Letters | Hong Kong cabinet reshuffle by Carrie Lam is a boost for meritocracy and competition

When the administrative grade fails to deliver, why not break the monopoly and give others a chance?

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Erick Tsang, seen at a press conference last month as director of immigration, has taken over as the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs. Photo: Nora Tam

Published: 7:10am, 27 Apr 2020Updated: 7:10am, 27 Apr 2020

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s cabinet reshuffle has raised eyebrows. In particular, the appointment of Erick Tsang Kwok-wai, the former director of immigration, to head the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau has drawn a mixed response. But many may have just missed its huge significance in the context of public administration.

For years, the senior management positions of most policy bureaus have been effectively monopolised by a few administrative officers, and off-limits for most others, including civil or disciplined services officers. The rationale was that administrative officers were better trained and more competent at handling complicated policy matters.

However, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. The inconvenient truth is that Hong Kong’s performance in many policy areas, including poverty reduction, elderly care and land development, has been a failure. The plight of subdivided flat tenants and cardboard grannies is shameful for such an international city. While apologists can find a myriad of excuses, the senior management of policy bureaus, mostly administrative officers, have to take a share of the blame.

When the administrative grade fails to deliver, why not break the monopoly and give others a chance? This can truly implement meritocracy and boost performance, morale and competition in the civil service. It simply does not make sense to reserve top jobs for a specific grade in the civil service.

While Tsang’s quality of performance at his new job remains to be seen, his appointment is a welcome step towards bringing diverse talents into the cabinet, based more on merit than the administrative grade they belong to. This should be welcomed by civil servants and citizens alike.

T.C. Lee, Tsuen Wan

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.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}Letters | Hong Kong cabinet reshuffle by Carrie Lam is a boost for meritocracy and competition

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;} When the administrative grade fails to deliver, why not break the monopoly and give others a chance?

Letters | Hong Kong cabinet reshuffle by Carrie Lam is a boost for meritocracy and competition

When the administrative grade fails to deliver, why not break the monopoly and give others a chance?