Creating deputy justice minister role solves problem of who’s in charge in Hong Kong when boss away, experts and department staff say
- Unlike the chief secretary or finance chief, the justice minister does not have anyone to take over the portfolio in her absence
- While splitting up the tasks among top department officials has worked, none of them are political appointees who can be easily fired if a mistake is made, experts note
Creating the role of a deputy justice minister in Hong Kong will solve a persistent problem of who takes charge of the department when the secretary is away, legal experts and staff members have suggested.
The proposed addition could also ensure that a justice minister out of the city on official business did not leave crucial legal decisions up to a civil servant who was not politically appointed, they said.
Under the current government structure, the justice secretary has no politically appointed subordinate directly underneath her or any suitable fellow bureau chief who can be given temporary responsibility for the portfolio during the minister’s absence.
The chief secretary and financial secretary do not encounter this problem as they can rely on other bureau chiefs, who in turn can seek the help of their own undersecretaries.
Referring to the lack of a deputy justice secretary, one experienced lawyer from the Department of Justice (DoJ) who requested anonymity called the situation “not ideal”.
Eric Lai Yan-ho, a fellow at the Georgetown Centre for Asian Law, said it appeared the deputy would take charge of political communications for now, a role normally set aside for political assistants attached to ministers.