**********************************************************
The Pilot Scheme on Enhancement of District Administration Through District Management Committees, commenced in Sham Shui Po and Yuen Long in April 2014, completed in August this year with great success. The Chief Executive (CE) announced in his Policy Address this year that upon the Pilot Scheme's completion, the Government would consider providing additional manpower and resources depending on circumstances to implement it in all 18 districts starting from the next term of the District Councils (DCs) in 2016.
The Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs, Mrs Betty Fung, attended the regular monthly meeting between the Director of Home Affairs and DC Chairmen and Vice-chairmen held today (September 17) to listen to the Sham Shui Po District Council Chairman, Mr Kwok Chun-wah, and the Yuen Long District Council (YLDC) Chairman, Mr Leung Che-cheung, reporting the achievements of the Pilot Scheme over the past 17 months and sharing their experiences in the implementation of the Scheme, as well as views from other DC Chairmen and Vice-chairmen on the Pilot Scheme.
Mr Kwok said, "The Pilot Scheme in Sham Shui Po sought to strengthen support for street sleepers and 'three-nil' buildings (i.e. those without owner's corporations (OCs), owners'/residents' organisations and property management companies). We would like to thank the relevant departments, organisations and local residents for their collaborative efforts and support, which contributed to the Pilot Scheme's success."
On strengthening support for street sleepers, Mr Kwok said, "We have adopted a caring approach and through the help of dedicated social workers, 65 street sleepers have left the street, 26 of whom have not returned to the street for more than six months. Twenty-nine street sleepers have also found part-time or full-time jobs. Meanwhile, seven cleaning exercises have been conducted at locations where street sleepers gather, clearing more than 30 tonnes of abandoned items and improving the environmental hygiene of these locations."
To encourage owners of 103 target "three-nil" buildings to better manage their buildings, the Sham Shui Po District Office (SSPDO) engaged a contractor through the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) to provide 159 sessions of cleaning services at the public areas of these buildings and 113 sessions of cleaning services at 40 nearby rear lanes, clearing about 9 tonnes and 11 tonnes of garbage respectively. In addition, 13 OCs have been formed with the assistance of the SSPDO and 148 Resident Liaison Ambassadors have been recruited to help the Government promote the message of proper building management.
Mr Leung said, "In Yuen Long, the Pilot Scheme was dedicated to curbing shop-front extensions (SFEs), clearing illegally parked bicycles and enhancing anti-mosquito efforts and grass-cutting. The two-pronged approach adopted by the relevant departments, through enhanced enforcement and promotion, has proven effective in tackling some long-standing district problems."
On curbing SFEs, several rounds of inter-departmental operations which covered four action locations involving six streets were launched, and these dealt with 209 shops with SFEs. "Thanks to the Government's enhanced promotion and sustained enforcement, we have seen an increasing proportion of shops voluntarily removing their illegal platforms and structures," he added.
Following 63 joint operations by the relevant departments, more than 47 locations with rampant illegal bicycle-parking problems have been cleared and over 1 900 bicycles confiscated. The Transport Department has also accepted nine of the locations proposed by YLDC members and is providing a total of 203 proper bicycle parking spaces.
At the same time, the relevant departments have stepped up anti-mosquito and grass-cutting efforts at 68 action locations proposed by YLDC members, and have partnered with the FEHD and the Department of Health to respond to the outbreak of dengue fever and Japanese encephalitis.
The Pilot Scheme has provided the District Management Committees (DMCs) chaired by District Officers (DOs) the decision-making power to tackle the management and environmental hygiene problems of some public areas with the DCs' advice on the work priorities, in order to take forward the concept of "addressing district issues at the local level and capitalising on local opportunities" advocated by the CE in his Policy Address.
Mrs Fung said, "The success of the Pilot Scheme was attributed to the active participation and support of DC members. I am particularly glad to see that innovative and caring approaches have been deployed to resolve those long-standing district problems." She encouraged DC members to continue to work closely with the Government, jointly build the community, address the district issues and capitalise on local opportunities together.
The Director of Home Affairs, Mrs Pamela Tan, expressed her gratitude to the two DCs for their great support. "With the co-ordination and drive by DMCs led by the DOs, the Pilot Scheme has achieved positive and desired outcomes. Not only has it responded actively to public aspirations, it has also handled many long-standing and challenging major district problems and has therefore been well received by the local communities," Mrs Tan said.
"The Pilot Scheme has brought together DC members and local personalities from different political camps with different political views to support the Government. Their support is instrumental in gaining the necessary co-operation of the public, enabling the relevant departments to take swift and effective action to respond to district needs," she added.
Ends/Thursday, September 17, 2015
Issued at HKT 20:05
NNNN
