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Jimmy Cheung

Government seeks legal advice before reporting result

The government has completed a series of disciplinary hearings on alleged misconduct by InvestHK chief Mike Rowse over the Harbour Fest fiasco.

But a source said details of the investigation would not be made public pending legal advice.

The Civil Service Bureau is understood to be  consulting lawyers to ensure the case is handled fairly.

Mr Rowse can appeal to Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa against the outcome of the investigation or apply for  a judicial review.

The government is unlikely to be ready to release  a report on the case before April.

The democrats  have accused the government of delaying the process until  public anger over the Harbour Fest has subsided.

Mr Rowse is facing five allegations in connection with the international pop concert series in 2003, which turned out to be a public relations disaster rather than an image-booster for Hong Kong after the Sars outbreak.

He has also been criticised by a government-appointed panel for failing to ensure the $100 million spent on the event was properly used.

The source said: 'The government has to be very cautious when proceeding with disciplinary cases. Things have to be cleared by lawyers to assess the possible legal consequences.'

A disciplinary case would normally take six to nine months to complete. Substantive action on Mr Rowse's case began only late last year because  inquiries had to be  completed, the source said.

Democrat Cheung Man-kwong, a member of the Legco public service panel, said the matter  had dragged on for too long.

'Obviously, the government wants to drag [the case] on and on until public anger has died down,' he said.

'By that time, the public will not be too concerned even if Mr Rowse is not properly punished.'

He also vowed to pursue disciplinary action against Henry Tang Ying-yen  and Stephen Ip Shu-kwan,  the ministers involved in the decision to go ahead with the Harbour Fest.

'I think we cannot just let them walk away. They have their political responsibility to shoulder,' he said.

A spokesman for the Civil Service Bureau said the case was still proceeding.

'We will consider which is a suitable way to report to Legco when the results are ready,' the spokesman said.



Rowse disciplinary probe is completed