In line with the latest special work arrangements announced by the Government to reduce social contact, the Buildings Department (BD) announced today (March 22) that it will adjust its services for members of the public from tomorrow (March 23) until further notice. Details are as follows:
 
(1) The BD will provide emergency, essential and limited public services, which mainly include handling public reports on building safety and unauthorised building works in progress, critical statutory submissions for new developments, registration of building professionals and contractors, advisory services for licensing authorities and implementation of Operation Building Bright 2.0.  
 
(2) The recently reopened Receipt and Enquiry Counters and the Building Information Centre at the ground floor and the second floor respectively of the BD Headquarters at North Tower, West Kowloon Government Offices, 11 Hoi Ting Road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon, will be temporarily closed.  
 
(3) Submission of certain applications and documents in person can be made as follows:
 
(a) A drop-in box located at the ground floor of the BD Headquarters is available for collection of the specified forms and supporting documents required to be submitted under the Minor Works Control System, the Mandatory Building Inspection Scheme and the Mandatory Window Inspection Scheme and applications for registration and renewal of registration of building professionals and contractors under the Buildings Ordinance, as well as documents for compliance with statutory orders or directions issued by the BD (e.g. investigation reports, remedial works proposals and completion reports), from 10am to 4pm from Monday to Friday; and
 
(b) A tender/quotation box located at the ground floor of the BD Headquarters is available for receiving tender/quotation documents from 9.30am to 5.30pm from Monday to Friday.
 
     The department will issue receipts/acknowledgements of submissions in due course. However, the handling time of the above services may be longer than usual.
 
(4) The Receipt and Dispatch Counter located at the office of the BD’s New Buildings Divisions at 7/F, 14 Taikoo Wan Road, Taikoo Shing, Hong Kong, will continue to maintain counter services. It will be open on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8.30am to 5.30pm for receipt of statutory submissions and related documents and forms for new building works. For processed plans and related documents, applicants would be individually contacted to collect the relevant plans and documents from the Receipt and Dispatch Counter on Tuesday or Thursday.
 
(5) Except for meetings essential to meet statutory requirements, such as Minor Works Contractors Registration Committee meetings, the meeting rooms and interview rooms of the BD will not be open to the public and all appointments, meetings and inspections scheduled for the affected period will be rescheduled to later dates. The individuals concerned will be notified in due course.
 
     Emergency reports can be made on 1823. For general enquiries and reports, members of the public may call 1823 or inform the department by email (enquiry@bd.gov.hk), online reporting (eform.one.gov.hk/form/bd0001/en/), fax (2537 4992) or post (North Tower, West Kowloon Government Offices, 11 Hoi Ting Road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon). In addition, electronic information can be submitted to the BD via receipt@bd.gov.hk.

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:
 
     In view of the latest situation of COVID-19 epidemic in Hong Kong, the Legislative Council (LegCo) Secretariat announced today (March 22) that all public services in the LegCo Complex, including the Public Complaints Office, Library and Archives, will be suspended from tomorrow (March 23). Secretariat staff will work from home, except those who provide support services to the meetings of LegCo and its Committees, maintain basic operation of the Secretariat and who are on essential duties.
 
     Meanwhile, all persons who are subject to compulsory quarantine will be denied entry into the Complex. All Secretariat staff, others who work at the Complex and visitors who have had close contact with initially confirmed cases and confirmed cases of COVID-19 or persons who are subject to compulsory quarantine, will also be denied entry into the Complex.
 
     The Footbridge Entrance of the Complex will be closed temporarily. Members' Entrance 2 will be open from 7am to 30 minutes after the end of the last meeting on the days when meetings are held. It will be closed on the days when no meeting is held.
 
     The Secretariat will continue to implement a number of infection control measures and special arrangements in order to minimise the risk of the spread of the disease in the community. For details, please refer to the announcement on the LegCo website (www.legco.gov.hk/general/english/sec/corg_ser/whats_on_20200323-e.pdf).
 
     The Secretariat will review the aforementioned measures in accordance with the development of the epidemic and make further announcements in due course.
 
     The meeting arrangement of LegCo and its Committees is subject to change. Members of the public may refer to the "LegCo Calendar" on the LegCo website (www.legco.gov.hk) or the "Calendar" on the LegCo Mobile App for the latest details of meetings.

     In response to the Government's announcement yesterday (March 21) about the re-adjustment of public services and special work arrangements for civil servants, Hongkong Post today (March 22) announced the latest arrangements on postal services from March 23 onwards.
 
     In view of the constantly increasing public demand for the posting of mail items at counters since early March, all post offices will maintain their normal opening hours but advance their closing hours to 4pm from Monday to Friday, while their business hours on Saturdays will remain normal (except for the General Post Office, Tsim Sha Tsui Post Office and the Airport Post Office, which will advance their closing hours to 4pm on Saturdays). All forms of counter services will be available during these hours. Mobile post office services will be suspended.
 
     In addition, Hongkong Post will maintain its mail delivery services (including that for Speedpost items) from Monday to Saturday but mail collection from posting boxes will only be provided on alternate days.
 
     Due to the adjustment to business hours of post offices, members of the public requiring counter services may expect longer waiting times. Moreover, as airlines have made substantial adjustments to their flight frequencies, the public are advised to visit the Hongkong Post website at www.hongkongpost.hk/en/about_us/whats_new/service_delay_suspension/index.html for updates on the provision of airmail services.
 
     Hongkong Post will continue to closely monitor the situation and make necessary arrangements in a timely manner.
 

     In light of the special work arrangements announced by the Government yesterday (March 21) and to reduce the risk of the spread of the COVID-19 virus in the community, the Rating and Valuation Department announced today (March 22) that starting from tomorrow (March 23), the opening hours of its enquiry counters will be adjusted as follows to provide basic and limited counter services to members of the public until further notice.
 
Opening hours of enquiry counters:
Monday, Wednesday and Friday (8.15am to 1pm)
 
     To achieve social distancing, members of the public are encouraged to use the department's 24-hour electronic services (www.rvd.gov.hk) to submit forms or obtain information as far as possible. Public enquiries may also be made to the department by email (enquiries@rvd.gov.hk), by fax (2152 0138) or by phone at 2152 0111/2152 2152, and the waiting/response time may be longer.

     To align with the latest limited service arrangements announced by the Government to reduce social contact and the risk of the spread of disease in the community, the Registration and Electoral Office (REO) announced today (March 22) that its various offices and the Electoral Information Centre will be temporarily closed from tomorrow (March 23) until further notice.
 
     On the other hand, the REO hotline at 2891 1001 will maintain limited services from tomorrow. Hotline services will be provided from 8.45am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.