Some politicians commended the appointment of former works chief James Blake as the KCRC's caretaker chief executive yesterday.
They said the 72-year-old engineer was a trouble-shooter with superb management skills. But critics questioned his judgment in the wake of a controversial $100 million compensation payment when he was West Rail project chief in 2002.
Two pro-government parties, the DAB and the Liberal Party, believed that Mr Blake's KCRC and government background made him an ideal choice for a rough interim period. But a Democrat condemned the appointment as 'political expediency'.
Currently chairman and non-executive director of Paul Y Engineering, the British engineer quit his private consultancy in 1991 to become secretary for works.
During his five-year appointment, Mr Blake worked closely with Rafael Hui Si-yan, now Chief Secretary. Mr Hui was then a low-ranking bureaucrat in charge of the new airport programme.
Mr Blake joined dozens of senior government officials to form the Hong Kong Experts Consultancy after leaving the top job in 1995. In 1997, he joined KCRC as senior director of capital projects.
But controversy broke out after it was disclosed that Mr Blake and other senior staff of the West Rail project had failed to alert the management board over delays in the signaling system. The corporation eventually signed an agreement worth $100 million with the contractor and Mr Blake later apologised for his error of judgment.