Hong Kong will unveil its first five-year plan and annual policy address on September 16, the city’s leader has announced, as he visited grass-roots residents and inspected community services to gather public views. “The five-year plan draws the eyes of a dragon, while the policy address draws the entire dragon,” Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu…
Hong Kong authorities have backtracked on plans to require hotels to provide fire escape hoods in guest rooms and other spaces after industry leaders expressed concerns, and have said they will only encourage the equipment’s usage at this stage. The Home Affairs Department said on Thursday evening that it would only encourage the supply of…
Hong Kong hotels and guest houses are required to provide fire escape hoods to ensure customer safety, with authorities rolling out a grace period for the sector, the city’s home affairs minister has said. Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen also said on Saturday that the government would discuss implementation arrangements with…
The administrator of the fire-hit Hong Kong estate is still settling contracts and gradually issuing refunds to owners after organising tens of thousands of documents, the city’s home affairs minister has said in response to residents’ concerns. Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen said on Saturday that Hop On Management Company, the…
A fatal fire at a subdivided flat on Thursday has highlighted the need to eradicate substandard housing in Hong Kong, the housing minister has said, noting that affected residents had an average living space of just five square metres (54 sq ft). Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho Wing-yin was referring to Thursday’s blaze in a…
Hong Kong authorities will consider requiring operators to display the odds of winning on claw machines, while remaining open to increasing the prize value and maximum payout per game under a proposed regulatory regime, the home affairs minister has said. “The most important thing is to protect players and consumers, ensure they play in a…
Hong Kong authorities have failed to meet targets on the supply and construction of youth hostels, with the number of flats offered accounting for only 44 per cent of what was intended, an audit report has found. The Audit Commission on Wednesday released its report reviewing the government’s development and management of the facilities under…
Hong Kong’s leader has defended the government’s decision to put the legalisation of basketball betting on hold, stressing the policy was never intended to encourage gambling and that all risks must be controlled before any further steps are taken. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu made the remarks on Tuesday after the government’s surprising U-turn last…
Hong Kong’s sole legal betting operator and lawmakers were caught off guard by the government’s abrupt decision to suspend the rollout of legal basketball betting, which some believe was intended to align with Beijing’s efforts to curb gambling amid a surge in prediction markets. The government confirmed on Monday that it had suspended its plan…
Hong Kong authorities have proposed a legal amendment requiring property owners to attend a mandatory briefing on major renovation projects before voting on procurement resolutions, in a move aimed at curbing bid-rigging following the deadly blaze in Tai Po. Speaking on a radio programme on Saturday, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen…