Editorial | Wait goes on for an overhaul of the Executive Council

The role of the Executive Council, the chief executive’s top advisory body, has been called into question again. This came after city leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor reportedly dismissed the need for her advisers to resign over the extradition bill fiasco, saying they were just “in the periphery”. This is not surprising, as no officials have stepped down or been punished so far. But it renews concerns over the decision-making process and the relations between Lam and members of her de facto cabinet.

Whether a collective resignation of non-official Exco members would have helped is just hypothetical. But the belated disclosure by executive councillor Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee in a media interview has raised questions about the operation of the cabinet. Following the mass march and clashes over the bill in early June, Ip said she had been assured that the government would not back down. But days later Lam met the council and suspended the bill. “I knew I was tricked,” Ip said.

We do not know whether other councillors felt the same, but it is intriguing that the chief executive described her cabinet as “in the periphery”. Was she referring to the working relations and the role of the body in the decision-making process? Or did she mean in terms of political accountability? If her advisers are not among the first to be held accountable, who is?

The Post has called for a serious overhaul of both the Executive Council’s role and operation in the wake of the bill fiasco. Lam also acknowledged the need to enhance its role, along with the promise of a new style of governance. She said members had to shoulder an important responsibility in engaging public opinion, so the council would not approve policies that were not aligned with people’s sentiments. Regrettably, almost seven months have passed but we still have not seen any changes, let alone an end to the upheaval.

Constitutionally, Exco is the city’s highest decision-making body. The extradition bill was endorsed by Exco before being put to the legislature. Politically, it is difficult for members to distance themselves from the fallout. From accountability to operation, a lot more needs to be done.