The Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Patrick Nip, visited Yuen Long District today (August 29) to get a better grasp of the district's latest developments and needs, meeting members of the Yuen Long District Council (YLDC) and visiting sports and youth facilities as well as a service centre for ethnic minorities.
 
     Accompanied by the Chairman of the YLDC, Mr Shum Ho-kit, and the District Officer (Yuen Long), Mr Edward Mak, Mr Nip met with members of the YLDC to exchange views on a range of social and district matters. Mr Nip said he had a particular sense of belonging to Yuen Long as he was posted to the Yuen Long District Office as an Assistant District Officer when he first joined the Administrative Service in 1986.
 
     Mr Nip then toured the sport facilities in the Yuen Long District Sports Association (YLDSA) Jockey Club Complex and watched children practising rope skipping in a class. He said he was happy to learn that the YLDSA had been actively promoting sport activities in the district and co-organised the Yuen Long District Sports Festival biennially with the YLDC. Mr Nip expressed gratitude to the YLDSA for its efforts in promoting sports and community engagement. He also encouraged the public to do more exercise to stay healthy.
 
     Afterwards, Mr Nip went to the Yuen Long Town Hall Support Service Centre for Ethnic Minorities to talk to people from ethnic minorities and learn about their daily life. He also painted lanterns with them to bring out the festive mood of the Mid-Autumn Festival, a traditional Chinese festival.
 
     Mr Nip said, "I am very glad to have the chance to chat with the ethnic minorities and to learn more about their daily life and needs. Hong Kong is a diverse and inclusive society. We will continue our efforts in providing services that cater to the needs of the ethnic minorities, help them integrate into society and promote equal opportunities to them in the community."
 
     Mr Nip also visited the Kam Tin Glocal Youth Hub. He exchanged views with the young people there and tasted the coffee brewed by a student of the coffee-making class. He said he was pleased to learn that the Kam Tin Youth Centre, which was established by the Kam Tin Rural Committee this month, would co-operate with a non-government organisation, the Youth Global Network, to offer more and a wider range of youth services, including computer animation and comics courses.
 
     Mr Nip said, "Every youngster has his or her own interests and strengths. If they are sure of their goals and work unflinchingly to achieve them, they would definitely attain excellence and be able to contribute to society with their talents."
 

Ends/Tuesday, August 29, 2017
Issued at HKT 14:16

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