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The Administration is confident that all bureaus and departments are ready to implement the five-day week initiative in the Government in phases from July 1.
The Deputy Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr KS So, made this remark at a joint press briefing today (June 12).
Also attending the briefing were the Deputy Commissioner of Inland Revenue (Operations), Mr Tam Kuen-chong; the Deputy Commissioner for Labour (Labour Administration), Mrs Jennie Chor; the Deputy Director of Leisure and Cultural Services (Administration), Mr Patrick Chan; the Assistant Director-General of Trade and Industry (Systems), Miss Belinda Kwan; and the Assistant Commissioner for Transport (Administration and Licensing), Miss Lui Ying.
Mr So said that in deciding which services should move to a five-day week, Government bureaus and departments had carefully reviewed the services they provided and consulted their clients through customer liaison groups and advisory bodies on their new opening hours.
He said emergency and essential services would not be affected by the new work pattern, and the overall level and efficiency of Government services would be maintained.
"Adequate complementary measures are in place to ensure the smooth migration to the five-day week. The service hours lost on Saturdays will be fully compensated by extension of working hours on weekdays.
"In an effort to minimise the impact of the non-provision of services on Saturdays, bureaus and departments have put in place or further enhanced alternate means of service delivery such as internet services, telephone bookings and drop-in boxes.
"Bureaus and departments have also actively compressed performance pledges to ensure services covered in phase one of the implementation plan will continue to be delivered within the same period from July 1 onwards, or gave an undertaking that relevant services would be delivered by Friday where practicable."
Explaining the implementation details, the Deputy Commissioner of Inland Revenue (Operations), Mr Tam Kuen-chong said the various ordinances administered by the department had been carefully reviewed. "We have obtained endorsement from the Inland Revenue Department Users' Committee comprising representatives of tax practitioners, professionals and academics," he said.
Mr Tam said that apart from the extension of weekday opening hours, a wide range of e-services was available.
"A visit to our department in person is no longer necessary," he said. "With an e-certificate or an e-Tax Password, taxpayers can now use a touch-tone phone or the internet any time and anywhere, to submit tax returns, make enquiries on personal tax matters or request duplicate tax returns or demand notes."
Emphasising that the Labour Department would continue to maintain emergency services on Saturdays, the Deputy Commissioner for Labour (Labour Administration), Mrs Jennie Chor, said: "In cases of major labour disputes or industrial accidents that require our immediate attention outside office hours, we will provide the necessary conciliation services or conduct an accident investigation immediately."
Mrs Chor added that essential counter services that provide personal services such as job centres, occupational health clinics and occupational medicine units for sick leave clearance will remain open on Saturdays while the majority of the department's offices will switch to a five-day week from July 1.
The Deputy Director of Leisure and Cultural Services (Administration), Mr Patrick Chan, said the opening hours of public libraries, performing arts venues, museums, sports centres and other leisure venues would remain unchanged.
"While the Leisure Link service counters at 18 District Leisure Services Offices, which handled only 2% of all bookings, will close on Saturdays," he said. "Booking of leisure facilities and enrolment for leisure activities can be made at the counters of over 130 leisure venues throughout the territory, which operate mostly from 7am to 10pm daily.
"Customers can also use the Leisure Link service on the Internet and the Leisure Link Telephone Booking Service."
Assessing the Trade and Industry Department's move to a five-day week on the business sector, the Assistant Director-General of Trade and Industry (Systems), Miss Belinda Kwan said it should not have a significant impact.
"The utilisation rate of our services on Saturdays has always been low," Miss Kwan said.
"Our clients are mainly traders or their couriers who can conduct transactions with us on working days."
"Many applications for licences, certificates or registration can be done through other means. For example, applications for Certificates of Origin (CO) can be submitted by electronic means 24 hours a day, as can Production Notifications.
"Applications for COs can also be made through the five Government Approved Certification Organisations (GACOs) which are handling over 99% of our CO applications.
She stressed that the whole process of applying for COs would not be affected. GACOs and the inspection team of the Customs and Excise Department would continue to be on duty on Saturdays.
Appealing to drivers to renew their full driving licences and vehicle licences anytime within the four months prior to expiry, the Assistant Commissioner for Transport (Administration and Licensing) Miss Lui Ying said application forms could be obtained from the departmental website, district offices, fuel stations or government carparks. "Such renewals will be effective from the date of expiry of the existing licence," she said.
"We will extend the counter service hours of the licensing office, driving test appointment office and vehicle examination booking service by 30 minutes to one hour Monday to Friday from July 1, which will more than compensate for the non-provision of services on Saturdays.
"More test slots will be provided during weekdays to fully compensate for the non-operation hours of the Driving Test Written Test Centre and Kowloon Bay and Sheung Kwai Chung Vehicle Examination Centres on Saturdays".
She also reminded drivers that most counter services could be obtained by post, ESDlife, or via an agent or drop-in box. "For applications submitted by post, ESDlife or drop-in box, we will return the new licence or required certificates within 10 working days by registered mail," said Miss Lui.
Concluding today's briefing, Mr KS So said: "Our assessment is that non-provision of the selected government services on Saturdays would have no significant impact on the general public. Indeed, in most cases, it is not necessary for members of the public to acquire the various government services in person. But we understand the public might need time to adjust to the new work pattern. Departments will closely monitor the public's reaction to service delivery and feedback from clients following the implementation of the five-day week."
"We will review the operation in August and, where necessary, consider fine-tuning the arrangements," he added.
For details of the government five-day week arrangements, the public can visit the dedicated website (www.info.gov.hk/info/5day/) or make enquiries to the 24-hour 1823 Citizen's Easy Link.
Ends/Monday, June 12, 2006
Issued at HKT 18:08
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