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Top officials express fears over 'secretive' ministerial system

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Senior government officials have privately voiced fears over secrecy shrouding the new ministerial system, due to be introduced in July.

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They are worried there will be a period of confusion and lack of clear direction in policy-making and execution after the changes are brought in.

The Executive Council is expected to discuss details of the new system, which is being finalised by a top-level team headed by Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa, at its weekly meeting tomorrow.

Secretary for Constitutional Affairs Michael Suen Ming-yeung has promised to give more details of the new system to legislators by the middle of this month.

Some senior officials said they were anxious to know the details, with one saying the whole exercise had been conducted 'in a black box'.

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The official said: 'There's a lot of confusion and uncertainty at the moment.'

Apart from Mr Tung, senior officials who have worked on the accountability system include Chief Secretary Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, Financial Secretary Antony Leung Kam-chung, Secretary for Justice Elsie Leung Oi-sie, Mr Suen, Secretary for Civil Service Joseph Wong Wing-ping and Information Co-ordinator Stephen Lam Sui-lung.

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