Following are the opening remarks (English translation) by the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, at the special meeting of the Legislative Council Finance Committee today (April 8):

Chairman,
 
     I would like to brief Members on the key areas of work of the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) in 2025-26.

     On youth development, since the launch of the Youth Development Blueprint, the HYAB has been co-ordinating with various bureaux to implement at full steam some 160 measures as set out therein. To ensure that the Blueprint measures are progressing with the times, the bureaux have also introduced around 90 new measures subsequently.
      
     We will continue to take forward various exchange and internship programmes outside Hong Kong, helping young people broaden their horizons and explore our country and the world. Moreover, a new round of funded projects under two funding schemes on youth entrepreneurship will be rolled out gradually in 2025 to support aspiring youth entrepreneurs.

     Following the success last year, we will organise the second Youth Development Summit in the second half of 2025 to facilitate exchange among youths from different regions.
      
     To expand spaces and network for the youth, as announced in the 2024 Policy Address, the HYAB will set up, for "Youth Link" members, a physical platform for interaction in the Nam Cheong District Community Centre and the adjacent Tung Chau Street Temporary Market, and we will also establish a new interactive space and set up a video studio at the Youth Square, for rolling out the "Good Stories of Hong Kong Youth" Programme. The Government will also convert the Kai Tak Community Isolation Facility into a youth development facility, which includes setting up a "Youth Post" hostel and creating spaces for youth cultural, arts and sports exchanges. The HYAB has promptly enhanced our speed and efficiency in pressing ahead with these projects, in particular that we have completed the tender exercise and selected the operator of "Youth Post". The operator will not only set up a youth hostel but also organise youth activities and international exchange programmes encompassing cultural, art and sports elements in accordance with a detailed five-year conceptual plan.
      
     As regards civic and national education, we will continue to work closely with the Committee on the Promotion of Civic Education in 2025-26 to promote civic and national education through various channels and diverse means, such as seminars, thematic exhibitions and interactive dramas, with a view to helping the general public develop positive values, civic awareness and sense of patriotism, as well as enhancing their awareness of the rule of law.
      
     On family and women's development, to promote women's workplace development, the HYAB will launch the "She Inspires" two-year pilot mentorship programme in the second quarter of this year, pairing local female university students who aspire to pursue a career in the professional or business sectors with women leader mentors, and provide related training and activities. The preparatory work is under way, and we have received enthusiastic responses and support from outstanding local women. We have successfully recruited about 50 mentors.
      
     On improving district governance, the achievements of the seventh-term District Councils in its first year are there for all to see. All the District Council members have focused on livelihood issues, liaised closely with members of the public, reflected public views inside and outside the District Councils, and assisted in boosting the local economy, improving the living environment as well as resolving problems people faced. I hope that District Council members will continue to carry out solid district work, serve people in innovative ways and build a better and harmonious community together.
      
     The 452 District Services and Community Care Teams in the 18 districts have been fully operational for a year and a half. As of end-January 2025, they have visited around 390 000 households in need, and provided about 43 000 times of support services. In addition to provision of caring services, Care Teams also assist in handling incidents and emergencies. The Government will increase the funding for Care Teams in their next term of service, with the estimated provision for 2025-26 amounting to $319.1 million, so that Care Teams can provide more in-depth and extensive caring services.
      
     As regards ethnic minorities (EMs), to further strengthen the support for EMs to integrate into the community, the Home Affairs Department will invite one more existing support service centre for EMs to provide interpretation and translation services for EMs to alleviate the inconvenience they face due to language barriers. The service is targeted to commence in 2025.
      
     The Government is committed to promoting good building management. We will launch, this June at the earliest, a one-year Pilot Scheme on Joint Property Management in the districts of Yau Tsim Mong, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon City and Tsuen Wan to help owners of "three-nil" buildings and aged single-block buildings engage the same property management company to jointly manage their buildings. The Government has earmarked $7 million for running the Pilot Scheme.
      
     On combating illegal betting, as stated in the Budget Speech in recent years, quite some members of the public have expressed concerns about the problem of illegal basketball betting in Hong Kong. According to the latest information provided by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, the illegal market turnover for basketball betting in 2024 was estimated to be at around $70 billion to $90 billion. To combat illegal betting activities in an effective manner, we launched a one-month public consultation last Wednesday (April 2) on the proposed regulation of basketball betting activities. We will decide the way forward having regard to public views.
      
     My colleagues and I are happy to answer questions from Members. Thank you.

Ends/Tuesday, April 8, 2025
Issued at HKT 18:38

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