Home Affairs Department

For other uses, seeMinistry of home affairs.

Home Affairs Department

Dân chính sự vụ tổng thự
Agency overview
Formed	May 1968(1968-05)
Jurisdiction	Hong Kong
Headquarters	29/F, Southorn Centre, 130 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Employees	1,823 (March 2008)[1]
Annual budget	1,547.3 mHKD(2008-09)[2]
Agency executive	Mrs Alice Cheung,JP,Director of Home Affairs
Parent agency	Home and Youth Affairs Bureau
Website	had.gov.hk

Home Affairs Department
Traditional Chinese	Dân chính sự vụ tổng thự
Simplified Chinese	Dân chính sự vụ tổng thự
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Mínzhèn Shìwù Zǒngshǔ Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Màhnjing Sihmouh Júngchyúh Jyutping Man4zing3 Si6mou6 Zung2cyu5 IPA [mɐn˩.tsɪŋ˧ si˨.mɔw˨ tsʊŋ˧˥.tsʰy˩˧]

TheHome Affairs Departmentis an executive agency in the government ofHong Kongresponsible for internal affairs of the territory. It reports to theHome and Youth Affairs Bureau,headed by theSecretary for Home Affairs.

Purpose

The department is responsible for theDistrict Administration Scheme,community building and community involvement activities, minorenvironmental improvement projectsand minor local public works, and the licensing ofhotels and guesthouses,bedspace apartmentsand clubs. It promotes the concept of effective building management and works closely withother government departmentsto consistently improve the standard of building management in Hong Kong. It monitors the provision of new arrival services and identifies measures to meet the needs of new arrivals. It also disseminates information relating to and, where necessary, promotes the public's understanding of major government policies, strategies and development plans; and collects and assesses public opinion on relevant issues affecting the community. These responsibilities are discharged primarily through the18 district officescovering the whole of Hong Kong.

History

An office in Stanley

For a long time the department was the only channel of communication between the people and the government. It used to be headed by theRegistrar General,who was also called the 'Protector of the Chinese'.Fung-Chi Au(Chinese:Khu phượng trì;Cantonese Yale:Āu Fuhng Chìh;1847–1914), who was the teacher of Chinese literature forSun Yat-sen,was the Secretary of the Department of Chinese Affairs (Chinese:Hoa dân chính vụ tư thự tổng thư ký;Cantonese Yale:Wàh'màhn Jingmouh Sīchyúh Júngsyūgei).In 1913 the department was called the Secretariat for Chinese Affairs. After the1967 riots,the colonial government introduced the City District Officer Scheme ( dân chính chủ nhiệm ) "as the first sign of reaching out to the ordinary people" in Hong Kong society.It was renamed the Home Affairs Department in 1971 because, according to the government, the department dealt not only with matters relating to the Chinese. The firstSecretary for Home AffairswasDonald Luddington.

In February 2021, the Home Affairs Department announced that pro-democracy district council members would be excluded from government-linked organizations that focus on neighborhood issues.In March 2021,Ramon Yuensaid that officials from the department had selectively trimmed his discussion about apro-democracy protestfrom the official record.

Area committees

Area committeeswere formed in districts in 1972 primarily to promote public participation in theKeep Hong Kong Clean CampaignandFight Violent Crime Campaign.Nowadays, the functions of area committees are to encourage public participation in district affairs, to advise and assist in the organisation of community involvement activities and the implementation of government-sponsored initiatives, and advise on issues of a localised nature affecting the area. Throughout the years, area committees have played an important role in the districts and in providing a link between the local community and the district office. Area committee members are appointed by the Director of Home Affairs and are drawn from a wide spectrum of the community including district council members of the area concerned. At present, there are 70 area committees throughout Hong Kong. In general, each area committee serves an area with a population, including residents and mobile population (workers, shoppers, tourists etc.), of about 80,000 to 100,000.

Mutual Aid Committees

A mutual aid committee is a voluntary body formed by the residents of a building. Mutual aid committees were promoted initially in private multi-storey buildings, and quickly extended to public housing estates, industrial buildings, temporary housing and squatter areas. As at March 31, 2004, there were 3,103 mutual aid committees throughoutHong Kong Island,Kowloonand theNew Territories.The primary aims of a mutual aid committee are to promote a sense of friendliness, mutual help and responsibility among members, and to promote better security, a better environment and, generally, more effective management within the building. These committees provide a channel of two-way communication between the Government and the residents on matters affecting the well-being of the individual and the community and also provide opportunities for residents to participate in community activities.

Owners' Corporation

An Owners' Corporation is a legal entity formed under theBuilding Management Ordinanceby the owners of a private building. Owners' corporations are statutory bodies vested with certain legal powers to facilitate the management of a building. At the end of March 2004, there were 7,294 owners' corporations throughout Hong Kong, among which 5,537 were formed with the assistance of the district offices.

See also

• Government departments and agencies in Hong Kong
• District Officer (Hong Kong)
• District Council of Hong Kong

External links

• Official website