Hong Kong minister rejects conflict of interest allegations over former senior civil servant’s appointment as aviation academy chief
- Civil service chief Patrick Nip says Simon Li’s appointment as aviation academy head observes government rules restricting senior ex-civil servants from taking up private sector posts
- Li was involved in discussions for setting up the academy but was not privy to issues such as recruitment and salaries, according to Nip
A minister has rejected suggestions the appointment of a former transport official as head of Hong Kong’s aviation academy represents a conflict of interest, insisting the government is sticking to rules restricting senior civil servants from taking up private sector posts following their departure.
Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip Tak-kuen said his department’s decision to allow Simon Li Tin-chui, former director general of civil aviation, to assume the company position was made on the grounds that the Hong Kong International Aviation Academy was performing a valuable public service role and was technically a statutory body.
“There are absolutely no so-called conflicts of interest or deferred benefits. These allegations are completely unfounded,” Nip told journalists on Monday as he responded to media reports.
Li left the director general post on April 9 last year, serving during his time in the role as an ex officio member of the Airport Authority’s board of directors.
On June 15 this year, he joined the aviation academy as CEO – 14 months into a typically three-year period limiting the ability of a senior ex-employee to take up posts in the private sector, commonly known as “being rinsed in cold water” or “garden leave”.