‘Deepest grief’: CY Leung pays tribute to two dead firemen at July 1 flag-raising ceremony
City’s top official acknowledges contributions of Thomas Cheung and Samuel Hui Chi-kit, discusses administration’s successes and challenges ahead for Hong Kong
In his speech commemorating the 19th anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover from the British back to China, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying paid tribute to the two firemen who died fighting an industrial building inferno that blazed for more than four days.
During his roughly seven-minute address at the reception after the annual flag-raising ceremony on Friday morning, Leung also recounted the administration’s successes in keeping inflation at bay and unemployment down, as well as being able to tackle the housing issue.
He said that because of the economic uncertainties of the coming year, the government would continue to focus on economic development and to make use of Hong Kong’s position in the country.
Apart from listing his administration’s achievements, Leung also raised the challenges the city faced, such as problems of an ageing population.
On an even more sombre note, the chief executive also turned to the deaths of firefighters Thomas Cheung and Samuel Hui Chi-kit. It was earlier announced that they had been posthumously awarded the Gold Medal for Bravery, the city’s highest honour for bravery.
