The Chief Secretary for the Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-Chung, today (February 22) distributed surgical masks to singleton elderly and other residents of the Healthy Village in North Point.

     Accompanied by District Officer (Eastern), Mr Simon Chan, Mr Cheung visited elders and the other residents of the Healthy Village in North Point. He handed over to them surgical masks and anti-epidemic goods and extended his warmest regards to them. He also chatted with them to understand better the impact of the epidemic on their daily life.

     Mr Cheung said that owing to the epidemic, global supply of surgical masks had remained tight and members of the public had been facing difficulty in sourcing masks.

     He stressed that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government would continue to increase the overall supply of surgical masks in Hong Kong through a multi-pronged approach. The Government has also set up a $30 billion Anti-epidemic Fund to enhance overall capability in combatting the epidemic and provide assistance to enterprises and members of the public hard hit by the epidemic or affected by anti-epidemic measures.

     He added that the Steering Committee on the Anti-epidemic Fund established under his chairmanship would oversee the operation and use of the Fund.

     He called on all quarters of society to act in concert, put aside differences and win the fight against the epidemic for Hong Kong.

     In light of the extension of special work arrangements for government departments, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) announced today (February 22) that starting from next Monday (February 24), licensing services counters at Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices and the Marine Parks Office at CDW Building, 388 Castle Peak Road, Tsuen Wan, to cater the needs of users, will continue to provide basic and limited services to members of the public on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 9.30am to noon and 2pm to 5pm until further notice.

     The AFCD appeals to the public to use the above counter services only when in urgent need. Members of the public are encouraged to handle their licence or permit applications through email, post or fax. Relevant documents can also be put in the drop-in box at the ground floor of Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices. For detailed information and contacts, please refer to the AFCD website: www.afcd.gov.hk.

     Moreover, the provision of anti-rabies dog inoculations and dog licensing services conducted by the Animal Management Centres under the AFCD will continue to be provided on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, from 9.30am to noon and 2pm to 4.30pm, whereas all other Anti-Rabies Dog Inoculation and Licensing Centres will continue be closed until further notice. For details, please visit the designated website: www.pets.gov.hk.

     The Department will step up cleansing and sterilising services at the above locations to ensure public health.

     Meanwhile, AFCD public facilities will remain temporarily closed.

     For enquiries, please call the AFCD on 2708 8885.

     The Civil Engineering and Development Department announced today (February 22) that the office hours for the Civil Engineering Library, applications for dumping licences and sand removal permits, and the Permit and Licensing Office of the Mines Division will return to normal next Monday (February 24).

     In accordance with the Government's extension of special work arrangements in order to reduce social contacts and the risk of spreading the COVID-19 virus in the community, the Lands Department (LandsD) today (February 22) announced that its offices would adjust its basic, limited-scale public services from February 24 to March 1. Receipt and delivery of documents at counters and enquiry telephone lines will be provided between 9am and 5pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday during this period. The LandsD headquarters at the North Point Government Offices will open only the counter on 21/F during the above opening hours. Other counter services, including counter enquiry, payment of government rent and premium, map sales counters, collection of compensation for land resumption, deposit of land boundary plans and survey record plans, and inspection of a full list of Authorised Land Surveyors etc., will continue to be suspended. Online services will be maintained as normal. Members of the public may continue to make enquiries or complaints through email.
     
     An appeal is made to the public to minimise visiting LandsD's offices in person unless necessary. The public can purchase most map products from the Hong Kong Map Service 2.0, pay government rent and land premium and file enquiries or complaints as well as requests for service through online or other electronic means. Since the need to contain the infection and the special work arrangement have affected workflow and impeded progress, LandsD's processing of various enquiries, complaints and applications may be delayed and it may take a longer time to provide a reply. LandsD apologises for any inconvenience caused.

     To align with the special work arrangements announced by the Government to reduce the risk of the spread of the COVID-19 virus in the community, the Department of Justice announced today (February 22) that the department will continue to provide the following basic and essential services next week:
 
* Reception Counters
 
Prosecutions Division – 12/F, West Wing, Justice Place, 18 Lower Albert Road, Central
February 24, 2020 (Monday) to February 28, 2020 (Friday)
9am to 1pm and 2pm to 6pm
 
Civil Division – 6/F, East Wing, Justice Place, 18 Lower Albert Road, Central
February 24, 2020 (Monday) to February 28, 2020 (Friday)
9am to 1pm and 2pm to 6pm
 
* Shroff Office
 
Civil Division – 8/F, West Wing, Justice Place, 18 Lower Albert Road, Central
February 25, 2020 (Tuesday)
9am to 1pm and 2pm to 4.30 pm
 
     Members of the public and the legal profession can continue to serve or submit court documents and other correspondence in matters handled by the two Divisions to the respective counters and make payments to the Shroff Office. While the documents will be processed as quickly as possible, the response time may be longer than usual.