Tag Archives: China

      To align with the implementation of targeted measures to reduce social contact and other infection control measures as well as gradually resume more public services from March 2 in an orderly manner as announced by the Government, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) said today (February 29) that the EPD’s public services will be adjusted with effect from March 2 until further notice. The detailed arrangements are as follows:

(1) Counter and licence application services of three EPD regional offices will resume during adjusted office hours (10am to 4pm, Monday to Friday):

• 8/F, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon
• 8/F, Tsuen Wan Government Offices, 38 Sai Lau Kok Road, Tsuen Wan, New Territories
• 10/F, Sha Tin Government Offices, 1 Sheung Wo Che Road, Sha Tin, New Territories

 
Counter and licence application services of the other two regional offices will continue to be temporarily suspended:

• 5/F, Nan Fung Commercial Centre, 19 Lam Lok Street, Kowloon Bay, Kowloon
• 2/F, Chinachem Exchange Square, 1 Hoi Wan Street, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong

 
     Members of the public may also place application documents in the drop-in boxes located at the above five regional offices (opening hours of the drop-in boxes: 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday), or submit applications online or by post. The EPD will continue to process all licence applications as normal.
 
(2) Members of the public can place their applications for vehicle exhaust and noise emissions compliance/exemption with relevant documents in the drop-in box located at the EPD’s office at 34/F, Revenue Tower, 5 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, during office hours (9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday). The applicants will be informed of the collection arrangement of the approved letters.

(3) Members of the public can submit their applications and submissions under the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance to the EPD’s office located at 27/F, Southorn Centre, 130 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, during office hours (9am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 5pm, Monday to Friday).

(4) Members of the public can submit applications for non-road mobile machinery online, and registration and enquiries for the “Waste Cooking Oils” Scheme by email or by post. For details, please refer to the EPD website (www.epd.gov.hk).
 
(5) For the Construction Waste Disposal Charging Scheme, members of the public may call 2872 1838 for application for an account, call 2872 1854 or 2872 1856 for chits application and billing account enquiries, or email enquiry@epd.gov.hk for any of the above enquiries. Operating hours of the telephone enquiry service: 9am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 5pm, Monday to Friday. 
 
(6) For Waste Transfer Service Accounts, members of the public may call 2872 1704 (9am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 5pm, Monday to Friday) or email rts@epd.gov.hk for enquiries.  
 
(7) The instant call answering service of the EPD’s general customer service hotline will continue to be suspended. Members of the public can make enquiries by leaving voice messages via the hotline (2838 3111) or by email (hq-hotline@epd.gov.hk).

     Details of the latest arrangements of the above services are available at the EPD website (www.epd.gov.hk).
      
     Meanwhile, the EPD is making preparations for the gradual resumption of normal services. For instance, the EPD will gradually step up inspections and investigations to accelerate the handling of enquiries and complaints. If necessary, the EPD may also arrange virtual or face-to-face meetings with contractors, consultants and the trade.
      
     Regarding facilities, the EPD’s WEEE•PARK visitor centre, T•PARK visitor centre, EcoPark visitor centre and Environmental Resource Centres will continue to be temporarily closed. All Community Green Stations remain open to collect recyclables, while visitor and education programmes will continue to be suspended until further notice. read more

     Following the resumption of daily delivery services since February 12, Hongkong Post announced today (February 29) that all post offices (including mobile post offices) will resume their normal business hours (except for Airport Post Office which will be closed on Sunday) starting from March 2, and that collection from posting boxes will also resume on a daily basis on the same date.

     In relation to the issue of the “Centenary of Hong Kong Young Women’s Christian Association” commemorative stamps on March 10 to mark the special occasion, Hongkong Post will implement a special sales arrangement to achieve social distancing and prevent crowds. During the period from March 3 to the issue date of the stamps (March 10), customers could place their orders for this set of special stamps and associated philatelic products on the website stamps.hongkongpost.hk, including a set of serviced first day cover with special stamps date-stamped with pictorial postmarks of all 38 philatelic offices, without the need to visit the actual outlets. In addition, collection points will be set up at all post offices on the issue date of the special stamps to facilitate the submission of order forms as well as first day covers requesting hand-back date-stamping service. We will notify these customers of the collection date of their orders separately. This arrangement aims at reducing the number of customers queuing at post offices. The above special sales arrangements will apply to all commemorative stamp issues to be launched throughout the period of the epidemic until further notice.

     Since after the Lunar New Year up to this moment, Hongkong Post has completed the delivery of 150 000 mail items containing surgical masks. Hongkong Post will continue to uphold the principle of according top priority for the delivery of surgical masks, committing ourselves to fulfill our delivery duties by having all inbound items of surgical masks delivered to the hands of the public.

     Meanwhile, services for inbound and outbound mail are still subject to delays due to the reduction in the flight frequencies of airlines. Members of the public are advised to visit the Hongkong Post website (www.hongkongpost.hk/tc/about_us/whats_new/service_delay_suspension/index.html) for the latest updates.

     For further enquiries, please call the Hongkong Post Enquiry Hotline at 2921 2222. read more

     To align with the announcement by the Government on February 27 to resume public services in a safe and orderly manner, the Official Receiver’s Office (ORO) announced today (February 29) that it will resume normal service from next Monday (March 2). The ORO will implement targeted measures to reduce social contact, which may lead to longer waiting / processing time for the services provided. 
 
     All offices of the ORO will be open from 8.30am to 5.45pm from Monday to Friday. The office hours for specific public services are as follows:
 

Service	Office hours	Address
Counter Service (including public enquiry service)	8.30am to 5.45pm	10/F, High Block, Queensway Government Offices (QGO), 66 Queensway, Hong Kong
Shroff	9am to 4.30pm [Note: For payment of deposit on petitions for bankruptcy and winding-up proceedings, there is a quota of 25 each for the session of 9am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 4.30pm on first-come-first-serve basis.  The quota is in addition to those for attestation with payment of deposit.]	ditto
Attestation Service	10am to 12 noon 2pm to 4pm [Note: There is a quota of 25 for each session which will be allocated on first-come-first-serve basis and will allow attestation and payment of deposit.]	ditto
Hotline (attended by service officer)	8.30am to 5.45pm	–

 
     While the court registries will remain closed and filing of petitions for bankruptcy and winding-up proceedings with the court registries will not be available next week, for the purpose of orderly resumption of its services, the ORO announced that they will accept payment of deposits for bankruptcy and winding-up proceedings, in accordance with the quota system indicated above. The ORO will review this arrangement from time to time and make necessary adjustments where appropriate.

     To achieve social distancing with a view to reducing the risk of the spread of the COVID-19 virus in the community, members of the public are encouraged to avoid coming to the offices of the ORO in so far as is possible. For the delivery of documents to ORO, the public are encouraged to make use of the ORO designated drop box on the Deck Floor of QGO, and avoid coming to its office on 10/F unless absolutely necessary. They can also make use of the electronic services of the ORO and to contact the ORO by:
 

1. telephone (Hotline number: 2867 2448);
2. email (oroadmin@oro.gov.hk); or
3. fax (Fax number: 3105 1814).
    

     As to the meetings of creditors, meetings of contributories and adjournment thereof, creditors and contributories are recommended to lodge their proxy with the ORO by way of facsimile transmission at 3105 1814 and avoid attending the meeting in person. The proxy forms can be accessed at the ORO’s website (www.oro.gov.hk/eng/pforms/pforms.htm). Members of the public are also advised not to attend the meeting unless it is absolutely necessary.

     For any enquiries, please contact the ORO through its hotline at 2867 2448. read more

The following press release is issued on behalf of the Independent Commission Against Corruption:
 
     The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) announced today (February 29) that starting from Monday (March 2), the Commission’s Headquarters Building at 303 Java Road, North Point and all Regional Offices across the territory will resume normal services.
 
     The 24-hour report corruption hotline 2526 6366 and all other enquiry hotlines will maintain their normal operation.
 
     In the interest of public health, various measures will be implemented to reduce social contact and prevent the risk of the spread of COVID-19 virus. Such measures include:
 

• All ICAC staff and members of the public will have their body temperature checked when entering the ICAC Building and Regional Offices. Only those with normal temperature will be allowed access;
• ICAC staff who need to perform duties involving face-to-face contact with the public will wear a mask. Members of the public entering ICAC premises are also required to wear a mask;
• ICAC staff will adopt staggered working and lunch hours.

 
     The ICAC will continue to review the situation and adjust relevant preventive measures as and when necessary.
  read more

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung, at a media session after attending a radio programme today (February 29): Reporter: Some of the private education institutes for example … read more