Integrity of Hong Kong’s district councils on the line
If Hong Kong governance is to be improved, councillors who do not pull their weight should expect the consequences
The public may not necessarily have high hopes for Hong Kong’s district councils following a controversial electoral revamp in 2023 that saw seats go to those deemed patriotic by authorities.
But stakes have been raised higher following promises of better district governance and accountability under a new mechanism to help monitor the work of individual councillors.
More than a year has passed and the standards of performance vary. The government must not shy away from taking action against those who are considered not up to scratch.
If report cards compiled by councillors themselves for public scrutiny are any guide, overall performance still has much room for improvement. The number of meetings with citizens and cases handled ranges from dozens to thousands, according to media reports.
The responses to a specific weekly “meet the public scheme” across the 18 councils leave much to be desired.
The way the work reports were released has also been criticised. Public and media representatives may only examine the records in designated offices rather than online, and no photos are allowed.