Latest news with #AliceMak
HKFP
4 days ago
- Health
- HKFP
Hong Kong to add more district-level ‘care teams' as gov't set to renew service terms
Hong Kong is set to add three more district-level 'care teams' later this year, bringing the total number of government-sponsored community service groups to 455, the government has announced. The secretary for home and youth affairs, Alice Mak, said on Friday that the government would invite the organisations currently behind the existing 452 care teams to continue their services after their terms expire in late September and mid-October. Chief Executive John Lee announced the establishment of district-level care teams in his 2022 Policy Address, in a move to bolster the authorities' capacity in 'district governance.' A total of 452 teams began a two-year service period in 2023. The teams are required to make regular visits to elderly people and other residents in need, respond to emergencies such as extreme weather events, and promote national security in communities, according to the Home Affairs Department. On Friday, Mak praised the care teams for completing their services under the government's requirements. 'Care Teams in all sub-districts have nearly completed their services in accordance with the key performance indicators (KPIs). Some teams have even exceeded the requirements,' Mak said in a statement. She also announced that the government would make adjustments to the care teams' service boundaries due to factors like demographic changes in the sub-districts. Sha Ta in the North District will be split into two sub-districts due to its extensive area, while Sheung Shui Rural, also in the North District, and Hang Hau West, in the Sai Kung District, will each add a new team because of population growth, she said. Boundaries of six other sub-districts will also be 'fine-tuned,' she added. 'With these adjustments, the total number of Care Teams will increase from 452 to 455.' Last year, Lee announced that the government would regularise the funding and increase it by 50 per cent for care teams in the next term of service. As of June this year, the care teams had visited about 530,000 elderly households and other residents in need, provided about 76,000 times of support services, and organised about 38,000 district-level activities, according to official figures released on Friday. The work of the care teams came under the spotlight in January this year, after a student-made documentary found that some care teams sought to bolster numbers by inviting event participants to pose as volunteers for photos. District officers also rejected the student journalists' request for the care teams' financial and performance reports. Mak defended the non-disclosure at that time, saying it was 'appropriate' to provide the information only after the care teams had completed their service period. Each care team consists of eight to 12 members. Currently, each team receives government subsidies of around HK$800,000 to HK$1.2 million for a two-year term.
South China Morning Post
18-07-2025
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong district councillor with traffic offence record facing misconduct probe
A Hong Kong district councillor with a record of convictions for traffic offences is being investigated for alleged misconduct by a government-appointed special panel and could be suspended from his duties in the worst-case scenario. Home affairs minister Alice Mak Mei-kuen said on Friday that she had appointed a five-member supervisory committee to investigate the alleged misconduct of Kenneth Yip Kat-kong, an appointed member of the Tuen Mun District Council. In May, the 62-year-old retired businessman was sentenced to 200 hours of community service and had his licence suspended for six months after pleading guilty to dangerous driving in a head-on collision with a taxi in Sheung Shui in August last year. Yip had failed a breathalyser test. During hearings on the case, a court also heard that Yip had previous drink-driving and careless driving convictions from 2017. 'The government places strong emphasis on the conduct and integrity of [district council] members,' Mak said.
RTHK
28-06-2025
- Business
- RTHK
DC economic groups' revitalisation mission a success
DC economic groups' revitalisation mission a success Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak says that the current district councils are actively fostering collaboration with a diverse number of community stakeholders. Photo: RTHK Authorities have said they extended the terms of the district councils' working groups tasked with boosting the local economy because of their success in revitalising the business atmosphere across Hong Kong. Originally scheduled to wind up at the end of 2024, the terms of these working groups on boosting local economy had been extended by a year, running through to December 2025. The groups are tasked with developing activities tailored to each district's unique characteristics to attract both residents and visitors, in a bid to stimulate district-level economic development. Speaking to RTHK in an interview marking the third year of John Lee's administration, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak said that the current district councils are moving beyond initiatives that are solely council-led, and are now actively fostering collaboration with a diverse number of community stakeholders including businesses and local organisations when hosting events. Citing one success case, she said the district council in Lam Tsuen worked with the rural committee and young designers to organise last year's wishing tree event, adding they used that experience to enhance this year's festivities. Meanwhile, Sham Shui Po held a night market called "Lightsaber Spin in the Shell" last year, in collaboration with local electronics shops and merchants, which significantly boosted economic activity in the area, with some shops reporting revenues reaching seven figures in over just two days. Additionally, Tuen Mun's Gold Coast Hydrangea Festival – which featured a drone show and performances – saw some nearby shops take advantage of the activities to host their own events. "We see that the effect achieved by the working group on boosting local economy is that when we organise events, it's not only the district council or the government's resources involved," Mak said. "Instead, we can rely on diverse range of help from within society – the business sector, local organisations such as the rural committees, chambers of commerce, and so on – to work together. "Moreover, we have created a platform allowing merchants or private sectors to organise events independently." Mak said the working groups will continue to discover new platforms, which include revitalising traditional festivals and also organising new events, to empower different businesses to host their own activities.
RTHK
25-06-2025
- RTHK
Students head north to learn about source of tapwater
Students head north to learn about source of tapwater Zarina Insar said she is keen to find out how Dongjiang water is supplied to Hong Kong. Photo: RTHK Around 600 teenagers set off on Wednesday for a three-day tour of the mainland, during which they will learn about how fresh water from a mountain range 300 kilometres north of Hong Kong is supplied to the city through an intricate network of pipelines and tunnels first built 60 years ago. The trip, sponsored by a youth foundation, takes students to an artificial lake in Guangdong, as well as Sanbai mountain in Jiangxi, situated in a national forest park known for its pristine water quality. Addressing the students at West Kowloon station before they boarded a chartered high-speed train to Heyuan, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak urged the youngsters to spare a thought for the city's residents who endured a severe drought in the 1960s. The drought led to a landmark agreement that saw the mainland supply Hong Kong with fresh water from Dongjiang, a tributary of Pearl River. Some of the students on the trip hail from ethnic minority backgrounds. They included Zarina Insar, a 14-year-old from Pakistan who said she wanted to learn more about the water supply system. Zayan Khan, who's 15, said he signed up for the tour after spotting a promotional poster. "I'm very happy. I haven't been to Dongjiang [region], but I actually learnt a little about the history [of Dongjiang water] and now I want to see how the water is supplied to Hong Kong," he said in Cantonese. Insar, Khan and 38 others on the trip are attending Islamic Kasim Tuet Memorial College in Chai Wan. School principal Zareenah Ho said some of them also come from Egypt, Malaysia and Palestine. "Most of them have never been to the mainland," she said. "A few visited in the past year or two, thanks to policies from the government. "We also like to thank the organiser for arranging halal meals and prayer facilities for our Islam students." Ho hoped the trip can enrich students' understanding of the nation's development and help them learn to appreciate the water they consume every day.
South China Morning Post
25-06-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Angel Chong may have to end controversial bid to join Miss Hong Kong Pageant
The youngest district councillor in Hong Kong may pull out of the Miss Hong Kong Pageant after her attempt to enter the competition drew criticism for compromising her duty to residents, with the leader of her political party telling the Post she would be reaching a 'thorough decision' soon. Gary Chan Hak-kan, chairman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), said on Wednesday that the party had called on Sai Kung district councillor Angel Chong Nga-ting, 24, to fulfil her duties. 'DAB has requested Chong to fulfil her duties and not let down the expectations of the residents, the Hong Kong government and everyone. I believe she will make a very carefully considered decision and announce it to everyone soon,' he told the Post. His comments came a day after Chong was spotted at Tseung Kwan O TVB City for the first round of interviews for the beauty contest. Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen said on Tuesday that every district councillor, regardless of their profession, background or sector, must meet the requirements of the performance monitoring system. Asked if Chong could retain her post if she won the pageant, Mak stressed that district councillors must perform their duties conscientiously regardless of the activities or work they want to participate in.
