To align with the special work arrangement announced by the Government, the Legal Aid Department (LAD) today (February 8) announced that the LAD offices will open from 9.30am to 4pm between February 10 and 14 to provide basic necessary and limited civil and criminal legal aid application and litigation services. 

     The following LAD offices will provide limited public services: 

• Information and Application Services Unit (located on 25/F, Queensway Government Offices (QGO)), 
• Crime Section (located on 25/F, QGO), 
• Civil Litigation Section 1 (located on 26/F, QGO), 
• Civil Litigation Section 2 (located on 30/F, Revenue Tower, Wan Chai), and 
• Costing Unit and Enforcement Unit (both located on 27/F, QGO) 

     For enquiries, please contact the following offices during the above office hours:

• Information and Application Services Unit: 2537 7717 (for civil legal aid services) 
• Crime Section: 2867 3139 
• Civil Litigation Section 1: 2867 3123 
• Civil Litigation Section 2: 2594 7884 
• Costing Unit and Enforcement Unit: 2867 3152 

     
     Members of the public may also contact us for other enquiries through our 24-hour hotline (2537 7677), email (ladinfo@lad.gov.hk) or fax (2537 5948). 

     LAD will review the above work arrangement on February 15. 

     In light of the extension of special work arrangements for government departments and the latest development of the novel coronavirus infection, the Drainage Services Department (DSD) announced today (February 8) that, in addition to the emergency and essential public services being maintained, the DSD will continue to provide basic and limited public services to members of the public next week (until February 16), including the 24-hour DSD Drainage Hotline, the inspection of drainage records and the handling of Sewage Charges/ Trade Effluent Surcharge matters. The public are advised to minimise their usage of the above services unless under emergency or necessary situations. The public are also advised that the handling time of the above services would be longer than usual.
 
     Except for the 24-hour Drainage Hotline (2300 1110), all enquiry phone lines and reception services will be suspended temporarily.
 
     The opening hours for inspection of drainage records, and the five locations below which provide limited receipt and dispatch services, will be further shortened to Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 10am to noon and from 2pm to 4pm.
 
43/F, Revenue Tower, 5 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
12/F, Kowloon Government Offices, 405 Nathan Road, Kowloon
23/F, 1063 King's Road, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong
G/F, Western Magistracy Building, 2A Pok Fu Lam Road, Hong Kong
G/F, Shatin Sewage Treatment Works Administration Building, 1 Shui Chong Street, Ma Liu Shui, Sha Tin, New Territories
(Deposit boxes will be available at the above five locations outside the opening hours for document reception)
 
     The DSD facilities will also be temporarily closed for public visits or other educational purposes until further notice.

     To align with the special work arrangements announced by the Government to reduce the risk of the spread of the novel coronavirus in the community, the Department of Justice announced today (February 8) 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 10, 2020 (Monday) to February 14, 2020 (Friday)
9am to 1pm and 2pm to 6pm

Civil Division – 6/F, East Wing, Justice Place, 18 Lower Albert Road, Central
February 10, 2020 (Monday) to February 14, 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 11, 2020 (Tuesday)
9am to 1pm and 2pm to 4.30pm

     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 payment to the Shroff Office. While the documents will be processed as quickly as possible, the response time may be longer than usual.

     In light of the extension of special work arrangements for government departments and the latest developments of novel coronavirus infection, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) announced today (February 8) that starting from next Monday (February 10), licensing services counters at Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices and the Marine Parks Office at CDW Building, 388 Castle Peak Road, Tsuen Wan, will continue to provide basic and limited public services to members of the public. Relevant services will be provided on Tuesday and Thursday, from 9.30am to noon and 2pm to 5pm instead, 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 placed 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 inoculation and dog licensing services conducted by the Animal Management Centres under the AFCD will be provided on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, from 9.30am to noon and 2pm to 4.30pm, whereas all other Anti-Rabies Dog Inoculation and Licensing Centres will be closed until further notice. For details, please visit the designated website: www.pets.gov.hk.

     Meanwhile, AFCD public facilities including the Hong Kong Wetland Park, eight Country Park Visitor/Education Centres, seven Hong Kong Geopark Visitor Centres and the Endangered Species Resources Centre will remain temporarily closed.

     For enquiries, please call the AFCD on 2708 8885.

     To tie in with the Government's announcement on the extension of the special work arrangements for government departments until February 16, a spokesman for the Transport and Housing Bureau said today (February 8) that the Independent Checking Unit (ICU) under the Office of the Permanent Secretary for Transport and Housing (Housing) will continue to receive 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. Members of the public can place their submissions in the drop-in box located at 8/F, Lung Cheung Office Block, Wong Tai Sin, Kowloon, from 10am to 4pm during the period from February 10 to 14 (Monday to Friday). The ICU will issue receipts/acknowledgements of the submissions in due course. 

     During the period, the ICU will continue to suspend its service for receiving building control applications related to building plan submissions under the Building Ordinance. For emergency reports and general enquiries, people may call 1823 or inform the ICU by email, fax or post: 

     Email: icuebt@hd.gov.hk

     Mailing address: 8/F, Lung Cheung Office Block, Wong Tai Sin, Kowloon

     Fax: 3162 0069

     Furthermore, appeal hearings on termination of tenancy agreement scheduled for the period from February 10 to 21 will be rescheduled. The Secretariat of the Appeal Panel (Housing) will inform the parties concerned separately.