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The Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Tsang Tak-sing, today (January 26) visited a new arrival family in Southern District to better understand their adaptation to the local community.
With the approach of the Lunar New Year, Mr Tsang, accompanied by District Officer (Southern) Mr Alex Wong, visited the family, who are living in Wah Kwai Estate.
"The SAR Government attaches great importance to helping new arrivals adapt to their new environment as quickly as possible. The Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs will lead a dedicated team to step up and co-ordinate efforts to provide services for new arrivals as well as ethnic minorities.
"We will monitor closely the service needs of new arrivals during the adaptation period to ensure that the support services can meet their needs. Moreover, collaboration with non-governmental organisations and district organisations will also be enhanced to facilitate their early integration into the local community," Mr Tsang said.
Mr Tsang also saw for himself the newly commissioned sitting-out area in Kau Wai Village, a district minor works project under the Southern District Council (SDC)'s District Facilities Management Committee. The area, formerly vacant government land, was converted into a leisure facility with "bamboo" as the main theme.
Additionally, Mr Tsang and the Chairman of the SDC, Ms Mar Yuet-har, met with chairmen of Mutual Aid Committees (MACs) in Shek Pai Wan Estate to discuss issues of concern to the residents and understand the daily operation of the committees.
Mr Tsang said MACs played an important role in promoting harmonious neighbourhoods. He hoped residents would participate actively in the work of MACs.
As the Chinese Lunar New Year is just around the corner, Mr Tsang and SDC members also distributed Lunar New Year gifts to residents in Lei Tung Shopping Centre and Chi Fu Fa Yuen Shopping Arcade.
Ends/Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Issued at HKT 19:27
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