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The Companies Registry will implement phase two of the five-day week scheme from next month. In taking forward the initiatives, the Registry strives to maintain the quality and efficiency of its services.
From January 1, 2007, the opening hours for all counter and non-counter public services will be extended from 8.30am to 5.45pm from Monday to Friday to compensate for closure on Saturday. All service counters will stay open during the lunch hour while back offices will have a lunch break from 12.45pm to 1.45pm.
A spokesman for the Companies Registry said today (December 17): "Documents, applications and cheques can be submitted to the Registry by post or by depositing them in the drop-in box near the information counter on the deck floor, high block of the Queensway Government Offices on Saturday (except public holidays).
"People can also conduct searches for company information through the Registry's 24-hour online search services (www.icris.cr.gov.hk).
"As the Registrar of Companies has no power to extend the statutory time limit for delivery of documents, companies and their officers are advised to make suitable arrangements to file documents, in particular the annual returns within the statutory time periods," the spokesman said.
People are welcome to visit the Registry's dedicated webpage on the five-day week (www.cr.gov.hk/en/about/5day.htm) or call the enquiries hotline, 2234 9933 or the 24-hour Citizen's Easy Link on 1823 for further details.
Enquiries can also be made by email to crenq@cr.gov.hk or by fax on 2596 0585. Information and specified forms can be obtained or downloaded from the Registry's website (www.cr.gov.hk).
Publicity efforts have begun to help people adapt to the new office hours and alternative means of service delivery. These include poster displays, pamphlet distribution, uploading the new service hours and frequently asked questions and answers onto the dedicated webpage of the Registry's website and issuing circulars to major customers and professional bodies.
The Registry's in-house professional and administrative support services, which began phase one of five-day week arrangements in July, have been operating well.
"The Companies Registry has carefully assessed the needs of customers when formulating phase one and phase two of the five-day week implementation plans. Major stakeholders were consulted before the plan was finalised," the spokesman said.
Ends/Sunday, December 17, 2006
Issued at HKT 14:30
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