Four elected members of Hong Kong’s regulator for social workers have stepped down in the past two weeks, with a lawmaker calling the move a protest against an effort to overhaul the body and give government appointees greater influence.
The board’s website showed Chan Kwok-bong, Adino Chung Wai-lun and Phyllis Luk Fung-ping stepped down from the Social Workers Registration Board on Wednesday, not long after Lam Chiu-wan left.
“Their resignations reflect a loud voice in the profession that is against the government reform,” he said. “They also do not have confidence in the reformed structure of the body.”
Under the current system, the board comprises eight elected positions and another six appointed by the government, while the director of social welfare is an ex officio member.
The government bill aims to increase the number of board members from 15 to 27, with the new line-up comprising eight elected roles, 17 government-appointed ones, the social welfare director and a public officer.
The board will also be empowered to quickly deregister social workers convicted of certain crimes and permanently disqualify those involved in serious offences such as endangering national security.
Lawmakers have already finished a first study of the bill and are expected to start a second reading on Wednesday of next week.
“The aim of the reform should be to enhance the professionalism and credibility of the board,” he said. “But now, one can’t help thinking the government is making use of the reform as an excuse to increase its influence on the board.”
Tik said he doubted the departure of the four elected members would affect the board’s ability to operate.
The regulator can hold a meeting with a quorum of six members present. The three-year term for the current board is set to expire in January of next year.
Created in 1998 under the Social Worker Registration Ordinance, the body handles registration and disciplinary matters for the profession.
Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han last month argued an overhaul of the board was badly needed since the regulator had failed to heed government calls to improve over the past two years.
The minister pointed to an instance where the board had allowed a social worker involved in an ongoing court case involving rioting charges to sit on a panel of reserve members for the body’s disciplinary committee.
The board said on Thursday that it did not have any further information to provide at this stage.
The Post has reached out to former board members Chan, Chung and Luk for comment.
