
 
     Good afternoon.  It is my pleasure to join you today at the signing ceremony between the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the Royal College of Art for establishing the Artificial Intelligence Design Laboratory in Hong Kong.

     Technology innovation can help improve product design as well as service delivery.  Nowadays, the application of augmented reality (AR) as a virtual fitting room provides an enjoyable shopping experience.  The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in conducting quality checks before product launch to market, and customer behaviour analysis at backend, also facilitate the design and production of products to cater for customers of different taste and style, which in turn leads to a personalised and sustainable industry.
      
     I am therefore very glad that the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the Royal College of Art, both of which are renowned institutions in art and design, will build on the work of their existing interdisciplinary research at the interface of design and technology, and further their co-operation for the benefit of society.  The strategic partnership will integrate and enhance the development of the relevant research fields.  It will also help nurture more local talent in multiple disciplines in the pursuit of real-world challenges, and transform research into practical application.
      
     Developing Hong Kong into an innovation and technology (I&T) hub has been a priority policy area of my Government, and since I assumed office in July 2017 we have devoted significant resources of over $78 billion to strengthen Hong Kong's I&T ecosystem and stimulate research and development (R&D) activities.  I have set out eight major areas to step up efforts in promoting innovation and technology at the beginning of my term, and some significant measures have already been put in place.  For example, a super tax deduction of up to 300 per cent for R&D expenditure incurred by private enterprises has taken effect from the current tax year.  We have launched the Technology Talent Admission Scheme to facilitate talent admission from outside Hong Kong and the Technology Talent Scheme comprising the Postdoctoral Hub Programme and the Re-industrialisation and Technology Training Programme to nurture local talents.
      
     To enhance our research and development capability, we strive to strengthen collaboration with top-notch scientific research institutions in the world.  We have set aside $10 billion for setting up two research clusters in the Hong Kong Science Park – one for healthcare technologies, namely the Health@InnoHK cluster; the other for AI and robotics technologies, that is the AIR@InnoHK cluster.  Through this initiative, we can capitalise on the strengths of our local universities and attract world-acclaimed universities and research institutions to collaborate with us.  I am very encouraged by the overwhelming response from the global research community. 
      
     I believe the collaborative team of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the Royal College of Art will find in Hong Kong the appeal of time-tested legal system, robust intellectual property protection, strong financial sector that could support commercialisation of R&D results, as well as the distinctive "East-meets-West" culture which sparks creative inspiration.  I wish the collaboration a great success.
      
     Thank you very much.

      

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at a media session on a letter issued by Central People's Government this afternoon (February 26):
 
Reporter: How will you respond as someone is saying that this is a blatant interference by Beijing to Hong Kong's local issues as this is only about local societies? And by writing a report to Beijing, isn't it an acknowledgment to such interference?

Chief Executive: There's absolutely no question of interference by the Central People's Government (CPG). As I have said in my statement just now, HKSAR is an inalienable part of the People's Republic of China and it has always been the stance of the HKSAR Government, including myself, of a zero tolerance approach against any acts of advocacy of "independence of Hong Kong". And I, as the Chief Executive of the HKSAR, I am responsible to the Central People's Government. It is right that we have invoked local legislation to prohibit the operation of the "Hong Kong National Party", and we have completed every step of the process leading to the dismissal of the appeals by the Chief Executive in Council, and the Council members are of course my senior advisors. For the CPG to issue a letter, and by the way it's a public letter, to me at this juncture to demonstrate support of the Government – the Central People's Government – of actions taken by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, I think is only legitimate.

     As far as the submission of report, I'm sure you will understand and appreciate, from time to time, as the Chief Executive who is accountable to the Central People's Government, I have to submit reports from time to time. I submit my annual report every December when I make my duty visit. On this occasion the Central People's Government asked that I submit a report on the process and related circumstances, leading to a decision made in Hong Kong. Again, that is only legitimate and is a demonstration of the constitutional responsibility between myself as the Chief Executive and the Central People's Government. So there's absolutely no interference whatsoever from the Central People's Government.
 
Reporter: Mrs Lam, could we have your words of undertaking that Mr Andy Chan and his co-founder, as an individual, now he's banned as a party but as an individual he has not yet broken any laws of Hong Kong for the time being. And at the same time, how do you convince the business and the legal profession and the entire world that you are not trying to crack down on dissidents, per se, as a way of being kowtowing to Beijing under a certain proper procedure because Beijing would certainly want to see the end result under a proper procedure?

Chief Executive: There are too many presumptions in your questions. I do not accept your description or reference to "kowtow", but there is a constitutional relationship between myself as the Chief Executive and the Central People's Government. I am appointed by the Central People's Government, and at the same time when I am responsible to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and all the people in Hong Kong, I am also accountable and responsible to the Central People's Government. So that is the proper understanding of the relationship between myself as the Chief Executive and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. As far as your request for any form of undertaking about any individual's behaviour, that was an impossible proposition. I don't know what that particular individual or any individual in Hong Kong is going to take what action and measures and behaviour. I can reassure you 100 per cent everything that this Government does will be in strict accordance with the law. At the end of the day, we have an independent judiciary, who will provide the necessary check and balance on whatever the Government is doing.

Reporter: Does the Government have any plans to ban any other pro-independence and pro-self-determination political parties in the future?

Chief Executive: I cannot comment on that because as you will understand from the process that I have described, there is a process. If we are contemplating to invoke the Societies Ordinance, there is a process of the Societies Officer doing something. And as the Chief Executive, I can tell you, I don't get myself involved in the investigations of my law enforcement bodies. Otherwise, that would be very dangerous for Hong Kong.