Action needed on civil aviation chief

Officials criticised by lawmakers is nothing new. But few have been denounced like the director general of civil aviation. In what is said to be the strongest censure possible, a Legco committee overseeing public accounts said it "deplores" the actions of Norman Lo Shung-man over the Civil Aviation Department's new headquarters fiasco. Given the gravity of the problems unearthed, it is imperative for the government to follow up the matter in accordance with the internal disciplinary mechanism.

Credit goes to the Director of Audit for exposing the irregularities with the new headquarters project in its value-for-money probe last year. The aviation chief was found to have built extra space for future use and spent HK$67.45 million on security and electronic systems without approval. There is also a private shower in his office and some questionable recreational facilities for staff use. After a series of hearings into the saga, Legco concluded that Lo had "deliberately overridden" some departments in the process; and "willfully neglected his responsibility to provide complete, accurate and not misleading information for funding approval".

This is the second time the committee has made criticism using its strongest censure. The same was used in the case of former Independent Commission Against Corruption chief Timothy Tong Hin-ming, whose lavish entertainment expenses tarnished the commission's image.

The Legco committee is also right in criticising the architectural services department, without which the changes would not have been possible. Should unauthorised alterations in other departmental projects also go unchecked in the same way, the integrity of the system will collapse.

Hong Kong's civil service is reputed to be Asia's finest, and with good justification. It is governed by a thicket of rules and procedures. Rigid and complex as they are, they act as safeguards against abuse. They make governance consistent, predictable, and accountable. Civil servants are responsible for the efficient and effective use of resources under their charge. As the department head with direct control over expenditure, Lo is required to ensure compliance with all regulations and instructions given by the Financial Secretary under the Public Finance Ordinance. Now that the Director of Audit and Legco have done their part, the public awaits corresponding action from the government.