Consultant involved in TV licence row quits job
A consultant who accused the government of misquoting her firm's assessment of the television market during the row over free-to-air TV licences last year has quit her job.
Value Partners Asia said yesterday that managing partner Jenny Ng Pui-ying had "resigned voluntarily" in a letter dated January 22.
She could not be reached for comment last night.
The government said it had not put any pressure on Value Partners. But politicians suggested Ng had been forced out and demanded an explanation.
Next Magazine reported that she had been pressed to quit after the company's Italian founder, Giorgio Rossi Cairo, received a complaint about her violating consultancy norms and breaching confidentiality.
Value Partners said there was "no connection" between the complaint and Ng's exit.
"Value Partners, according to its policy, does not comment in the press on its relationships with [staff], and considers its relationships with clients strictly confidential," said a spokesman.
Ng said in December that the government had used the consultancy as a shield against public criticism.
It had quoted "a few paragraphs" from a 400-page report "out of context" in seeking to justify the awarding of new licences to applicants backed by PCCW and iCable while excluding maverick entrepreneur Ricky Wong Wai-kay's HKTV.
The Office of the Chief Executive and the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau said the government had nothing to do with Ng's resignation.
They said they had not attempted to contact the company since the licence decision.
