Anson Chan Fang On-sang criticised the construction industry and lawyers yesterday, warning that Hong Kong's reputation would suffer if standards dropped because of the recession.
The Chief Secretary for Administration said the community had to tighten its belt in times of economic hardship and the professions were no exception.
'At the same time, tightening belts must not be allowed to mean any loosening or lowering of standards.
'It does our reputation no good at all if we are seen to let standards slip.
'And it does the professions' reputation no good if they give the appearance of caring more for the maintenance of fee levels set in times of plenty, as we have seen recently in a Housing Department tender exercise, than the preservation of professional standards and ethical conduct, which should be timeless,' Mrs Chan told a British Chamber of Commerce lunch.
She was referring to the Law Society's decision last month to ask solicitors' firms bidding for legal work on a Housing Authority project to bid no less than $3,500 per flat. The authority accused the society of trying to undermine the tender exercise.
Turning to the construction industry and the series of scandals concerning defective foundations in public housing projects, Mrs Chan said the Government agreed with findings in a recent Independent Commission Against Corruption review.
