NEWSLETTER Content JULY, Revisiting Beijing nine years on Raising six of the issues concerning Hong Kong society

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1 JULY, NEWSLETTER Content P2 Revisiting Beijing nine years on Raising six of the issues concerning Hong Kong society P3 Hong Kong Insights forum Youth Policy - Chapter Two: Education and Training Clean Hong Kong Corps dispatch P4 Comprehensively monitoring the excessive levels of lead found on public estates Urging the government to better monitor problematic trees Focusing on the problems faced by local guide dog trainers P5 Snapshots

2 Revisiting Beijing nine years on Raising six of the issues concerning Hong Kong society P2 From 22 to 25 July, the DAB met key leaders in Beijing, reflecting and offering recommendations on several of the issues concerning Hong Kong society. Meeting with NPC Chairman Zhang Dejiang Zhang Dejiang, Chairman of the National People s Council, recognised the work and efforts of the DAB during the 20-month period of political reform. He also stated that the DAB had to insist on what is good to make a difference. It must support both the One Country, Two Systems principle and The Basic Law. By upholding the vision of being devoted to Hong Kong, the DAB can extensively unite all walks of life, do real work in improving the livelihoods of Hong Kong people, and strive for long-term prosperity and stability in Hong Kong. Meeting with the NDRC official The DAB met He Lifeng, Deputy Director of the National Development and Reform Commission, and raised five recommendations and two concerns about strengthening cooperation between Hong Kong and the mainland, including: 1. Reinforcing Hong Kong s role in the One Belt, One Road national strategy, and in the operation of Asian investment banks. 2. Strengthening cooperation between Hong Kong and the mainland in the areas of innovation and technology. 3. Including the enhancement of Pearl River Delta airspace management in the 13th National Five-Year Plan. 4. Strengthening the fight against parallel import activities 5. Cooperating to promote environmental protection 6. Focusing on the issues raised by implementing juxtaposed border controls at Hong Kong s high-speed rail stations 7. Focusing on the recent fluctuations in the Hong Kong and mainland stock markets, and their impacts on the real economy He Lifeng promised to actively pursue the above issues, especially concerning airspace management. As Hong Kong and the mainland have formed a consensus on strengthening regional environmental protection, he also hoped that Hong Kong s commercial and industrial sectors could seize the market opportunities carried by the One Belt, One Road strategy. Visiting UFWD DAB met Lin Zhimin, Deputy Minister of the United Front Work Department, with the aim of connecting more widely with Hong Kong society and exchanging ideas. Lin Zhimin hoped that Hong Kong society could lay down its political disputes and cooperate to improve personal livelihoods and the economy, for the sake of Hong Kong s future.

3 Hong Kong Insights forum Youth Policy - Chapter Two: Education and Training P3 Hong Kong has a complex and ever-changing society, and the same is true of the region s political environment. Last year s Occupy Central movement and filibustering in the Legislative Council intensified the rifts and unrest felt throughout our society, and much of this internal friction is still present today. With this in mind, DAB hosted the Hong Kong Insights forum, inviting esteemed scholars, social leaders and members of nongovernmental organizations to come together and diagnose Hong Kong s ills. The forum aimed to propose solutions for various problematic aspects of society, economy, politics Chapter 1: Youth Political Participation and Locality Chapter 2: Education and Training Coming up NEXT! Chapter 3: Career Development Chapter 4: National Conditions and History, Moral and Positive Education Stay turned for more! Chapter 2: Education and Training Host: Miss Starry Lee Wai King, DAB Chairperson Summary of guest views: 1It is necessary to increase the number of available university places, in order to keep up with the trend of globalisation and the accompanying expectations of enhanced youth qualification; 2Self-financing tertiary institutions are playing a more and more important role in higher education. There is a need to provide appropriate subsidies for students in tertiary institutions and to relieve the institutions operating costs; 3The government should promote career planning in secondary schools. The authorities should provide better support for schools, and help parents to better manage their children s career planning and education. and government policy, enhancing our awareness of key issues and facilitating discussion and striving to reach a consensus of opinion. We will form the suggestions we received into a proposal to submit to the Chief Executive. The first chapter, held in June, was themed around Youth Policy, and discussed youth engagement with and local awareness of policy. Clean Hong Kong Corps dispatch On 2 July, the DAB identified 76 hygiene black spots in Hong Kong, and informed the related governmental departments so they could pursue further action. To sustainably monitor hygiene conditions, the DAB formed the Clean Hong Kong Corps, appointing Legislative Council Members Steven Ho Chun Yin and Ben Chan Han Ban to be the commanders-in-chief. They cooperated with Health Captains in 18 districts to discover and follow up on different hygiene black spots, and urge the government to tackle the problem. For the latest progress, please browse and

4 Comprehensively monitoring the excessive levels of lead found on public estates P4 The DAB commissioned professional laboratories to test about 3,000 samples from more than 150 public and private housing estates. The results showed that over 80 samples contained excessive levels of lead. The DAB immediately asked the government safety levels. We will continue to closely monitor the government s testing results, and quickly inform residents of any news. In the meantime, we will request that the authorities thoroughly investigate the issue and its accountability, ensuring that such DAB s recommendations (accepted by the government) Sample water fromall public estates in Hong Kong, one by one Follow up actions Urge the government to announce its water testing schedule as soon as possible to follow up on the cases, and to inform local residents of water an event will not happen again. Install water filters on estates with excessive levels of lead Quickly and efficiently change water pipes on estates with excessive levels of lead Urging the government to better monitor problematic trees Many of the thousands of trees in Hong Kong are ancient and famous. However, some of these trees may pose potential risks to public safety if they are not properly monitored and maintained. For example, a Banyan tree opposite the old Government Secretariat in Lower Albert Road, Central, collapsed in the rain recently, and a centuryold tree uprooted and hurt passersby on Bonham Road, Mid-Levels, Western District. Monitor the progress of water filter installation The DAB have requested that the authorities: Establish a Commissioner for Green Management and Committee of Green Management, forming a tree management system with a focus on green management; Formulate green management regulations; Enhance the transparency of green management work, and encourage the public to join in tree monitoring activities; Professionalise green management to ensure management quality. Focusing on the problems faced by local guide dog trainers There are barely more than a dozen guide dogs in Hong Kong. However, there is demand for guide dog services throughout the region. Current laws state that only guide dogs accompanying their visually impaired masters can access public places, so it is difficult to train young guide dogs to adapt to the local environment. On 31 July, Legislative Councillor Mr. Chan Hak Kan and the Hong Kong Seeing Eye Dog Services charity met the Commissioner for Rehabilitation from the Labour and Welfare Bureau. They suggested that the government establish commissioners to follow complaints involving different departments, and strengthen public support of guide dogs.

5 P5 Family Affairs Committee 12/7 Family Affairs Committee 27/7 Family Affairs Committee announced the results of the children's summer activities survey YoungDAB 15/7 Family Affairs Committee asks for an increased subsidy for whole-day and long whole-day kindergartens to relieve the burden of dual-role parents, and requests strengthened support for students with special needs. Consumer Confidence Index 27/7 YoungDAB asks the government to strengthen the regulation of self-financing degrees and associate degrees, and to improve teaching quality. YoungDAB 17/7 According to a survey by the Consumer Confidence Index, consumer confidence has increased to its highest point over the past four and a half years but it is still not enough. YoungDAB asks the government to strengthen their actions against illegal summer job traps.