Letters | Hong Kong deserves a civil service that moves with the times

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A sailboat makes its way through Victoria Harbour, with Admiralty on Hong Kong Island in the background, as seen from the Tsim Sha Tsui promenade on September 6. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 6:15am, 5 Nov 2020Updated: 6:15am, 5 Nov 2020

I despair at our government’s inefficiency and silliness.

I have just renewed my pleasure vessel licence for Hong Kong waters. I was told I needed to go to the Marine Department in person to pick it up, so they could check that I was indeed the person applying. By the way, Hong Kong is one of the very few places that require such a licence.

Still, I renewed the licence – for the third time – only to then be told I would have to show up in person to pick it up, despite my having included money to pay for return postage. I told the Marine Department caller that the government was advising people older than 70 with underlying conditions, like me, to stay at home because of Covid-19.

I asked if I could please arrange some other way to get my licence. Perhaps we could do a FaceTime call or my wife could come in to pick it up. The Marine Department person signed off, saying that she was simply informing me my licence was ready.

Underprivileged children learn to sail under the Scallywag and Sailability programme at Hebe Haven Yacht Club in Sai Kung on June 28. Photo: Edmond So

This is not a big issue, of course. However, it is a sign of how our government works – poorly. They do not allow for any common sense or judgment.

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.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}Letters | Hong Kong deserves a civil service that moves with the times

Letters | Hong Kong deserves a civil service that moves with the times