Elderly Hong Kong residents battle government red tape to build a better community
Community campaigners from Tseung Kwan O get district councillors on their side over a hiking trail, a pedestrian crossing and library facilities
It’s been a tussle between community wisdom and bureaucracy, and throwing in the towel is not in the dictionary of these upbeat campaigners.
It was their idea, they said, that inspired former chief executive Leung Chun-ying to announce in his policy address last year that the government would provide elderly-friendly facilities in all libraries.
As the proportion of the population aged 65 and above is projected to increase from 15 per cent in 2014 to 28 per cent by 2034, these retirees’ efforts have also demonstrated how the city can become more age-friendly.
“The benefits of community-led planning are that the government will know how to build practical facilities that people need and it won’t be a waste of money,” said 65-year-old Kwong Wing-tai, a member of the Tseung Kwan O Elderly Livelihood Concern Group.
