In Brief
Choice of administrator to head environment agency questioned
Professionals in the Environmental Protection Department have questioned the ability of an administrative officer - as department head - to strike a balance between infrastructure development and green issues. In a letter to the Legislative Council yesterday, the officers' union urged the government to reconsider its decision to leave top post in the hands of an administrative officer. But Constitutional Affairs Secretary Stephen Lam Sui-lung, who is in charge of a restructuring of the policy bureaus, said the future director had to exercise his responsibilities regardless of whether he or she came from the administrative or professional grades.
Fewer agree with crackdown
An annual survey gauging the public's views of the June 4 Tiananmen crackdown shows fewer people feel Beijing did the right thing. The survey by University of Hong Kong's Public Opinion Programme found only 13 per cent felt the mainland government did the right thing compared to 18 per cent last year. Less than a quarter of the 614 people polled said there should not be a reversion of the official stand on the incident, compared to 28 per cent last year.
HR committee head reappointed
Retired Citigroup head Ignatius Chan Tze-ching has been reappointed chairman of the Advisory Committee on Human Resources Development in the financial services sector for another two years effective today.
April surplus at HK$6.6b
The government recorded a surplus of HK$6.6 billion in April. A spokesman said the surplus derived mainly from salary tax payments and land premiums. Fiscal reserves stood at HK$375.8 billion at the end of April.
Classic artworks to go on show
Chinese paintings and calligraphy dating back 1,000 years, including Zhang Zeduan's famed work, Along the River During the Qingming Festival, will go on show at the Hong Kong Museum of Art in two phases from June 29 to August 11 to mark the 10th anniversary of the handover. Admission will cost HK$30 except on July 1 and 2 when it will be free.
