Hong Kong’s top-ranking civil servants will be held accountable if they fail to provide adequate support in policy formulation, the city’s leader has said, despite a new investigation mechanism that primarily targets department heads. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday that the proposed “Heads of Department Accountability System” was intended to promote self-improvement…
The Hong Kong government should use its proposed accountability system prudently to investigate department heads and avoid undermining morale among civil servants, a top adviser to the city’s leader has said. But Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, convenor of the city’s top decision-making Executive Council, stressed on Sunday that the system would serve as a reminder…
Hong Kong authorities will take public opinion into account when deciding whether to trigger a new investigation mechanism to hold senior officials accountable, the city’s civil service minister has said. Permanent secretaries of bureaus, who are not covered by the proposed “Heads of Department Accountability System”, will also face scrutiny if they are found to…
The Hong Kong government has won an appeal against a court ruling that found a veteran teacher’s dismissal for anti-police remarks was unlawful. The Court of Appeal on Friday ruled that the secretary for the civil service was entitled to sack 27-year veteran Toffee Tam Yuk-fun and strip her of all retirement benefits for serious…
Hong Kong’s civil service chief has defended the decision to open up recruitment externally for the role of food and environmental hygiene director, saying the move aims to attract experts who can take the lead in using technology to enforce laws. Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan also stressed that anyone hired…
Hong Kong authorities have launched an unprecedented open recruitment exercise for director roles spearheading information services and environmental hygiene, with “strong political acumen” being a common requirement. The government posted the two job advertisements on its website on Wednesday to publicly recruit the directors for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Information Services…
The director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong has been picked to lead the government body coordinating the Northern Metropolis, after authorities previously pledged to fast-track the megaproject’s development. The government announced on Friday that Linda So Wai-sze would become the director of the Northern Metropolis Coordination Office from Monday next…
Hong Kong authorities have made a last-ditch appeal for residents to turn out and vote on Sunday, urging them to refocus on reforms and the future, as analysts warned that the deadly Tai Po fire may prove decisive for the final turnout. The appeal came as Beijing’s national security office in Hong Kong met with…
Senior officials may face disciplinary probes if their departments are found to have performed badly by the ombudsman or audit commissioner under the new accountability system being pushed by the Hong Kong government, the civil service minister has said. Speaking at a Legislative Council panel meeting on Monday, Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung…