'Youth Commission Can't Solve Society's Problems'

A member of the government's advisory body on youth matters says even wholesale reform of the organisation will not help ease the SAR's political crisis.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam has promised to revamp the Youth Development Commission so it better reflects the views of young people, who have been the mainstay of recent protests against changes to the extradition laws.

But speaking after appearing on RTHK's City Forum, commission member Jeremy Young said only the administration could heal the rift in society.

"Any reform, no matter how dramatic or immediate, of the Youth Development Commission, I don't think is going to solve the current problem in Hong Kong," he said.

"What we have seen is that Hong Kong is torn. A lot of people are hurt, both psychologically and physically. I think the most important thing the government must do is to heal the wounds, do whatever it takes to stop a lot of youths doing things that may jeopardise their future."

Young, a Liberal Party councillor in Central and Western District, joined the commission when it was created last year to replace the 28-year-old Commission on Youth.

At the time, the administration said the new commission would "enable holistic and more effective" discussion of youth issues. More than half of its 34 non-official members were under the age of 35.

Last week, however, Lam promised a major revamp of the commission to make it a more effective platform for the views of young people.