Tweak operating hours at govt agencies

Most on-site government services are available only during office hours, when most of us are also at work. To visit these agencies, we often have to take leave, or some hours off from work, to do so.

In today's context, most married couples work full time, so most households often do not have anyone available during office hours to visit government agencies when required.

I hope the Government can look into changing the operating hours of its various agencies. Instead of operating from 9am to 5.30pm, why not operate from, say, noon to 8.30pm?

This will also have the benefit of easing our overcrowded public transport infrastructure, as civil servants will then not need to take buses and trains during the peak hours before and after the usual office hours.

If these new hours are not feasible for a whole work week, how about having a noon-to-8.30pm operating time for at least one day each week?

Wong Boon Hong

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 24, 2015, with the headline Tweak operating hours at govt agencies. Subscribe