Acting Chief Executive Eric Chan Kwok-ki speaks to the media ahead of an Executive Council meeting on Dec 19, 2023. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)

HONG KONG – The first "community living room" pillot project in Sham Shui Po is “a very good arrangement” to support households living in subdivided units and the Hong Kong government will expand the initiative to other areas with people in need, Acting Chief Executive Eric Chan Kwok-ki said on Tuesday.

Speaking to the media ahead of the weekly Executive Council meeting, the acting chief executive said there were households who lived in cramped spaces and these are not suitable places for children to study and grow up.

“I visited the venue (in Sham Shui Po) yesterday. It is a very good arrangement and the community living room is more than 4,000 square feet and is expected to serve 500 subdivided unit households,” said Chan, who is serving as the city’s Acting Chief Executive while Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu is on a duty visit in Beijing to report to state leaders.

Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan Kwok-ki, also chairperson of the Commission on Poverty, talks to children at the Sham Shui Po Community Living Room in Hong Kong on Dec 18, 2023. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)

The Chief Executive's 2023 Policy Address had set out the community living room pilot program as part of efforts to tackle the issue of subdivided units by providing extra space with diversified facilities and services for grassroots families.

People living in subdivided flats can use the extra space for cooking, doing homework, or socializing with others. 

“There is big open space with mentors to help take care of children and play areas. It is also understandable that some parents may want to relax as they do not need to take care of children around the clock. They can also socialize with other household members,” said Chan.

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Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan Kwok-ki, also chairperson of the Commission on Poverty, delivers a speech during the open ceremony of the Sham Shui Po Community Living Room in Hong Kong on Dec 18, 2023. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)

He also pointed out that people could treat the subdivided units as a bedroom and come to the community living room as part of their daily activities.

Chan added that he was hopeful that the community living room project could help identify families with pressing needs and provide urgent relief.

Chan said Sino Group, which had lent the space for the community living room, promised to offer an additional venue in To Kwa Wan and Hung Hom. He called on more business firms to work with the government to expand the program.

Buses and cars queue to pass through the Western Harbour Crossing in Hong Kong on Dec 18, 2023, as the new time-varying tolls for the city's three cross-harbor tunnels begin. (CALVIN NG / CHINA DAILY)

‘Human errors’ in time-varying tunnel tolls

Regarding the new time-varying tolls for the city's three cross-harbor tunnels, the acting CE said overall arrangements had been running smoothly and the streamlining effect had been satisfactory since their implementation two days ago.

Citing “human errors” in the toll overcharging at the Western Harbour Crossing on Monday morning, he said the authorities had urged the tunnel operator to follow up and a preliminary probe showed the blunder occurred as an old toll table was adopted, with about 4,700 vehicles affected.

The government had ordered the operator to look into the errors and also tasked the police force to investigate into the cause, he said, stressing that the government suspected that there was a deliberate interference with the computer system and the authorities would bring relevant individuals to justice if any criminal acts were found.

ALSO READ: HKeToll to be implemented at Cross-Harbour Tunnel Sunday

Election workers process the completed ballots at the counting center in the early morning of Dec 11, 2023, after the conclusion of voting in the 2023 District Council Ordinary Election on Sunday. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)

Rules for District Councilors

Asked about new guidliens set by the government for the new-term District Councilors, Chan pointed out that the previous-term District Councils could not serve the function of serving the community and, in some cases, meetings were disrupted.

For District Councilors who are truly devoted to serving the public, the guidlines were reasonable to gauge their performance, he said, stressing that the District Councils needed to put national security as the top priority and implement the principle of “patriots administering Hong Kong”.

READ MORE: DC election injects strong impetus into HK's development

Various preparatory works were also underway to help them in their new roles and duties as district councilors while their oath-taking ceremony will be held on Jan 1, Chan said, expressing his confidence that the new district councilors would serve as a bridge between the community and the government.