By Leopold Chen

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The special set of laws designed for a Hong Kong mega development near the border will not dodge scrutiny by the legislature, the city’s leader has said, defending his plan and reassuring the public that lawmakers will effectively supervise the project.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also said on Thursday that the government had prioritised launching construction projects over handing out consumption vouchers amid a tightened budget and called on residents to remain confident in the economy.
His remarks were made a day after he delivered his annual policy address, in which he announced that special laws would be designed to accelerate the development of the Northern Metropolis near the border with mainland China.
As part of Lee’s policy initiatives, designated companies or statutory bodies will be established to manage different industrial estates within the project, with the government proposing to create dedicated funding channels for such entities without requiring Legislative Council approval under the new special laws.
Asked during a radio programme if such measures might lead to a conflict of interest and how effective supervision could be guaranteed, Lee said the legislature would still play a role in the development process.
“The special laws will still be made by the Legislative Council. In my mind, the special laws are not meant to dodge scrutiny from the council, but rather to simplify this process,” he said.
Lee also said he hoped Legco would approve a single legal framework for these new entities.
This would allow new institutions to be established simply by passing subsidiary laws under that framework, rather than having to create an independent ordinance each time, he added.

Under Hong Kong laws, subsidiary legislation can be established by negative vetting and would take immediate effect as the government gazetted it, while lawmakers can only move to amend or repeal it afterwards.
“When a framework is established, contents under it will not need to be scrutinised again,” Lee said, adding that lawmakers would only need to look at terms specific to each institution.
The city leader also sought to defend his decision not to hand out consumption vouchers to stimulate the economy, saying that the government had prioritised launching construction projects amid a constrained budget.
“If we hand out HK$5,000 consumption vouchers, it will cost the government HK$30 billion, which is similar to the cost of building the Kai Tak Sports Park,” he said.
Instead, the government had reserved an equivalent amount for construction projects to offer more employment opportunities for construction workers, in light of a reduction in private projects, he explained.
The economy of Hong Kong was making progress, while some industries were experiencing difficulties because the overall economic structure was undergoing transition, Lee said, urging residents to remain confident in the city.
“We cannot compete with others without confidence, as such competitions are cruel and can be very adverserial,” he said.
Dozens of residents contacted the programme to share their views on Lee’s policy speech, with the most common topics including reduced employment opportunities caused by imported labour, support for baby care and the supply of affordable housing.
One of the callers told the city leader that she was the “sole carer” for her mother in her seventies and was “desperately in need of help.”
“If there had not been any other viable way to seek help, I would not have called the Chief Executive,” the caller surnamed Ng said.
While sobbing, she asked what assistance was available for helpless carers like her in Mong Kok.
In response, Lee asked her to leave her contact details and promised to call her back to provide tailored assistance.
“We attach great importance to how we can help carers, especially hidden carers,” he said, adding that the government would enhance its database of carers to offer help through various departments.