Task forces to tackle key livelihood issues

At his first Legco question and answer session, John Lee reveals he has ordered ministers to set targets and revivedgovernment think tank

Hong Kong’s new leader will set up four task forces to tackle pressing livelihood issues and has ordered ministers toformulate policy targets by the end of next month, he revealed while laying out his governing plans during his firstofficial visit to the legislature as chief executive.

John Lee Ka-chiu also said he would revive a government think tank, to be renamed the Chief Executive’s Policy Unit,which would not only gauge local public sentiment, but also have a full grasp of national and international developmentsto help with policymaking.

Lee, who has pledged to adopt a “result-oriented” approach and set key performance indicators to measure progress,revealed at his first question and answer session in the Legislative Council yesterday that he had demanded all bureauchiefs submit their targets to his office by next month.

“My style of leadership is that I expect all directors of departments and secretaries of bureaus to be involved in the first instance when problems arise, and they should take the lead and work without wasting time,” he said, laying out his governing vision.

“I will require all directors of departments to set targets for their work. And if there are issues, they must address them and there must be a stronger accountability culture, so as to have more effective governance.”

Lee, who was paying his first visit to Legco as leader on the sixth day of his five-year term, was sworn in by Xi Jinping on July 1 during the president’s trip to the city.

Xi placed an emphasis on Lee and his team to get livelihood issues right, noting that Hong Kong people most desired “a better life, a bigger apartment, more business start-up opportunities, better education for kids and better elderly care”.

During his 90-minute Legco session, Lee called Xi’s words “constructive”, adding that he had follow-up meetings with his officials based on the president’s expectations. He also identified the government’s 15 bureaus as his “sons and daughters”.

Among the efforts to tackle deep-seated social issues was the establishment of four new interdepartmental task forces to be spearheaded by top-ranking secretaries, which would focus on intergenerational poverty, district affairs coordination, land supply and public housing initiatives, he added.

Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki, who will lead efforts to alleviate poverty, said a one-year scheme would be launched to support junior secondary school pupils from low-income families by providing mentor matching, personal development planning and financial aid. His deputy, Cheuk Wing-hing, will oversee the task force on district affairs in improving hygiene.