Hong Kong leader calls on officials to look out for welfare of city’s street sleepers, amid uproar over ‘unreasonable treatment’
- Chief Executive Carrie Lam dodged a question about apologising for ‘unreasonable treatment’ of street sleepers
- Nine homeless people were each awarded HK$100 in compensation on Tuesday after a court ruled authorities mistreated their belongings
Hong Kong’s leader has demanded government departments fulfil their responsibilities to support the city’s homeless, amid growing calls for authorities to apologise for what has been called “unreasonable treatment” of street sleepers.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor gave assurances about the welfare of homeless people on Wednesday, after nine men were each awarded HK$100 (US$12.78) in compensation by a court. The Small Claims Tribunal ruled that authorities had not handled the men’s personal belongings properly in a 2019 clearance operation at a park.
The court case sparked calls for authorities to apologise to the group of street sleepers, with critics accusing the government of failing to put in place sufficient support for the underprivileged and a policy friendly to the city’s homeless.
Pressed in her regular epidemic press conference if an apology was imminent, Lam dodged the question, noting that support for the homeless was a focus during her tenure as director of social services from 2000 to 2003.
She said: “During those years, I proposed some measures to support the homeless, and to offer aid and subsidies to several organisations ... for them to roll out hostels and employment schemes for the homeless.
“That’s why I will demand relevant departments continue to act out of my concern for the homeless, and to do a good job in providing support for the homeless.”
In the case concerning the nine street sleepers, the court heard 22 police officers were called in on December 21, 2019 to help janitors from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department clear unclaimed items at a Sham Shui Po park. The items collected from the park – home to about 80 to 100 street sleepers – filled 12 garbage containers, each with a volume of 600 litres.
