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The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Paul Tang, visited the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) this afternoon (December 5) to see the operation and services of the department and to meet with staff to strengthen communication.
This was one of the departmental visits undertaken by Mr Tang since assuming the post of Secretary for the Civil Service.
Mr Tang met the Commissioner of Inland Revenue, Mr Chu Yam-yuen, and directorate staff. He noted that IRD is committed to providing effective service to the public and enforcing taxation laws.
Mr Tang said he was glad to see that IRD offers a one-stop enquiry service aiming to provide members of the public with a convenient way to get access to the information and services required. Staff of the Central Enquiry Counter and the Central Telephone Enquiry can answer enquiries, either made in person or by telephone, directly without further referring them to case officers.
During the visit, Mr Tang said he was also pleased to learn that the eTAX service provides the public with a gateway to the department's electronic services, which offer an easy, secure and environmentally friendly means to handle tax matters.
Mr Tang visited the Document Processing Centre to see the flow in the handling of a large volume of mail and tax returns. He also toured the Stamp Office and the Business Registration Office to learn more about their work in the enforcement of relevant laws.
Before concluding his visit, Mr Tang met staff representatives of various grades at a tea gathering. He said he was glad to hear that all staff of the department have been working on a five-day week since mid-2006 for a healthy work-life balance. He also took the opportunity to listen to their views on various issues. While recognising colleagues' efforts, Mr Tang encouraged them to continue offering professional and quality service to the public.
Ends/Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Issued at HKT 17:28
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