Land bureau closed after lunch for singing practice  

张家口一国土资源局“迎国庆” 闭门唱歌引争议

连续一个多星期办公室都没人，这点业务办得真费劲。”河北张家口的翟女士日前一脸无奈地告诉记者，该市桥东区国土资源局工作人员已经连续好多天下午都不在单位，想要办点房屋抵押的业务一直拖延至今。[查看全文]

Zhangjiakou (ECNS) -- The land and resource bureau in Hebei province's Zhangjiakou city locked its offices on weekday afternoons all week to prepare for a singing contest for the upcoming National Holiday.

A citizen surnamed Zhai in Zhangjiakou said that she couldn't hand in her house mortgage documents to the branch of Zhangjiakou Land and Resource Bureau in Qiaodong District during weekday afternoons. The staff there shortened their work hours to practice for a singing contest, she said, and the situation has lasted for a week.

Yang Yanjie, a staffer at the office, confirmed it, but said 40 employees were at work in the mornings.

Reporters on Thursday afternoon found all the offices of the Qiaodong branch were locked and many citizens who had business there left after being told "staff was away for activities." A guard surnamed Han said the staff has gone away for rehearsals.

Yuan Jiaqi, head of the branch, said by telephone Friday that the singing contest held by the bureau to celebrate National Day will be held on Monday and all the branches will participate.