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Opinion
John Lee is right about local governance. Now he must deliver
Fixing Hong Kong’s district management in the wake of the devastating Tai Po fire is the next test for the chief executive
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Alice Wu is a political consultant and a former associate director of the Asia Pacific Media Network at UCLA.
Something unexpected happened at the town hall meeting held a week ago to gather public opinion on Hong Kong’s first five-year plan and the coming policy address. Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu spoke about the need to upgrade the city’s urban management systems.
Our results-oriented, reform-focused chief executive seems to be ready for another colossal task.
Lee began his term with plans to reform policy bureau operations, introducing key performance indicators and additional political appointments to raise governance efficiency and effectiveness. He assigned key officials, including himself, to oversee task forces and coordination efforts. He also spearheaded bureaucratic and civil service reforms to address bottlenecks impeding governance and the progress of development projects such as the Northern Metropolis.
He has stressed that government policies must deliver on both the macro and micro levels. On the macro level, the city’s economy is turning around. The latest upward revision of Hong Kong’s gross domestic product indicates a sustained and strong recovery. In June, the International Institute for Management Development named Hong Kong the second most competitive economy in the world.
Now more must be done to translate macroeconomic progress into local impact.
The chief executive acknowledged the need last August as he concluded his policy address public consultation exercise. “When formulating policies, we have to care about the details and do better communication with our residents about the aims of these policies so they feel acknowledged and have something to gain,” he said.
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