In view of the latest developments of the epidemic situation, offices of the Education Bureau (EDB) will gradually resume more basic public services starting from next Monday (August 24).

     A spokesman for the EDB said today (August 21) that all Regional Education Offices, the Joint Office for Kindergartens and Child Care Centres, the School Places Allocation Section, the Qualifications Framework Secretariat, the Teacher Registration Team and other service units will provide public services as usual from next Monday.

     In light of the need for epidemic prevention and control, all offices will carry out targeted measures to reduce flows of people and social contact, and implement measures to prevent infection. Members of the pubic are encouraged to submit non-urgent enquiries or applications by phone, post and electronic means.

     Regarding the following public facilities of the EDB, they will remain closed to the public temporarily until further notice:

1. Hong Kong Teachers' Centre, Special Education Resource Centre, Central Resources Centre and Young Achievers' Gallery located at Kowloon Tong Education Services Centre; and
2. Arts and Technology Education Centre (including STEM Education Centre).

     The Government Logistics Department (GLD) announced today (August 21) that the provision of the Gazette service will continue. Meanwhile, starting from August 24 (Monday), the GLD Collection Office on the 10th floor of North Point Government Offices will provide collection of Gazette fee services on Monday and Tuesday from 8.30am to 1pm and from 2pm to 5pm until further notice. For enquiries, please call 2537 1910 from Monday to Friday between 9am and 6pm.

     The Labour and Welfare Bureau (LWB) today (August 21) announced that applicants for Registration Cards for People with Disabilities can continue to download the application forms from the LWB's website (www.lwb.gov.hk/en/servicedesk/forms). Duly completed application forms with the required documents can be submitted via the LWB's website by e-submission, or posted to Central Registry for Rehabilitation, Labour and Welfare Bureau, Unit 1001, 10/F, THE HUB, 23 Yip Kan Street, Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong.

     To reduce people flow and social contacts in fighting the epidemic, applicants do not need to attend any procedures at the LWB in person. Approved Registration Cards will be sent to applicants by post.

     Enquiries can be sent by email to the LWB (enquiry@lwb.gov.hk), or made by telephone on 2180 9384 during office hours.

     In view of the Government's announcement yesterday (August 20) to gradually resume the provision of basic public services in a safe and orderly manner to meet the needs of the public and enterprises, the Buildings Department (BD) announced today (August 21) that it will implement targeted measures to reduce social contact and infection control measures for the provision of the following basic public services from next Monday (August 24) until August 30 in addition to the emergency and essential public services provided under the special work arrangements implemented in the past month:
 
(a) The Receipt and Dispatch Counter services at the office of the BD's New Buildings Divisions on 7/F, 14 Taikoo Wan Road, Taikoo Shing, Hong Kong will be open from 9.30am to 3pm from Monday to Friday to replace the current drop-in counter services which operate three days a week for receiving statutory submissions and related documents and forms for new building works, and for the applicants to collect processed plans and related documents by appointment;
 
 (b) The Building Information Centre at 2/F of the BD Headquarters at North Tower, West Kowloon Government Offices, 11 Hoi Ting Road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon, will be reopened between 10am to 4pm from Monday to Friday for inspection and copying services for private building records. There will be limits on the number of customers to be served in order to reduce social contact; and
 
 (c) The Receipt Counter at the ground floor of the BD Headquarters will be reopened between 10am to 4pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for receipt of documents from members of the public. There will be limits on the number of customers to be served in order to reduce social contact. In addition, a drop-in box and a tender/quotation box will be provided at the ground floor of the BD Headquarters from 8.30am to 5.30pm from Monday to Friday to supplement the Receipt Counter services.
 
     Under the special work arrangement, the handling time of BD's services may be longer than usual. In addition, the department will issue receipts/acknowledgements of documents received via the drop-in boxes in due course.
         
     The General Enquiry Counter at the ground floor of the BD Headquarters and meeting rooms of the BD will not be open to the public until further notice. All appointments, meetings (except meetings essential to meet statutory requirements such as Minor Works Contractor Registration Committee meetings) and inspections scheduled for the period may be rescheduled to later dates, and the individuals concerned will be notified in due course.
      
     The BD appeals to the public to minimise visiting the department's offices in person unless they genuinely require its public services urgently. The public may call 1823 to make emergency reports. For general enquiries and other reports, they 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 (BD Headquarters, North Tower, West Kowloon Government Offices, 11 Hoi Ting Road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon). In addition, electronic information may be submitted to the BD via receipt@bd.gov.hk.

     The Chief Executive has appointed nine members to the second term of the Private Columbaria Licensing Board for three years from September 8, 2020, to September 7, 2023. The appointments were gazetted today (August 21).
 
     The Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene is appointed as an ex officio member and the Chairperson of the Licensing Board. Mr‍ Ip‍ Kwok-‍him is re-appointed as the Deputy Chairperson of the Licensing Board.
 
     A spokesman for the Food and Health Bureau said that the non-official members of the Licensing Board come from various fields, including legal, planning, building, surveying, engineering, environmental, commercial/business, accounting and social/community services.
 
     "Members of the Licensing Board come from diverse backgrounds of various professional fields, and are equipped with wide exposure to public services. They will provide the needed knowledge and valuable advice to the Board in the discharge of its statutory functions. We are sincerely thankful for the contributions made by members of the Board in their first term and will continue to count on their wealth of expertise and experience in the coming term in handling the various issues involved in the regulation of private columbaria," said the spokesman.
 
     The Licensing Board is a statutory body established under section 8(1) of the Private Columbaria Ordinance (Cap. 630), for regulating the operation and management of private columbaria, in particular, handling the applications for specified instruments (licences, exemptions and temporary suspensions of liability), issuing relevant guidelines and codes of practice and handling complaints.
 
     The membership list of the Licensing Board for the second term is as follows:

Ex officio member
Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene (Chairperson)
 
Members appointed on an ad personam basis
Mr Ip Kwok-him (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Cheung Hau-wai
Mr James Mathew Fong
Dr Ho Chi-ming
Ms Elizabeth Law
Professor Johnny Ng Kit-chong
Professor James Kenneth Pong Kam-keung
Miss Alice Wan Ngai-teck