Anson Chan criticises 'top-down' policymaking
Anson Chan Fang On-sang suspects a 'seat of the pants' approach to policymaking is the cause of the administration's recent turmoil.
The former chief secretary and outgoing lawmaker said a 'bottom-up' approach to the policymaking process in the past was one of Hong Kong's great strengths. It allowed civil servants scrutinising policies to point out possible flaws in implementation, even though this was a bureaucratic and time-consuming process.
However, the 'top-down' approach used in recent years by the chief executive and politically appointed officials meant civil servants were not given the same encouragement to debate or raise questions on policy proposals.
Mrs Chan cited as an example the recent fiasco surrounding the suspension of the levy on overseas domestic helpers. She said the decision was made without anyone anticipating its practical consequences.
'Short-term political expediency seldom makes good public policy,' Mrs Chan said on RTHK's Letter to Hong Kong.
Mrs Chan also accused the government of being out of touch in failing to anticipate public perceptions of the appointment of former housing chief Leung Chin-man to a subsidiary of New World Development.
She also said Mr Leung was 'disingenuous' in declaring that he was shocked by the government decision not to consider the developer's role in the Hung Hom Peninsula incident during his application for re-employment.
The estate, built for sale to the public but never occupied, was sold in 2004 to a consortium including NWS Holdings, a subsidiary of New World Development, for barely half the asking price.
Mrs Chan called for a review of civil servants' post-service employment procedures.
