Young Voices | Through open dialogue, the Chief Executive demonstrates his dedication to governance

On Wednesday, October 25, the Chief Executive, Mr. Lee Ka-chiu, delivered his second Policy Address with the theme "Pushing for Economic Development, Enhancing People's Livelihood, and Achieving Happiness." The Policy Address contains about 640 policy initiatives covering a wide range of areas, and among them, there are quite a number of highlights, including the reduction of the "spiciness" of the property market, the lowering of the stamp duty on stocks, and the distribution of HKD20,000 to newborn babies, which demonstrates a new atmosphere for the administration of the government.

After perusing the Policy Address, members of the public will have a great deal of queries due to its dense content and relatively extensive measures. Mr. Lee Ka-chiu participated in a radio program yesterday morning (26th) and answered numerous queries from the public. During the one-and-a-half-hour program, members of the audience asked numerous pertinent questions with enthusiasm. Mr. Lee also answered all inquiries and responded candidly to the public's concerns regarding hot livelihood issues, such as promoting childbirth and prohibiting substandard subdivided units.

For example, a member of the public called to say that he had just given birth to his fourth child in May, but that he had not benefited from any of the measures in this Policy Address, and that he found the date set for the measures' implementation to be odd. Mr. Lee responded that he understood that any effective date set for the measures would mean that some individuals would not be able to take advantage of them, and that this issue had been the subject of heated discussions within the government. However, he believed that the policy was directive this time, and that in order to send a clear message to encourage childbirth, the government should act in accordance with what it has stated.

The Government's words are consistent with its deeds. The government declared the specifics of the Newborn Incentive Allowance the day following the Policy Address. Who qualifies to apply? When should they apply? What are the application methods? The details are readily apparent. Simultaneously, the government provided a schedule for the financial incentive, and it is anticipated that the incentive payment will be made in the first quarter of the following year at the earliest, which is a manifestation of "targeting results."

According to some members of the public, the Policy Address is a decent starting point for promoting childbirth, but its emphasis is on quantity rather than quality. Mr. Lee Ka-chiu also explained that if the policy on encouraging childbirth only targeted specific classes, the administrative costs would be extremely high and even outweigh the benefits to the general public. He emphasized that the $20,000 incentive payment was a token of the government's gratitude, equivalent to a "bonus." Some members of the public remarked that while the middle class lacked welfare benefits, their expenses and pressure were increasing, and they wished there was a way to prevent the public from "giving birth indiscriminately". The Chief Executive acknowledged that the efficacy of a fertility policy could only be judged after a lengthy period of time and would be influenced by numerous factors, and that each family's fertility considerations should be respected.

Some audience members inquired as to how women should deal with the strain exerted by their employers when they give birth in the workplace, which is a common occurrence. Mr. Lee Ka-chiu stated that companies have a social responsibility to care for their employees, and the Government has introduced the relevant measures in the Policy Address in an effort to serve as a guideline for the entire community. The government has taken the initiative in promoting childbearing, and it is anticipated that the entire community will create an environment that promotes childbirth.

The HKSAR Government has proposed for years to construct a controversial "Super Funeral City" in Sha Ling, a boundary area in the North District. According to a previous online poll conducted by DotDotNews, nearly 99% of respondents deemed the site selection unsuitable, and more than 60% believed that the site should be converted into an innovation and technology center. In the new Policy Address, it is stated that the plan to construct a public columbarium in Sha Ling, North District, has been reconsidered, and since there will be a sufficient supply of public niches in the future, the original 2 hectares of land will be converted into a center for innovation and technology and related uses. The citizens of Shenzhen and Hong Kong have applauded now that the government has addressed their requests and expectations.

During yesterday's Question and Answer Session on the Policy Address, some Councillors mentioned the reduction of the "spiciness" of the property market and hoped that the Government would monitor the market to figure out if the "speculative trend" had reemerged and if the Government could "remove the spice" across the board. Several Councillors stated that the market viewed the reduction in stamp duty on stocks as insufficient and requested that the government implement a greater rate of reduction. Mr. Lee responded openly to these "spicy" queries and elucidated on the government's policy direction.

In Hong Kong, the issue of subdivided houses has long been a nuisance and has been criticized numerous times. The new Policy Address announced the formation of a Working Group on Subdivided Flats, which will spend ten months examining the establishment of minimum living environment standards for subdivided flats. The current situation is that there are about 220,000 people living in about 110,000 sub-divided units. How to strike a good balance between the two? Mr. Lee responded clearly that the government would carefully consider the transitional and follow-up arrangements for subdivided units in poor condition, so as to prevent the occupants from becoming homeless as a result of the enforcement action. He also mentioned that the market will be able to reduce the supply of subdivided units only when the demand for subdivided units decreases. To this end, the Government should endeavor to increase the supply of public housing and expedite the allocation of public housing to applicants, so as to reduce the demand for sub-divided units.

Numerous Councillors were concerned about the implementation schedule for the various measures outlined in the Policy Address. Mr. Lee responded with conviction, "I have stated in the Policy Address that I will implement them, and we are 'results-oriented'".

Indeed, only through implementation and enforcement can results be achieved, and only through enforcement can effectiveness be seen. Ultimately, we have to look at the outcomes of the implementation of various policies and measures to determine whether the public is pleased! We will have to see!

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