Chan reassures over departures
THE departure of two senior civil servants in less than six months will neither damage morale nor affect the localisation policy, according to Chief Secretary-designate Anson Chan Fang On-sang.
Mrs Chan said this in reaction to an announcement yesterday that the Secretary for Transport Yeung Kai-yin had resigned and would be leaving the Government at the end of the month.
Mr Yeung, 52, is the second senior local officer to leave the Government, following the departure of John Chan Cho-chak, who took retirement at the end of May.
Mrs Chan rejected claims that the resignation would hurt the momentum of localisation and that civil service morale was low.
She cited her own elevation to the chief secretaryship as an example of the Government's commitment to the localisation policy.
On Mr Yeung's resignation, a government spokesman said: ''Having previously indicated that he intended leaving, he has been given permission to take up an appointment in the private sector with effect from December 1, 1993.'' Mrs Chan, noting that Mr Yeung joined the civil service on the same day as she did, said he might feel there were more challenges in the private sector.
Both Mrs Chan and Mr Yeung had been tipped as candidates for Chief Secretary or Financial Secretary.
At a press conference after her appointment was announced, Mrs Chan said: ''I think it is not by any means surprising that for senior officers in any sort of organisation, whether it is in the Government or in the private sector, for them to consider that, at a particular point in their career, maybe they would want to change, and maybe they feel there are more challenges in the private sector and that is what, I think, Mr Yeung has decided.
'' . . . and he has confirmed to me, that is not an indication that he disagrees with government policy or feels, in any way, demoralised.'' Mrs Chan also expressed her belief that the resignation would not set a trend for more defections. She said she had no reason to believe any other policy secretary intended to leave.
Mr Yeung has been offered an executive directorship with Sino Land, the property giant run by Singaporean tycoon Robert Ng Chee Siong. An announcement will be made tomorrow.
It is understood Mr Yeung will become a top aide to Mr Ng and will advise him on matters such as strategy formulation.
Mr Yeung yesterday denied that Mrs Chan's appointment had prompted his resignation.
''Not at all. I've always said I've no ambition in that direction. And I resigned several months before all these announcements.'' Asked whether he would rejoin the civil service after 1997, Mr Yeung said: ''I haven't given it a thought. It will depend on the circumstances at the time and the terms involved. And, of course, it will also depend on whether I'm fit enough to do it.'' He said he wanted to seize the opportunity to join the private sector before he got too old.
''After 31 years, it's probably time for a change. I reckon I have still got a fair amount of steam to go within me. Opportunities arose and I seized those opportunities. It's just as simple as that,'' he said.
Mrs Chan denied that the loss of Mr Chan and Mr Yeung meant having less experienced people at the top.
''I do not think so. It is only two out of quite a few policy secretary posts. I also point out the wastage rate for administrative officers is only 4.2 per cent, whereas the civil service as a whole it is just 5.2 per cent. It is very low.'' But Meeting Point legislator Dr Leong Che-hung said Mr Yeung's departure was a cause for concern.
''I am worried there is a problem of morale even among top civil servants,'' he said.
