Opinion | Hong Kong’s civil service accountability system will end buck-passing mentality

Kudos to the Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan for introducing a two-tier civil service accountability system. This will include giving an independent statutory body, the Public Service Commission, powers to investigate “widespread, repetitive and systemic” management problems, while department heads can investigate problems involving rank-and-file officers.

To many, the revamp of the civil service accountability system is long overdue. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has set his mind on this since his last policy address.

Recent government fumbles such as the bottled water procurement scandal and seat belt fiasco and the Tai Po fire tragedy have made expanding the political accountability system to the civil service necessary and urgent. The rules are well established. That serious and massive blunders could still occur has tarnished the public image of the civil service.

Over a decade ago, the lead-tainted water case, which emerged when former chief executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor was still the chief secretary, prompted an independent investigation that concluded it was a “classic case of buck-passing” within government departments. Lam responded to the report by saying no single official would be held responsible because it was a case of systemic failures. Insulation from basic accountability due to a collective failure by people to do their jobs is not what accountability means.

The government proposal – which is to be submitted to the Executive Council next month and tabled at the Legislative Council for “negative vetting” in June – is a step in the right direction. As Yeung said, the outcome of these investigations “will not simply blame the system” because “the system is designed by personnel; we must identify who designed it, who failed to review it over decades of operation, and who did not improve it”.

Yeung nailed it on the head. Blaming the system will no longer be the blanket excuse for those who had the opportunity, authority and power to do better. And with that promise, hopefully, public cynicism can be curbed.

01:59

Contract ‘partially terminated’ for mainland supplier of Hong Kong civil service water

Source link

Visited 1 times, 1 visit(s) today

Hua Chenyu and Luo Yunxi’s Permanent Wax Figures

Bring a Touch of Stardom to Music and Fashion Zones HONG KONG, April 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Madame Tussauds Hong Kong is thrilled to announce the official debut of two multi-talented icons from Mainland China — powerhouse singer-songwriter Hua Chenyu and popular actor-singer Luo Yunxi. Set to become the must-see highlights for fans, their wax figures

27 April 2026

Madame Tussauds Hong Kong Celebrates the Arrival of Two Major Chinese Superstars: Hua Chenyu and Luo Yunxi’s Permanent Wax Figures

27 April 2026

ESF reserves reach HK$3.75 billion, even as government subsidies shrink

The reserves of Hong Kong’s largest international school group have more than tripled to HK$3.75 billion (US$480.8 million) in over a decade, even as it taps different income sources to offset shrinking government subsidies, the South China Morning Post has found by reviewing the organisation’s annual reports. The English Schools Foundation (ESF) also said in

27 April 2026

Corporates snap up Hong Kong offices for self-use as prices fall

Nine of the ten largest office transactions involved tenants purchasing assets for their own use. Hong Kong’s office market is witnessing a growing shift toward owner-occupier acquisitions, as corporates and institutions take advantage of lower prices and improved sentiment to purchase space for self-use, according to Knight Frank. In its latest commentary, Knight Frank noted

26 April 2026

Vietnam Launches Two-Hour Fast-Track E-Visa Service for Hong Kong Travellers

Vietnamese travel platform VietnamTravel.in announced on 25 April a new “fast-track” e-visa channel that promises to deliver approval to Hong Kong SAR and British National (Overseas) passport holders within two hours. The premium service, which costs US $95 including government fees, is processed through an authorised interface with Vietnam’s Immigration Department and is available daily

26 April 2026

Man dies on Cathay Pacific flight from UK to Hong Kong

A 51-year-old cancer patient who collapsed on a Cathay Pacific Airways flight to Hong Kong from the United Kingdom was pronounced dead on Friday morning. Flight CX216 took off from Manchester and landed at Hong Kong International Airport at 6.52am on Friday, with police receiving a report about the man’s condition at 6.16am. The passenger,

26 April 2026

Hong Kong leads global IPO fundraising this year, surpassing HK$140b: official

View of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd Photo: VCG Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said on Sunday that the city has remained the world’s top IPO market this year, with fundraising exceeding HK$140 billion ($17.87 billion) as of last week and average daily turnover topping HK$280 billion since March, highlighting the resilience

26 April 2026

Dr Sit Sou-chi attends the Medical Council hearing on Sunday. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Doctor in long delayed hearing over blunder says he thought baby was choking

A Hong Kong doctor accused of a blunder that left a boy permanently disabled 16 years ago said he did not return to the hospital to examine the infant as he mistook the emergency for a choking case, the Medical Council heard on Sunday. Testifying for the first time at the hearing, Dr Sit Sou-chi

26 April 2026

Hong Kong records first case of dengue fever this year with experts noting a recent surge in mosquitoes

發佈日期: 2026-04-26 19:48 TVB News 粵已複製連結 Hong Kong reported its first case of dengue fever this year, with Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene Donald Ng noting a surge in the number of mosquitoes in the city. He added that authorities would consider strengthening mosquito control measures. This as the government said it will

26 April 2026

Can parents and children playing video games together level up their relationship?

Parents and children who play video games together rate their relationship as 20 per cent stronger than those who do not, according to a survey by a Hong Kong non-profit organisation. The Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong on Sunday urged parents to take a new approach to supervising their children’s gaming habits, encouraging families to

26 April 2026

A spa staff member prepares a mala broth foot spa treatment for Chinese model Moka Fang, wife of Hong Kong superstar Aaron Kwok. Photo from Fangs Instagarm

Wife of Hong Kong ‘Heavenly King’ Aaron Kwok stirs social media debate with mala foot spa

According to The Star, Fang took to Xiaohongshu on April 13 to document a family outing with her two daughters, Chantelle, aged seven, and Charlotte, five. The post initially captured a relatable family moment, showing the trio gathered around a steaming hotpot. However, a subsequent image showed Fang preparing to soak her feet in a

26 April 2026

Woman rescued after falling into sea while taking photos at a Hong Kong lighthouse

A 46-year-old mainland Chinese woman was rescued on Sunday morning after slipping into the sea while taking photos at a lighthouse in Hong Kong’s Sai Kung. Police received a report at 10.54am that a woman had fallen into the water at Fat Tong Mun, a sea channel between the southern tip of the Clear Water

26 April 2026

First section of Fanling Bypass to open soon. So how will Hongkongers benefit?

The eastern section of Hong Kong’s new Fanling Bypass will be commissioned on May 3, marking the first major transport infrastructure project to be completed under the Northern Metropolis mega development. The new bypass promises to cut travel times by 10 minutes and will serve as a vital roadway for the Fanling North New Development

26 April 2026

Cinema Day attracted 201,000 film-goers. How does it stack up against last year?

Hong Kong’s Cinema Day has drawn a record-breaking 201,000 film-goers, despite a marginal decline in occupancy rates compared with last year. The Hong Kong Theatres Association, which organises the annual event, revealed the figures on Sunday, just a day after 52 cinemas offered HK$30 (US$3.83) movie tickets for 1,694 screenings. “It marks a new high

26 April 2026

Over 5,000 Guangdong motorists sign up for Hong Kong’s southbound travel scheme

More than 5,000 Guangdong motorists have been approved to drive into Hong Kong’s urban areas under a southbound travel scheme as of March, while 90 per cent of the 3,500 travellers who booked to visit have stayed for one or two days. The Transport Department said on Sunday that the urban access portion of the

26 April 2026

Hong Kong plans new mosquito control trial after first dengue case since 2024

Hong Kong will trial a “mosquito-to-control-mosquito” strategy next year, under which the insect males are infected with bacteria to prevent their offspring from reaching maturity, following the city’s first local dengue fever case in over a year. Announcing the strategy on Sunday, Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene Donald Ng Man-kit said the government would

26 April 2026

Lisa Kan Chin Chin, the manager of Hong Kong singer and actor Eason Chan, bought a 3,627 sq ft flat at The Corniche in Ap Lei Chau for about HK$141 million in March. Photo: Google Maps

Frenzy for Hong Kong luxury homes set to continue after 156% sales rise in first quarter

Hong Kong’s sales of luxury homes more than doubled in the first quarter from a year earlier, helped by a buoyant stock market and attractively priced assets that drew the attention of wealthy investors including mainland Chinese buyers, according to analysts. The segment was likely to record another increase in the second quarter, they added.

26 April 2026

Hong Kong boosts e-cigarette ban awareness in mainland China before ‘golden week’

Hong Kong authorities have stepped up publicity with mainland Chinese media ahead of a ban on possessing alternative smoking products, including e-cigarettes in public places, which will take effect before the Labour Day “golden week” holiday. Director of Health Ronald Lam Man-kin said on Sunday that the Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office had conducted more

26 April 2026

Hong Kong’s IPO market ‘exceeds’ HK$140 billion amid renewed gold trading push

Hong Kong’s initial public offering (IPO) market has raised more than HK$140 billion (US$17.87 billion) as of April, maintaining its global lead, the city’s financial chief has said, while indicating a renewed push to develop gold trading amid rising demand for risk diversification. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said on Sunday that Hong Kong remained

26 April 2026

Opinion | 10 ways Hong Kong schools can effectively promote mental health

Student mental health is a matter of great concern. According to the latest data from the Education Bureau, the number of secondary students with mental health issues has doubled over the past five years, from 660 in 2020-21 to 1,330 in 2024-25. In recent years, the government and various stakeholders in society have worked to

26 April 2026

Opinion | Hong Kong’s civil service accountability system will end buck-passing mentality

Related Article