Visitors flocked to Government House, the official residence of the Chief Executive, in Central on Sunday during an open day.
Hundreds queued up outside the premises in anticipation of its opening at 10am. Mrs Lau, who was the first in line, said that she was planning to kill time there. She had been waiting since 7am and this was not her first visit. “There’s a garden, there’s a VIP hall, and it’s where the Chief Executive lives,” she told DBC radio.
Many mainland tourists also paid a visit. “It’s Hong Kong’s highest institution of authority, it’s the [equivalent of the] Great Hall of the People and Tiananmen… [looking at] the evolution of the Government House throughout the years, it feels like China has gotten stronger,” Mr Chan from Shenzhen told Apple Daily.
Leung and his wife chatted with members of the public, greeted student performers, and shook hands with visitors. However, Leung did not respond to questions from reporters about the delay in announcing the next chairperson of the University of Hong Kong Council.
On Leung’s Facebook account, he announced that he had given a tour to students with special needs on Saturday, a day before the official opening. “I was a tour guide, explaining the history of Government House and introducing some plants.” After the open day, Leung also thanked his staff and the uniformed groups for their hard work.
Construction of Government House began in October 1851, eight years after Hong Kong became a British colony, and was completed in 1855. The first Open House was held in 1968. 25 British Colonial Governors have resided in Government House.” The ever-popular Open Day gives the public an opportunity to view the blossoming azaleas in the garden and admire the ambience of the dignified building, with its unique blend of Eastern and Western design,” the Chief Executive Office website said. The previous Open Day was held on March 15 and attracted around 15,000 visitors.
