Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam’s advisers to cut summer break short as city continues to battle coronavirus

Executive councillor Ronny Tong believes move makes sense and calls for legislature to do the same

Among issues to be addressed is HK$550 million to study issues around creation of man-made islands for new Lantau development

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Executive councillor Ronny Tong has backed the early end to the summer break. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Published: 2:41pm, 14 Aug 2020Updated: 11:39pm, 14 Aug 2020

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s de facto cabinet will cut short its 35-day summer break and resume regular meetings from next Tuesday to handle matters such as initiatives to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Ronny Tong Ka-wah, a member of the Executive Council, said it made sense for the advisers – who were originally expected back on August 25 – to return early, and called on the Legislative Council to do likewise.

“There is a need for the Executive Council to deliberate issues relating to measures to contain the coronavirus outbreak, and boost the city’s ailing economy,” he said.

Tong added that the council had held two special meetings over the summer break, which started on July 21. The first meeting was held six days later to discuss anti-epidemic measures, and the second was held on the following day to decide on postponing the Legco elections by a year.

“So it doesn’t make much difference whether our summer recess is cut short,” Tong said.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam wants the Legislative Council to scrutinise bills and funding requests not dealt with in the final session last month. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

The council’s summer break was reduced from eight weeks to two after Leung Chun-ying became chief executive in 2012, and after Lam took over in 2017, the break was moved to its present time, running from the middle of July through the end of August.