The following is issued on behalf of the Office of The Ombudsman:

     In view of the latest situation of the COVID-19, the Office of the Ombudsman today (March 22) announced that the Office will once again adjust public services and make special work arrangements to reduce social contacts. Starting from March 23, the Office will only provide basic and limited service. The reception counter will not open until further notice. 
      
     Members of the public may contact the Office for enquiries or complaints through email, fax, hotline enquiry, voice message or online form.
      
     The Office will monitor the situation closely and review the arrangements in a timely manner.

     The Labour and Welfare Bureau (LWB) today (March 22) announced that, in light of government employees resuming the special work arrangements tomorrow (March 23), it will continue to process applications for Registration Cards for People with Disabilities through online services.
 
     Applicants can 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 same LWB website through e-submission, or can be posted to the Central Registry for Rehabilitation, Labour and Welfare Bureau, 11/F, West Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar. Approved Registration Cards will be sent to the applicants by post.
 
     Enquiries can be sent by email to the LWB (enquiry@lwb.gov.hk).

The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary:

Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations:

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

     The Judiciary today (March 22) announced that in view of latest developments in the public health situation, the General Adjourned Period ("GAP"), which has been in effect since January 29, will be extended for two weeks from March 23 (Monday) until April 5 (Sunday), and be subject to review having regard to the prevailing public health situation. This announcement supersedes the one made on March 20.

Court Proceedings
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     No court hearings will be held on March 23 (Monday) except for fresh remand cases at the Magistrates' Courts.  However, the courts may continue to deal with cases on paper if the presiding Judge or Judicial Officer considers them to be urgent and essential court business.

     For court hearings originally scheduled for March 24 (Tuesday) to April 5 (Sunday), they will generally be adjourned and will not be held unless they are urgent and essential as directed by the court. Parties will be notified if their hearings will be held as scheduled during these two weeks.
 
     Other urgent and essential hearings will continue to be handled in accordance with the established mechanisms, including the Duty Judge system. The updated list of urgent and essential hearings and matters is uploaded onto the Judiciary website for reference of court users and the public.
 
     The Magistrates' Courts will adopt basically the Holiday or Saturday sitting arrangement in the light of caseload and other factors. They will handle urgent and essential cases, including fresh remand cases and eight-day cases. The detailed arrangements are as follows:
 

Registries and Offices
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     Court/tribunal registries and offices will generally be closed during this period. The registries and offices will only provide support for the handling of the above urgent and essential court hearings/matters through the Duty Judge and Duty Master systems. The Judiciary will continue to review the scope of business and make suitable announcement as appropriate.

Preventive and crowd management measures
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     The Judiciary will continue to put in place appropriate preventive and crowd management measures for the health protection of all people who are required to enter and remain in the court premises for urgent and essential business. Court users are required to have their body temperature taken and wear a surgical mask before they are allowed to enter and remain in the court premises.

     To support the above arrangements, necessary queuing and other crowd management measures, as well as security controls to limit the number of court users entering and remaining in the Judiciary premises, will be put in place as appropriate.  To maintain social distancing, the seating capacity of courtrooms and lobbies are reduced by about 50 per cent.  In addition, capacity limits are set for confined areas such as registries and offices to avoid crowding of users.

     Parties, legal representatives and other court users are reminded that they should not come to the Judiciary premises to attend court proceedings or conduct businesses at court registry/office if they are subject to quarantine requirement or medical surveillance of the Government. Court users who are subject to any quarantine requirement or medical surveillance of the Government should as soon as practicable apply to the court for permission of absence or inform the court with reasons for absence as appropriate.

     Information on the detailed arrangements will be provided and uploaded onto the Judiciary website. Court users are strongly advised to check the updated information on the Judiciary website, and follow the advice of the Judiciary staff and security personnel when they attend court premises for court business.

     For enquiries regarding general arrangements on the court businesses during the period, the following hotlines are being operated from Monday to Friday 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm:
 

• General Information: 2869 0869
• Court of Final Appeal: 2123 0123
• High Court: 2523 2212
• Probate: 2840 1683
• District Court: 2845 5696
• Family Court: 2840 1218
• Lands Tribunal: 2771 3034
• Labour Tribunal: 2625 0020
• Small Claims Tribunal: 2877 4068
• Magistrates' Courts: 2677 8373

     The Judiciary will continue to post updated information, including Daily Cause Lists, messages related to the Judiciary's arrangements arising from public health considerations, and advice to court users visiting the courts, on the Judiciary website (www.judiciary.hk). Court users are advised to check the website for updated information as necessary.

     In light of the Government's announcement on March 21 that public service will once again be adjusted to reduce social contacts, a spokesman for the Marine Department (MD) announced that, apart from the Central Marine Office, the licensing and port formalities services at the Yau Ma Tei Marine Office, Tuen Mun Marine Office, Sai Kung Marine Office, Tai Po Marine Office, Aberdeen Marine Office, Cheung Chau Marine Office and Shau Kei Wan Marine Office; the seafarers' examination and certification services; mercantile marine services; local vessel surveying services as well as its enquiry services will be suspended starting from tomorrow (March 23) until further notice.

     For those who have made an appointment for seafarers' examination and local vessel survey service tomorrow, the examination/services will be carried out as scheduled.  Those who have made appointments on other dates will be separately informed of alternative arrangements.

     Other services provided by the MD will remain unaffected.

     The Government Logistics Department (GLD) announces today (March 22) that the provision of Gazette service will continue. Meanwhile, starting from March 23 (Monday), the GLD Collection Office on 10/F 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 from 9am and 6pm.