Carrie Lam ‘faces hard task in filling cabinet’, senior aide says
Exco member Bernard Chan says there are too many barriers discouraging able candidates and that more must be done to attract talented people
The three barriers Lam faces are: the demands of Beijing, the refusal of pan-democrats to join the administration and an increasingly politicised society that had put off many possible candidates.
While Lam attributed the difficulties to the “hot kitchen” of government, Chan, who managed Lam’s election campaign, said: “There is no system to encourage people to serve society. At present, it’s like you have to beg people to join you in the sea of flames.”
High-fliers in business or professional fields often find it difficult to join the government as what they were doing – and had done in the past – would be subject to close scrutiny.
In 2012, seasoned civil servant Mak Chai-kwong stepped down as development minister after just 12 days amid allegations of a housing subsidy fraud dating back more than two decades. He was eventually cleared of any wrongdoing. A year later, his political assistant, Henry Ho Kin-chung, quit for failing to declare his family’s stake in land at a proposed new town.
Lawmaker Wong Kwok-kin, of the Federation of Trade Unions, admitted it was not easy to convince talented people to join the government as their records had to be “whiter than white”.
“Capability is not the most important criteria as top officials are now required to have a very high EQ [emotional intelligence] in handling criticisms in legislature meetings,” Wong said.
“Not to mention he or she should also be trusted by the central government.”
At present, it’s like you have to beg people to join you in the sea of flames
Leung later opted for Florence Hui Hiu-fai, undersecretary of the Home Affairs Bureau, amid reports that the central government had reservations about Wong’s close ties with pan-democrats.
Democratic Party chairman Wu Chi-wai called on Lam to stand firm on picking her own preferred team instead of receiving those recommended by Beijing’s liaison office in Hong Kong.
The Democrats had reiterated its firm stance that no party member would be allowed to join the government.
That meant veteran Dr Law Chi-kwong, tipped to head the Labour and Welfare Bureau, would have to quit the party if he wanted to get on board.
“We did not ban anyone from joining the government,” Wu said, suggesting that someone interested in a post could quit the party. “[Lam] should stop laying the blame on Democrats as if everything would turn out great should the pan-democrats offer the green light.”
Bernard Chan said the government’s promotion ladder should be reviewed to give undersecretaries the opportunity to become ministers. “It would in fact be easier to find undersecretaries in the future. It would be more encouraging if there was such a promotion ladder.”
The risk was higher if a minister was appointed from outside the government because there was no chance to observe how well they would perform until he or she was appointed, he said.
