24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk

Our Ref. : GL 250
Tel. No. : 2398 5766
Fax No. : 2380 8504

16 May 2006

To : All rough diamond traders registered with
      the Trade and Industry Department

Dear Sirs,

Implementation of Five-day Week from 1 July 2006

Introduction

In response to the Chief Executive's announcement of the plan to introduce five-day week in the civil service in January 2006, the Department has examined the possibility of pursuing the initiative for the services provided to the trade. After careful consideration, we have decided to implement five-day week with effect from 1 July 2006 and all public counters in the Department will be closed on Saturdays. Nevertheless, the service hours on weekdays will be extended to fully compensate for the service hours currently available on Saturdays. The Department will also ensure that we continue to provide quality services to the pubic and that the impact on the public be reduced to the minimum.

New Service Hours of the Non-Textiles Licensing Unit

2. Starting from 1 July 2006, the daily service hours of the Non-Textiles Licensing Unit providing the following services will be extended by 45 minutes. The new service hours are as follows :

Facilitating Measures for Traders with Genuine Urgent Need

3. Despite the closure of counter on Saturdays starting from 1 July, we will consider requests for expeditious registration service or instant certification service from traders who have genuine urgent needs to obtain their rough diamond trader registrations or Kimberley Process (KP) Certificates for rough diamonds. Details are set out in the following paragraphs.

Expeditious Registration Service for Rough Diamond Traders

4. Currently, the processing time for application for rough diamond trader registration is one clear working day after lodgment of the application and payment of the registration fee if the application form completed is in order. With effect from 1 July 2006, traders who have genuine urgent need for the registrations and who are affected by the closure of counter on Saturdays may use our new expeditious registration service. They are advised to make request for expeditious registration service in the form of a letter or using the request form at Annex 1 (pdf format). The request must be well-justified and supported by document(s) evidencing the unforeseen urgency as appropriate. Provided that the request is in order, the Department will inform the trader in writing of the registration number assigned to him on the following working day after lodgment of the application and payment of the registration fee.

5. Notwithstanding the introduction of the above expeditious service in July 2006, the normal processing time for registration application, i.e., one clear working day, will remain unchanged. Besides, traders may continue to send in their applications for registration together with the required documents by mail.

Instant Certification Service for Kimberley Process (KP) Certificates

6. The Department will continue to provide instant certification service for all KP Certificates (Import) after implementation of the five-day week. Traders who have genuine urgent needs to obtain their KP Certificates (Export) and who are affected by the closure of counter on Saturdays, may continue to make requests for instant processing of their applications (normally, the processing time for each application is about 20 minutes) in the form of a request letter or using the request form at Annex 2 (pdf format). To further facilitate the trade, with effect from 1 July 2006, each registered rough diamond trader can make up to seven requests for instant certification service each month (instead of five at present). Nevertheless, traders may wish to know that the processing time may be longer during peak hours. A trader making more than one application at a time may also expect longer processing time.

7. Notwithstanding the above, KP Certificates (Export) not covered by the instant service will continue to be issued on the following working day after lodgement of the applications.

Performance Pledge

8. Traders are further reminded that with effect from 1 July 2006, Saturday will no longer be counted as a working day for the purpose of performance pledge. They are advised to take this into account in making their business plans, including scheduling shipments, and to lodge applications to the Department well in advance where possible.

Enquiries

9. If you have any enquiry on the content of this letter, please contact the Non-Textiles Licensing Unit (tel : 2398 5557 or 2398 5792) or the undersigned (tel. : 2398 5766).

Yours faithfully,

(Miss Judy TING)
for Director-General of Trade and Industry