The third top-level government reshuffle in three months will soon be announced - moves seen as preparing the administration for a second term under Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen.
The reshuffle will see Commissioner for Tourism Eva Cheng Yu-wah promoted to permanent secretary for economic development.
Her current job is expected to be filled by Au King-chi, the deputy secretary for planning and lands responsible for the West Kowloon Cultural District development in the Housing, Planning and Lands Bureau. The project went back to the drawing board two months ago after developers withdrew from bidding to build and operate the arts hub, citing objections to the proposed means of funding its cultural components.
The reshuffle has been triggered by the splitting of the post of permanent secretary for health, welfare and food - a response to mounting public concerns about health and welfare.
The government wants to create a permanent secretary post focusing on health and welfare issues. The position will go to Sandra Lee Suk-yee, who is currently permanent secretary for economic development and labour. Among the issues she will handle in her new post is the cost of health care.
Under the arrangement, Carrie Yau Tsang Ka-lai, the permanent secretary for health, welfare and food, will see the focus of her post restricted to the issues of food safety and hygiene problems.
Political scientist Ma Ngok said Mr Tsang might not have been satisfied with his predecessor Tung Chee-hwa's restructuring of the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau in 2002, which left only one permanent secretary to deal with a sector employing 40,000 people.