Hong Kong will be immersed in a festive mood to mark its return to the motherland on July 1 with a variety of celebratory events and concession campaigns for public transportation, dining, consumption and exhibitions.

Announcing the details at a press conference ahead of the Executive Council meeting on Tuesday, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said celebratory activities will take place across all 18 districts, including flag-raising ceremonies, marching performances, carnivals and variety shows.

MTR Corp – the city’s sole rail operator – will give away 71,000 single-journey tickets, while children aged under 11 can take the Airport Express for free. Passengers can ride the tram for free for three consecutive days, and also ride several ferry routes for free on July 1.

Indoor and outdoor facilities managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will be open to the public free of charge, including sports fields, swimming pools, permanent exhibitions at the Hong Kong Science Museum and Hong Kong Space Museum, as well as the Wetland Park.

Designated exhibitions at the M+ Museum and all special exhibitions at the Hong Kong Palace Museum will also remain open for free. The Ocean Park will offer double admission tickets, and discounts on the rides of Ngong Ping 360 cable cars and the Peak Tram will also be available.

More than 1,000 restaurants and merchants, about 100 shopping malls and department stores, markets run by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, and other venues will offer various concessions.

The government will announce more details on its dedicated website later in the day, Lee told reporters.

Pay adjustment for civil servants

Asked about the pay adjustment and a new appraisal system for civil servants, the CE reiterated that the authorities have an established system and take into account six factors in reviewing the pay, including the economic situation, change of costs of living, the government’s fiscal position, indicators in the pay trend survey and civil servants’ morale.

The new system aimed to implement a proposal stated in the Policy Address to establish a department head accountability system and strengthen the civil servant assessment mechanism, he said. Both were intended to enhance governance, "and the two are complementary", he added.

Lee also emphasized that the new system aims to ensure high-quality service, allowing department heads to build a good team of civil servants, while the reward and penalty system must be clearly defined.

Wang Fuk Court owners’ meeting

On Tuesday, the Land Tribunal rejected a request from the government-appointed administrator of Wang Fuk Court, Hop On Management, to postpone an owners’ meeting.

At the press briefing, Lee urged Hop On to act in accordance with the law after studying the tribunal’s judgment and do its best to support the affected families to resume their new lives as soon as possible.

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The government will continue to provide support, but these matters must be handled by law, the CE added.