District councillors elected under Hong Kong’s revamped system have pledged to serve as a bridge between the government and their respective communities during an oath-taking ceremony as the city leader called on them to bolster local solidarity.
The 470 councillors on Monday swore an oath of allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the city’s mini-constitution, the Basic Law, under the supervision of the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen at the government headquarters in Admiralty.
Before the closed-door swearing-in, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu delivered opening remarks, reminding the new-term councillors of Article 97 of the Basic Law, which states that the community-level organisations are not political organs, according to barrister Kacee Ting Wong from the Eastern District Council.
Ting quoted Lee as saying the new councillors should effectively serve as a bridge between local residents and the government.
In a social media post sharing his New Year’s message on Monday, Lee said the government aimed to improve residents’ livelihoods in 2024.
“Particularly, after improving the district governance system, the [new] District Council will start to serve from today. They will better gather community forces and improve people’s livelihoods,” Lee said.
He added that the administration would also focus on revitalising Hong Kong’s economy, such as organising “innovative” activities.
Hong Kong’s new district councils will be more ‘constructive’: John Lee
Hong Kong’s new district councils will be more ‘constructive’: John Lee
Lo Hiu-fung, one of the 22 district councillors in Tai Po, revealed his team earlier convened a meeting to discuss their future plans and many said the body over the past two years had remained stagnant.
“Tai Po District Council hasn’t held meetings in the past two years,” Lo told a radio programme before the swearing-in ceremony. “Many recreational facilities, construction works and transport plans have been halted. We will set up committees to continue them.”
About 260 former district council members from the opposition camp across different districts voluntarily resigned their seats in 2021 ahead of new oath-taking rules that required pledging loyalty to the government and on the heels of leaks suggesting they could be forced to return an entire year of salary and other funding.
Lo added that the council chairperson, a role that is no longer elected among the members but taken up by the government’s district officer under the revamped system, also suggested fostering economic development in Tai Po.
Outgoing Hong Kong district councillors contemplate life outside politics
Outgoing Hong Kong district councillors contemplate life outside politics
He said his suggestions also included setting up night markets in Lam Tsuen and at the Tai Po Arts Centre, as well as three photogenic spots to encourage local consumption and attract tourists to the area.
Lo said he also expected that other councillors, especially those who were appointed and had a business background, could share their professional knowledge to sustain economic development in the area.
Speaking on the same radio programme, Tsuen Wan District Councillor Ng Chun-yu also voiced his expectations for appointed members in the area, saying they should make use of their expertise when reaching out to certain stakeholders, as well as locating venues for activities.
He added that the Tsuen Wan municipal body earlier held a preparation meeting, in which he suggested getting residents’ opinions on future redevelopment plans and their needs to adapt coming government policies accordingly.
The district council election on December 10, dubbed as the last piece of the puzzle for establishing the Beijing-ordered “patriots-only” governance structure, cut the proportion of directly elected seats from almost 95 per cent to 19 per cent, or 88 seats in 44 enlarged geographical constituencies.
The election drew a turnout rate of 27.54 per cent, the lowest since 1997 when the city returned to Chinese rule.
The three area committees chose another 176 seats, with the city leader appointing 179 and rural leaders taking the remaining 27 seats.
A set of guidelines were announced in late December to evaluate the district councillors’ work performance, which include a requirement to attend at least 80 per cent of general meetings, submit annual work reports and give notice if they plan to leave the city for more than 48 hours.