Govt To Review Role Of District Councils

The Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Alice Mak, on Saturday said the administration is collecting people's views on the role of District Council, before it conducts a review on the matter.

She said the authorities will also look into whether the council will have appointed members in future, after the current term expires next year.

"This is an imminent [piece of] work that we have to finish as soon as possible because I know that many stakeholders in the districts are very concerned about the development of the District Council," she said after speaking on a radio programme.

"But the review of the District Council, or district administration, will [be done] according to Articles 97 and 98 in the Basic Law."

Mak said that means the council will have to be a district organization which isn't an organ of political power, adding that it has to be able to consult and represent the people.

Separately, Mak said her first priority is to listen to young people's views and then reflect them in government policies.

She admitted it's a difficult task for the administration to gain young people's trust, and it's planning to have deep conversations with them behind closed doors.

The official said she has already met some young people since she took office.

Mak said the authorities will be announcing a youth development blueprint by the end of the year, covering areas like employment, starting a business and homebuying.