Special traffic arrangements will be implemented in Happy Valley tomorrow (December 5). 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.

     The Land Registry today (December 4) released its statistics for November 2018.
 
Land registration
——————-

* The number of sale and purchase agreements for all building units received for registration in November was 3,953 (-26.4 per cent compared with October and -48.0 per cent compared with November 2017)

* The 12-month moving average for November was 6,943 (4.2 per cent below the 12-month moving average for October and 0.4 per cent below that for November 2017)

* The total consideration for sale and purchase agreements in November was $43.3 billion (-4.9 per cent compared with October and -35.1 per cent compared with November 2017)

* Among the sale and purchase agreements, 2,635 were for residential units (-37.9 per cent compared with October and -53.7 per cent compared with November 2017)

* The total consideration for sale and purchase agreements in respect of residential units was $26.0 billion (-32.5 per cent compared with October and -51.7 per cent compared with November 2017)

     Statistics on sales of residential units do not include sale and purchase agreements relating to sales of units under the Home Ownership Scheme, the Private Sector Participation Scheme and the Tenants Purchase Scheme unless the premium of the unit concerned has been paid after the sale restriction period.

     Figures on sale and purchase agreements received for the past 12 months, the year-on-year rate of change and breakdown figures on residential sales have also been released.

     As deeds may not be lodged with the Land Registry until up to 30 days after the transaction, these statistics generally relate to land transactions in the previous month.
 
Land search
————-

* The number of searches of land registers made by the public in November was 443,071 (-0.6 per cent compared with October and -8.0 per cent compared with November 2017)
    
     The statistics cover searches made at the counter, through the self-service terminals and via the Integrated Registration Information System Online Services.

     The Trade and Industry Department (TID) will participate in the SmartBiz Expo 2018 to be held in Hall 1 of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from December 5 to 7 (tomorrow to Friday).
      
     The SmartBiz Expo 2018, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), provides a one-stop platform showcasing the latest business innovation plans, applied technologies, operation support and more to provide comprehensive support for enterprises, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs), to grasp global market opportunities through innovation, upgrading, and enhancing productivity and competitiveness.
       
     As the strategic partner and a major exhibitor of the Expo, the TID will showcase its work and support services to enterprises, especially SMEs, at Booth 1D-B02. In addition, business consultants and professionals will be available to provide free one-on-one advisory services for SMEs on matters related to accounting, legal matters, marketing and setting up business. SMEs are welcome to visit the TID's booth and make arrangements for advisory services.
 
     During the Expo, the TID will also jointly hold with the HKTDC a two-day seminar series entitled "InnoTech for Branding – Journey to Outstanding Brand" on December 6 and 7 in Hall 1B. Branding experts and representatives of renowned brands will speak at four seminars on how innovative technologies, including smart inventory management, social media and blockchain, can help SMEs upgrade and develop their brands and business in the new era. Seminars on "Smart Inventory Management" and "Social Media Branding Tricks" will be held at 11am and 2.30pm respectively on December 6, while seminars on "Branding with Blockchain" and "Revitalising Traditional Brands Online" will be held at 11am and 3pm respectively on December 7.
 
       The seminar series is one of the highlight events of the SmartBiz Expo 2018. For those interested in the seminar series, online registration is available via the HKTDC website (info.hktdc.com/dm/CP1932220/index_en.html) and TID's Brand Development and Promotion website (www.branding.tid.gov.hk). The seminars will be conducted in Cantonese.
    
     The TID is also the Strategic Partner of the Asian E-tailing Summit, a concurrent event to be held with the SmartBiz Expo on December 5. The Summit serves to provide a one-stop platform for business professionals to network with renowned online retail experts, and obtain the latest sourcing trends and market intelligence. Focusing on the development in the Asian region, the Summit will share successful cases and best practices of e-tailing for exploring business opportunities in the Mainland and in Asia.
 
     For further details on the Expo, please visit the SmartBiz Expo 2018 website (m.hktdc.com/fair/smartbizexpo-en/).

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at a media session before the Executive Council meeting this morning (December 4):

Reporter: Mrs Lam, you said the Government is going to have an internal discussion as to whether it’s necessary to amend laws to target such grey areas. What about guidelines that may not necessarily amend the Legislative amendments? And also do you think Mr Chu should be allowed to be a lawmaker anymore because some pro-government legislators are indeed looking at ways to maybe strip him of his seat?
 
Chief Executive: Mr Eddie Chu at the moment is a Legislative Council member. It is not for me as the Chief Executive to say whether he is qualified as a Legislative Council member. In our daily dealings with Legislative Council members, we respect their status and we will continue to interact with them, responding to their questions, engaging them in panel discussions and so on. It will cause no difference to how we deal with individual members of the Legislative Council.

     As far as the internal review, I take the view that because of the events that have taken place in the last couple of years, there is a need, and by the way there is always a need to review existing legislation and arrangements to ensure that they can respond to the latest situations, so the internal discussion that I have referred to will be along those lines. I don’t see the immediate need to issue guidelines because when the authority, in this case the Returning Officer, exercises power under the legislation, one has to look at the evidence and the circumstances, so these are not the things that could be strictly and rigidly determined by guidelines.
     
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
 

     Following is the speech by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Dr Law Chi-kwong, at the Hong Kong Society for the Protection of Children (HKSPC) "Joining Hands for Children's Better Future" launch ceremony today (December 4):
 
Mr Robin Hammond (Chairman of the Executive Committee of the HKSPC), Mrs Susan Choy (Director of the HKSPC), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
 
     It gives me great pleasure to be here today, to celebrate the opening of the newly renovated Children's Residential Home operated by the Hong Kong Society for the Protection of Children.
 
     Spanning over a period of eight years, this renovation has been a laborious project which could never have come to fruition without the hard work and dedication of everyone here at the HKSPC. On behalf of the children residents, I would like to salute all those involved and say a big thank you for a job well done.
 
     For almost a century, the HKSPC has since 1926 worked tirelessly for the well-being of our needy children in Hong Kong, with a special focus on their early childhood development. As the forerunner and one of the most established organisations in this field, the HKSPC currently operates 27 service units which attend to the various needs of children – ranging from newborn babies to youngsters up to the age of 16. Their services also extend to their families as well, including single parents, low-income families, new arrival families and ethnic minority families. As of today, up to 3,000 children and their families are served by the HKSPC on a daily basis.
 
     All of us know so well that our children are our future. Hence, ensuring that our children could blossom and flourish is our best investment. As our Chief Executive so rightly pointed out in her second Policy Address, children's growth and development are among our top priorities.
 
     In June this year, the Government set up the Commission on Children. Spearheaded by the Chief Secretary for Administration, the Commission has wide cross-bureau and inter-departmental representations with experts and advocates from the community, and Susan is a member of the Commission. I am happy to report that work has already begun. Plans are in place to allocate additional resources, from 2019-20 onwards, for the implementation of necessary measures to safeguard the rights and well-being of children.
 
     Among other things, we will also launch a pilot scheme in the 2018/19 school year to provide social work services to about 150,000 pre-primary children and their families. Five specialised co-parenting support centres will also be set up to provide necessary support to children from separated or divorced families.
 
     That aside, in an effort to better integrate family-related policies, a policy study group will be established to explore the viability of how best to co-ordinate family-related policies – be they for children, women or the elderly – under the centralised purview of the Labour and Welfare Bureau.
 
     Yes, the Government is fully committed to safeguarding the well-being and development of children. Nevertheless, we are also counting on the assistance from organisations like the HKSPC. We need caring people like you to chime in and build a harmonious society for all.
 
     On this note, I would like to congratulate the HKSPC again for the completion of the renovation project, and wish the organisation all the best in the many more years to come. Thank you very much.