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The Home Affairs Bureau and the Home Affairs Department will continue to deliver quality services to the community as they move to a five-day week on July 1.
Under the new five-day week arrangement, operating hours of service counters, resource centres and enquiry services will be extended on weekdays while emergency relief services will continue to be provided as and when needed regardless of the day and time.
These emergency services include activation of the Department Emergency Co-ordination Centre and hotline, 2835 1473 during extreme weather. An Interdepartmental Help Desk will also be set up at the scene or in hospitals during major emergency incidents such as the outbreak of a No 3 or higher alarm fire to co-ordinate emergency relief efforts.
The provision of temporary shelters in times of extreme heat or cold will also be unaffected by the changes.
The mode of operation of the department・s community halls and community centres will also remain unchanged as these facilities will be available for bookings and open for use by hirers throughout the year.
From July 1, opening hours of the department・s Public Enquiry Service Counters (all except Cheung Chau and Mui Wo) will be extended by 90 minutes daily on weekdays - opening from 9am to 7pm from Monday to Friday.
People will be able to make appointments for the free Legal Advice Scheme and Meet-the-Public Scheme at the Public Enquiry Service Counters during the extended opening hours and follow-up action will be made with the relevant organisations on the following working day.
The department・s Central Telephone Enquiry Centre (2835 2500) will extend its operating hours from 9am to 7pm from Monday to Friday. Enquiries can also be made by fax (2834 7649) or email (hadgen@had.gov.hk).
District Offices, Sub-offices and Office of the Licensing Authority will open at 8.45am and close at 6pm on weekdays. Applications for licences of hotel and guesthouse accommodation, bedspace apartments, clubs and karaoke establishments can be submitted by post or by email (hadlaenq@had.gov.hk) during weekends.
The enquiries hotline of the Home Affairs Bureau・s Race Relations Unit, 2835 1579, where staff take calls and handle enquiries from speakers of different languages, will operate from 8.45am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. Written enquiries can be sent to rru@hab.gov.hk
Also operating from 8.45am to 6pm on weekdays, the Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Unit at 2835 1565 will continue to handle enquiries in relation to sexual orientation and gender identity. The unit can be contacted via email at gisou@hab.gov.hk
The 8.45am to 6pm hours on weekdays also apply to the Civic Education Resource Centre and the Youth Resource Centre starting from July 1.
For details of the revised working hours, see the websites of the bureau, www.hab.gov.hk and the department, www.had.gov.hk, or call Citizen・s Easy Link at 1823.
Ends/Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Issued at HKT 12:29
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