Hong Kong’s top-ranking civil servants will be held accountable if they fail to provide adequate support in policy formulation, the city’s leader has said, despite a new investigation mechanism that primarily targets department heads. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday that the proposed “Heads of Department Accountability System” was intended to promote self-improvement within departments rather than “picking on” individuals. Under the new mechanism, the chief executive, department...
Hong Kong’s leader has defended the government’s decision to put the legalisation of basketball betting on hold, stressing the policy was never intended to encourage gambling and that all risks must be controlled before any further steps are taken. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu made the remarks on Tuesday after the government’s surprising U-turn last week to halt the authorisation of basketball betting, citing the rapid growth of prediction markets – cryptocurrency-based platforms that allow...
The Hong Kong government plans to launch a public consultation this quarter on the city’s first five-year plan aligned with national development, aiming to gather views on which policies the government should focus on in the coming years. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday that Hong Kong’s five-year plan would bring numerous benefits, including abundant development opportunities and enhanced competitiveness. “The five-year plan is of significant importance to Hong Kong’s economic...
Hong Kong’s leader has pledged to enhance the city’s governance system in public security and safety and to carry out systemic reform following the deadly Tai Po fire, describing it as a key task in safeguarding national security. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s remarks came after Xia Baolong, Beijing’s top official overseeing Hong Kong affairs, said people with “ulterior motives” had exploited the city’s deadliest blaze in decades to stir up social unrest and called for vigilance against...
Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu has promised to allow more children from low-income families to enjoy after-school care on campus by further expanding a government scheme following positive feedback from participants. Social workers and educators welcomed the initiative on Saturday, proposing the government widen the scheme’s coverage to include more pupils and encourage more schools to join through subsidies. The scheme, launched as part of a government’s targeted measures to tackle poverty,...