Hong Kong labour chief accuses social worker body of ignoring public interest, says it should be ‘professional’ and ‘apolitical’
- Labour minister Chris Sun lashes out at Social Workers Registration Board for allowing social worker involved in court case over rioting charges to sit on reserve member panel
- ‘I feel that the work of the board is clearly ignoring public interest and also undermining the professionalism and credibility of social workers,’ he says
Hong Kong’s labour chief has accused a statutory body overseeing social workers of disregarding public interest, doubling down on his criticism of its governance.
Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han also ignored suggestions that he misunderstood the work of the Social Workers Registration Board and that his criticism was politically motivated.
Speaking after a Legislative Council panel meeting on Monday, Sun said: “There are no misunderstandings. I have complete information about what is going on at the board.
“Based on my clear understanding and my serious concerns about what is going on there, I have pointed out very clearly that we have to improve the governance of the board.
He said that was so it would in the future deal with issues concerning registration and disciplinary matters of social workers so public interest was given priority and also the professionalism and credibility of social workers was upheld.
Public attention has been drawn to the board, which oversees about 27,000 social workers, since last Friday after Sun lashed out at it for ignoring “the overall social interests” and undermining “the professionalism and public credibility of social workers”.