Funds row has raised our profile, technical institute chief says
It's tough to find a silver lining in the cloud of criticism surrounding the Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (Astri), but its chairman thinks there just might be one.
Although it was established seven years ago, the public knew little of the institute until the release in April of a damning audit report, Allan Wong Chi-yun said.
'I always tell the staff here that after what happened over the past few weeks, Astri has become much more famous,' Mr Wong said. 'It may not necessarily be a bad thing because it gives us a chance to explain the work that Astri has done on developing the city's technology.'
While he is putting on a brave face, Mr Wong - whose term of office ends in October - concedes it will be a challenge to burnish the institute's image and reverse a staff exodus triggered by the controversy.
'Normal staff turnover is 15 per cent ... if there's a big rise, then it will affect the continuity [of our research],' he said. He could not give figures for staff departures but said there had been a sudden rise, particularly among middle-level researchers.
The audit report said 18 staff were overpaid, spending on entertainment was excessive and the records of senior executives' declarations of interest were missing, and it criticised the spending of HK$181,000 for a fung shui consultation. Robert Yang Jih-chang resigned as Astri chief executive within days of its publication.
Astri, inaugurated in 2001, was one of former chief executive Tung Chee-hwa's initiatives to advance innovation and technological development. The Audit Commission's critical report sparked debate about whether the institute, which costs taxpayers HK$120 million a year, delivers value for money.
Mr Wong insists Astri has played an important role in strengthening the city's technological competitiveness by means such as offering young researchers opportunities. He said the institute aimed to double its technology transfers - practical applications for scientific research - from 35 a year to 70 a year by 2012. He expects it will need more researchers. The institute had 333 research and development staff on March 31.
Mr Wong would not comment directly on the Audit Commission's report but claimed the various problems stemmed from deficiencies in communications and public relations, and that the institute had learned a valuable lesson.
'If I were just running my private company, it would be very simple,' he said. 'You only need to have a good annual result ... But as we use taxpayers' money, we need to let the public know details of our work.'
The institute's board of directors has decided on steps to be taken in response to the audit report, such as publicising key performance targets and cutting the proportion of its budget devoted to administration from 45 per cent to 25 per cent within three years.
Mr Wong said a panel to select a new chief executive had been formed and the vacancy would soon be advertised worldwide.
The process is expected to take six to nine months.
Asked if he would serve another term as chairman if invited to do so, Mr Wong said: 'I can't answer you, as it is just a hypothetical question.'
