The Transport Department today (September 8) announced that having regard to the Government’s announcement about "extreme conditions" owing to torrential rain which will continue at least until noon, the public services under the department, i.e. the Licensing Offices at Admiralty, Cheung Sha Wan, Kwun Tong and Sha Tin, the Public Vehicles Unit, the Cross Boundary Unit, the Vehicle Examination Centres, the Driving Test Appointment Office, the Driving Test Centres and Written Test Centre, will be suspended.
      
     Candidates scheduled for driving test (including road test and written test) today will be individually informed of the alternative arrangements.
      
     Vehicle examinations scheduled today will be cancelled. Members of public who have made an appointment for vehicle examination services can make a new appointment after the vehicle examination centres reopen.
      
     Besides, for applicants who have made an appointment for driving licence related services, renewal of vehicle licence, transfer of vehicle ownership, application for a duplicate vehicle registration document/duplicate vehicle licence, an international driving permit, retention, transfer or assignment of vehicle registration mark, at any timeslot under the extreme conditions or within two hours after the conditions cease to exist, they may proceed to the Licensing Offices to submit their applications during opening hours (from 9am to 5pm from Monday to Friday) on or before September 15 without the need to make another appointment.

     â€‹The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has been informed today (September 8) by the Shenzhen authority that some facilities at the Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai and the Man Kam To boundary control points were affected by flooding owing to the rainstorm. Passenger and cargo clearance services at these boundary control points were temporarily suspended until further notice. 

     The HKSAR Government will deploy manpower flexibly to ease passenger and vehicular flows.

TV/radio announcers please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

     As the Black Rainstorm Warning Signal is now in force, the Hong Kong Wetland Park is closed. The Park will reopen two hours after the signal is lowered. The Park will remain closed today if the signal remains hoisted at 2pm. Any person or organisation who has paid a deposit for visiting today can contact the Park's ticket office for refund arrangements or change of visit date.

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 has announced that having regard to the Government’s announcement about "extreme conditions" owing to torrential rain which will continue at least until noon, all hearings of the courts and tribunals will be adjourned today (September 8).
      
     Court/tribunal registries and offices will be closed until further notice. Court users may continue to use the integrated Court Case Management System (iCMS) for electronic services provided by the registries of the District Court and Magistrates’ Courts as usual. Any documents filed via the iCMS during the registries’ closure period will be deemed to have been received upon their reopening.
 

     As the Government has made the “extreme conditions” announcement , the Labour Department (LD) today (September 8) reminded employers that all employees other than essential staff should not be required to report for duty at workplaces.
      
     "Under the  'extreme conditions', apart from essential staff who have an agreement with their employers to be on duty at workplaces when the ‘extreme conditions’ exist, employees are advised to stay at the place they are currently in or in safe places , instead of heading for work. The Government will review the situation, and employers and employees should stay alert to further government announcements," an LD spokesman said.
      
     "Once the  'extreme conditions' cease to exist, employees should follow the work arrangements they have previously agreed on with the employers and resume work or work from home (if applicable). With due consideration to road and traffic conditions and other factors, employers should adopt a sympathetic and flexible approach. Prime consideration should be given to employees' safety.
      
     "For employees who are not able to report for duty or resume work on time due to  'extreme conditions', employers should not withhold their wages, good attendance bonuses or allowances without reasons, and should not penalise or dismiss the employee concerned rashly," the spokesman stressed.
      
     The spokesman also reminded employers to observe the statutory liabilities and requirements under the Employment Ordinance, the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance, the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance, the Employees' Compensation Ordinance and the Minimum Wage Ordinance. 
      
     Employers should not deduct annual leave, statutory holidays or rest days to which employees are entitled under the Employment Ordinance to compensate for the loss of working hours resulting from employees' failure to report for duty when the  "extreme conditions" exist. An employer who without reasonable excuse fails to comply with the relevant provisions under the Employment Ordinance is liable to prosecution. Employers should also note that they have an obligation to provide and maintain a safe working environment for their employees under the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance.