honesty and integrity honesty and integrity honesty and integrity honesty and integrity Features Dedicated Chief Secretary aims for a better Hong Kong for all Civil Service Newsletter Editorial Board FOR many in Hong Kong, the specific role of the Chief Secretary for Administration (CS) is hard to comprehend, with few having any true understanding of the demands of the position and the many complex issues that must be addressed on a daily basis. The CS, Mrs Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, provides some insights into her current role, her priorities and her high regard for the civil service. Mrs Lam explaining her role in the HKSAR Government to the Civil Service Newsletter (CSN) Editorial Board. Role of the CS I truly believe that the legislature has a role to play “In a nutshell, the CS is there to assist the Chief in keeping us alert, in addition to passing legislation, Executive (CE) to govern Hong Kong,” says Mrs Lam. approving funding proposals, etc. in a system of “The CE has been elected with a very comprehensive checks and balances.” manifesto in this fourth term of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government. Whether “The third is to co-ordinate,” continues Mrs the CS or the political team or civil servants, we Lam. “There has been a complaint in recent years are all charged with delivering on this manifesto that the Government tends to be compartmentalised made as a result of extensive consultations during when different bureaux and departments work in the CE election period. I see my role as the CS in their own silos, so my role is to ensure that bureaux four specific respects. The first is to uphold the core and departments act in concert as a joined-up values of Hong Kong. It is important because the government to deliver the CE’s pledges. And on this Administration looks to the CE and the CS to ensure score I hope that we demonstrated this in the last that this is achieved in accordance with the Basic few months through various tasks we have done.” Law. I do feel that these core values in terms of the rule of law, freedom of expression, etc. are the pillars “The fourth is to lead by example and inspire of Hong Kong’s success.” the civil servants, as I believe that our civil servants will enthusiastically respond when there is clearly an “The second is to enhance the relationship issue and a direction.” between the executive authorities and the legislature. 3 honesty and integrity honesty and integrity Features honesty and integrity honesty and integrity Greatest challenges people still have to live in very small cubicles and Mrs Lam says that manifestos are political cage homes. A compassionate government should statements. It is one of her greatest challenges to accord priority to the issue.” translate the CE’s manifesto and promises into credible, effective and implementable action plans. “While I will take a very active role and interest She opines that any such task must take into full in housing issues, I see myself as focusing more on account budgetary limitations, rules and procedures, poverty alleviation in terms of policy, partly because and uphold Hong Kong as a free economy as well as of my own commitment and compassion in regard providing a level playing field in the community. to the disadvantaged people in Hong Kong. Nine years ago, when I left my job as the Director of Addressing housing and poverty issues Social Welfare, I publicly stated that there were a few agenda items that I did not have enough time to The role of the CS also covers specific priority deal with during my tenure. It is gratifying that I can areas as identified in the CE’s policy agenda such as address these issues again in my current position. I am housing and poverty issues, and these are high on now assisting the CE in the work of the Preparatory the personal list of priorities for Mrs Lam. Task Force on the Commission on Poverty leading to the re-establishment of the Commission on Poverty, “Poverty alleviation is going to be my top and I intend to spend a lot more time focusing on priority,” states Mrs Lam. “That said, with high this over the next few years.” property prices and the home ownership aspirations of many Hong Kong people, we have to tackle the housing issues right away. The Financial Secretary is currently chairing the Steering Committee on Housing Land Supply while the Secretary for Transport and Housing is chairing the Long Term Housing Strategy Steering Committee. Work is also being undertaken by the Development Bureau, the Hong Kong Housing Authority and other institutions.” “I always feel that in a place like Hong Kong, which is quite affluent, it is sad that some of the most vulnerable Mrs Lam enjoying a chat with single parents. Mrs Lam visiting a cubicle apartment in Sham Shui Po. 4 honesty and integrity honesty and integrity honesty and integrity honesty and integrity Features “We have a very systematic way of managing and monitoring our legislative programme,” explains Mrs Lam. “I have chaired a meeting to decide the 2012-13 legislative programme. The common complaint from LegCo is that the Administration tends to put more legislative proposals towards the end of the four-year term of LegCo, which means that LegCo is coping with a very heavy workload towards the end of the LegCo term.” “We would try to spread out the legislative proposals so that there would not be such a bunching effect. I have a role to ensure the delivery of a more evenly distributed legislative programme. Nevertheless, this is not entirely within our control. For example, we may assess that a certain piece of legislation will require only a few months’ scrutiny, but it could be subsequently prolonged for one or two years. Even so, I will still try very hard to address the issue.” The civil service, the pillar of our Government Mrs Lam listing her personal priorities for the current term of the Government. Addressing the contributions of civil servants over the past 15 years and her expectations for the Hong Kong in the future future, Mrs Lam spoke highly of the civil service, Mrs Lam says that her number one wish is that which many regard as “the glue that binds the city five years down the road she can look back and say together”. that she has helped make Hong Kong a better place in all respects. “The 160,000-strong civil service is definitely the pillar of our Government,” states Mrs Lam. “I “Although the focus will be very much on cannot imagine what Hong Kong would become livelihood matters, I also want Hong Kong to be a without the very loyal and dedicated civil servants. better place to live, work and play,” says Mrs Lam. In all respects we work hard to ensure that our “Regarding the Commission on Poverty, there Government remains very efficient and lives up to is a general consensus among members of the people’s expectations.” Preparatory Task Force and the public, including the Legislative Council (LegCo) members that we should “As regards my own expectations, I have no focus on policies and long term solutions, rather doubt about the loyalty, dedication and efficiency of than just rolling out one project after another, which the civil servants, but I also want them to be more are short-term in nature. Therefore the Commission innovative. In practical terms, we need to continuously on Poverty is going to revisit and critically examine re-examine the way we find solutions, the way we existing policies to ensure that we are helping the deliver public services and the way we partner with disadvantaged people to achieve social mobility, different stakeholders and organisations, and to so that they would be able to share the benefits of find more creative ways of performing duties. A Hong Kong’s economic growth.” recent priority issue is how the Administration can communicate more effectively with the public at As the CS, Mrs Lam is also charged with drawing large. Apart from relying on press releases, pamphlets up the Government’s legislative programme and and announcements in the public interest, we may forging a more effective working relationship with also make use of some social media and other new LegCo. media as a means of communication.” 5 honesty and integrity honesty and integrity Features honesty and integrity honesty and integrity To encourage civil servants, Mrs Lam points out Personal time and family that we have to go back to the CE’s manifesto. “In Talking about her family, Mrs Lam states that she the next five years, the success of the political team is grateful for their understanding of the demands and the civil service will be judged by how well we put on her as the CS, both at work and at home. deliver the CE’s promises. There is a running theme in the CE’s manifesto that we should continue to seek “A lot of allowance is given to me by my family, change while preserving stability, and this echoes especially my husband, and for that I am very with what I said about innovation and creativity. In grateful,” says Mrs Lam. “To be honest, if you look this regard, I hope that our civil servants can become at my diary, it is almost impossible to comprehend change makers. I am not suggesting that we should that there are enough hours in a day to complete rush into changing the way of doing things, but we my tasks.