The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Monday, April 26, 2021 is 101.2 (down 0.1 against last Saturday's index).

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Saturday, April 24, 2021 was 101.3 (same as last Friday's index).

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (April 26) that owing to suspected contamination of water with liquid soap, which resulted in a great deal of foam, the music fountains and interactive wet play areas at the Kwun Tong Promenade are now temporarily closed to drain the water and carry out thorough cleaning. Performances of the music fountains will also be temporarily suspended until further notice.

     The Labour Department has called for registration for a webinar on the Employment Ordinance to be held between 3pm and 5pm on May 21 (Friday).
      
     The main provisions of the Employment Ordinance, including wages, leave and termination of contract, will be introduced.
      
     The real-time webinar will be conducted in Cantonese via Zoom and participation is free of charge.
      
     Interested participants can complete the registration form, which can be downloaded from the Labour Department's website (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/pdf/EO_Webinar_eng.pdf), and return it by email by May 10 (Monday). Seats will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. For enquiries, please call 2399 2386.

     To support local exhibitors affected by the twice-deferred Hong Kong Book Fair 2020, the Government will allocate $10 million under the Anti-epidemic Fund (AEF) to provide a one-off financial assistance of $15,000 to each local exhibitor registered with the event to help them explore the diversification of sales channels in addition to the Book Fair.
 
     "The annual Hong Kong Book Fair is the main sales and promotional platform for the local publishing and printing sector. The Hong Kong Book Fair 2020 was deferred twice due to COVID-19. This has seriously affected the exhibitors. This financial assistance could help them explore online sales or other sales channels before the next edition of the Book Fair, thereby helping tide the trade over this challenging time," a spokesman for the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau said.
 
     Around 610 eligible local exhibitors (except government departments) who have registered with the Hong Kong Book Fair originally scheduled for July and/or December last year will benefit. The Hong Kong Trade Development Council, as the organiser of the Hong Kong Book Fair, will soon follow up with the relevant exhibitors on the disbursement arrangements. Funding would be disbursed to the exhibitors concerned within around four weeks following verification of relevant information. It is anticipated that the majority of payments could made within May.
 
     Subject to the development of the pandemic, the next edition of the Book Fair is tentatively scheduled for July 2021. The Government has already reserved $40 million under the second round of the AEF to implement the Printing and Publishing Sector Subsidy Scheme, to fully subsidise the participation fees of exhibitors (except government departments) for the coming Hong Kong Book Fair, subject to a cap of $100,000 for local exhibitors and $10,000 for non-local exhibitors.

     The Committee on Elder Academy Development Foundation (EADF) is inviting a new round of funding applications from school-sponsoring bodies of primary and secondary schools as well as post-secondary institutions interested in setting up elder academies (EAs), and organisations interested in organising activities that encourage elderly learning and inter-generational harmony. Applications should reach the secretariat of the Committee on EADF by May 31.

     The Elder Academy (EA) Scheme aims to promote continuous learning for elderly people, active ageing and inter-generational harmony. The EADF mainly provides funding for primary and secondary schools as well as post-secondary institutions to set up EAs to provide learning opportunities in a school setting for the elderly. Funding is also provided for activities that encourage elderly learning and inter-generational harmony.

     Each approved EA in a primary or secondary school will be provided with funding up to $122,000 for implementing a three-year programme. EAs which completed the first three-year programme may apply for funding up to $60,000 for running a two-year programme.

     As regards applications for organising EA courses in post-secondary institutions or other applications, the Committee on EADF will assess and decide the funding amount according to the merits of individual proposals.

     Details of the funding applications may be downloaded from the website of the EA Scheme (www.elderacademy.org.hk). For enquiries, please contact the secretariat of the Committee on EADF (3655 5861/3655 5007).