Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said relevant personnel of the HKSAR government will work during the upcoming Chinese New Year holiday to expedite the formulation of the rehousing plan for Wang Fuk Court residents.
He made the pledge after visiting two families displaced by the Tai Po fire — which broke out in November and took 168 lives — at the Youth Post hostel Runway 1331 in Kai Tak on Friday morning, a part of his year-end caring community visits.
After the visits, Lee told the media that he was relieved that the residents said the hostel met their living requirements.
Lee said the Task Force on Emergency Accommodation Arrangements, one of the three working groups established after the blaze to provide and coordinate support to affected residents, will continue working during the Chinese New Year holiday, to accelerate the formulation of the rehousing plan.
Lee said he had requested the task force to come up with plans as soon as possible in the short term so that affected residents can make their choice.
Lee added that he had explained to the two households the main issues and challenges identified by the authorities, including the hope of addressing the various needs of different families in one go; handling issues related to public insurance, with the aim of resolving potential disputes over ownership and legal matters, as well as the uncertainty and complexity of insurance claims.
After leaving Kai Tak, Lee visited an elderly person who lives alone and an elderly couple family in Yau Ma Tei’s Prosperous Garden. He also toured the estate’s elderly community center, singing and playing games with a group of seniors to celebrate Chinese New Year.
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During the visits, Lee talked to the residents, asking about their health conditions, and stressed the importance of living environment. He also waved to visitors and thanked them in both Mandarin and Cantonese for coming to Hong Kong.
Lee told media that he has instructed each bureau head to visit local communities before Chinese New Year to extend festive greetings and provide more information on government policies.
A Wong-surnamed woman and her 11-month-old son received greetings from Lee. She said she was surprised and happy, and believes that it marks a positive beginning for the new year.
“I had no idea the chief executive would be passing by today. He asked about some everyday concerns, like whether the baby was dressed warm enough and how old he is,” she told China Daily, adding that the chief executive is friendly and she is satisfied with government policies.
A visitor from Germany named Benjamin came across Lee’s visit unexpectedly. He shared his positive impression of Hong Kong. “I saw the chief executive greeting the elderly and felt his friendliness,” he said.
“I sent my daughter to study in Hong Kong because of the good education possibilities here, and I feel that everything is good and effective,” he added.
Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen and Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han, accompanied Lee during the visits.
Mak said the year-end caring visits in 18 districts, coordinated by the Home Affairs Department, officially kicked off on Friday. Led by the chief executive, officials, district councilors and Community Care Team members will visit every district in Hong Kong during the coming three days.
This year's caring visits will cover low-income families, elderly households, ethnic minorities, as well as young and middle-class families, she said, noting that the aim is to gain deeper insights on their living conditions by engaging with residents from diverse backgrounds.
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Sun said the authorities have utilized big data across all Housing Authority estates to find elderly living alone or at higher risk, and will make more efforts to leverage technology effectively.
