Hard work starts in policy address prep

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu yesterday kickstarted his consultations over his second policy address to be delivered on October 25.

More than 30 consultation sessions will be held, Lee said, adding that he and his principal officials would also reach out to the community to gauge a broader spectrum of views.

Lee met Hong Kong delegates to the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in the morning.

During the session, the convener of Hong Kong NPC delegates, Brave Chan Yung, called on Lee to cancel the health "black code" on border crossings.

Chan, a Legislative Council member from the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, said he believed "there will be good news soon" and said the move could make travel more convenient and speed up the integration of the Hong Kong and mainland economies.

He also called on authorities to set up a museum to introduce the history of the Chinese Communist Party and a national archive in Hong Kong.

His party colleague, Kennedy Wong Ying-ho, hoped the authorities could cooperate with other countries on the development of new energy vehicles.

Stanley Ng Chau-pei, chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, called for a continuation of promotional efforts of the cross-border coverage of the health voucher for older people.

When asked about anti-subversion legislation in line with article 23 of the Basic Law, Ng said it is a constitutional duty, and the government will proactively push forward with work toward it.

Lee met civil service unions in the afternoon, with Junior Police Officers' Association chairman Lam Chi-wai calling for strengthened training for civil servants on national identity and sense of honor to put a stop to resignations.

Disciplined Services Consultative Council representative Bonnie Lo Hoi-sze hoped more measures could be launched to retain talents and that civil service salaries could keep up with the economic development to maintain purchasing power.

Lam agreed that salaries were an important factor to attract civil servants but insisted the determination to serve the public and contribute were also essential.

Hong Kong Senior Government Officers Association chief Willy Pang Lai-fai said the government is reviewing the Civil Service Code and would consult civil servant associations.

Lee said participants had put forward proposals covering a wide range of issues, including the economy, health care, land and housing, technology, elderly care, youth development and civil service management.

He said each of them would be studied in detail and urged the public to file suggestions through the policy address website or Facebook page.