https://www.scmp.com/rss/522598/feed The latest news and top stories on Government Logistics Department. A prominent Hong Kong based governmental body, the Government Logistics Department (GLD) is dedicated to providing professional cost effective and timely logistical support services to Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government bureaux and departments. Headquartered in North Point, its main areas of focus include printing and publishing government materials, procurement for government entities and land transport... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Natalie Wong Natalie Wong Note: This story has been updated to clarify former transport minister Anthony Cheung Bing-leung’s remarks about his readiness to step down following the 2012 Lamma ferry tragedy. Where exactly does the buck stop? Senior Hong Kong civil servants are asking themselves that question after the unveiling of a new accountability system targeting department heads. They point to the deadly Tai Po fire last year as an example. An independent committee investigating the tragedy heard evidence officials... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3351906/will-top-hong-kong-civil-servants-pay-price-blunders-under-new-system?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3351906/will-top-hong-kong-civil-servants-pay-price-blunders-under-new-system?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:30:11 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong’s top-ranking civil servants will be held accountable if they fail to provide adequate support in policy formulation, the city’s leader has said, despite a new investigation mechanism that primarily targets department heads. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday that the proposed “Heads of Department Accountability System” was intended to promote self-improvement within departments rather than “picking on” individuals. Under the new mechanism, the chief executive, department... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350842/new-accountability-system-aims-improve-not-blame-john-lee-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350842/new-accountability-system-aims-improve-not-blame-john-lee-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 06:32:17 +0000 Natalie Wong Natalie Wong A statutory advisory body in Hong Kong will be given new powers as early as June to investigate government department heads over “serious, widespread or systemic” problems, as part of a broader push to institutionalise accountability for top officials. A Civil Service Bureau spokeswoman stressed that the new system targeted “implementation failures” by senior officials, but a union representative argued that major scandals often stemmed from flawed policy designs in which bureau chiefs and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350052/advisory-body-be-given-power-probe-government-department-heads-serious-offences?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350052/advisory-body-be-given-power-probe-government-department-heads-serious-offences?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 09:47:19 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying Swire Coca-Cola has won a HK$31.9 million (US$4 million) contract to supply Bonaqua water to some Hong Kong government offices, following a HK$52.9 million procurement scandal last year. According to a Government Logistics Department notice, Swire Coca-Cola was awarded the 27-month contract on Tuesday to supply more than 1.46 million bottles of drinking water to offices on Hong Kong Island and parts of the outlying islands. The selection followed an open tender launched in December. In its... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3347375/swire-coca-cola-wins-hk32-million-government-deal-after-bottled-water-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3347375/swire-coca-cola-wins-hk32-million-government-deal-after-bottled-water-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 13:32:55 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Accountability is at the core of a disciplinary investigation into the scandal involving the procurement of bottled water for government offices last year. Equally important is that lessons are learned and the appropriate punishment meted out to those responsible so as to serve as a stern warning for civil servants who fail to discharge their duties conscientiously. It has been found that three Government Logistics Department officers did not perform up to the standards commensurate with their... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3340646/bottled-water-scandal-should-prompt-civil-servants-exercise-due-diligence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3340646/bottled-water-scandal-should-prompt-civil-servants-exercise-due-diligence?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 23:15:08 +0000 Ambrose Li,Jess Ma Ambrose Li,Jess Ma Hong Kong authorities will hold three officers from the logistics department accountable over their roles in a bottled water procurement scandal, while its former head had his Silver Bauhinia Star nomination rescinded despite being cleared of direct oversight. Civil service chief Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan said on Tuesday that an investigation into the scandal involving the HK$166 million (US$21.3 million) bottled water procurement contract last year found that two staff members from the Government... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3340499/hong-kong-logistics-head-stripped-award-3-staff-face-action-water-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3340499/hong-kong-logistics-head-stripped-award-3-staff-face-action-water-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 04:11:59 +0000 David Dodwell David Dodwell Alongside death and taxes, there are few things more universally certain than corruption in public procurement. That is a reality worth keeping front of mind in Hong Kong as we home in on those we want to blame for the tragic Wang Fuk Court fire that in November killed at least 161 people and left thousands homeless. The maintenance contracts may not have been public procurement contracts, but they were supposed to be strictly overseen by officials and subject to government regulations.... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3339224/root-out-corruption-hong-kongs-tai-po-fire-investigation-must-go-beyond-scapegoats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3339224/root-out-corruption-hong-kongs-tai-po-fire-investigation-must-go-beyond-scapegoats?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 08:30:09 +0000 Willa Wu Willa Wu Hong Kong authorities are expected to announce next month the results of their investigation into a bottled water scandal that rocked the city and take disciplinary action against those officials involved after confirming that the probe has been completed. The Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, which set up a task force to probe the scandal that emerged in August, on Tuesday said both the review of the government’s procurement system and related disciplinary investigation had been... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3338190/hong-kong-set-unveil-results-disciplinary-action-after-bottled-water-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3338190/hong-kong-set-unveil-results-disciplinary-action-after-bottled-water-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Dec 2025 11:44:20 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok The Hong Kong government has put on hold the presentation of a top honour to a newly retired official whose department was at the centre of a recent bottled water procurement scandal, saying it has to wait until a disciplinary probe reaches a conclusion. The administration revealed the move on Tuesday evening in response to media questions on whether Carlson Chan Ka-shun would attend the 2025 honours presentation ceremony at Government House on Saturday. Chan, the former director of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3332395/hong-kong-award-hold-ex-logistics-chief-until-water-scandal-probe-ends?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3332395/hong-kong-award-hold-ex-logistics-chief-until-water-scandal-probe-ends?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Nov 2025 17:05:42 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Problems with a company involved in a bottled water procurement scandal were not flagged by the Hong Kong government’s logistics department to a central board that approved the tender, a senior official has revealed, stressing that a probe into the case will also review the roles of those who gave the green light. Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui Ching-yu also said on Sunday that the Government Logistics Department (GLD) was tasked with promoting fair competition... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3330359/officials-failed-flag-problems-firm-hong-kong-bottled-water-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3330359/officials-failed-flag-problems-firm-hong-kong-bottled-water-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Oct 2025 08:04:52 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial A disciplinary investigation has been rightly ordered regarding the actions of Hong Kong officials involved in a scandal related to the procurement of bottled water for government offices. Integrity and trust in the system are at stake. It is good the inquiry will extend to all officials, regardless of rank or whether they have retired. An initial review by the city’s Audit Commission found human error may have been a factor. The watchdog discovered that the Government Logistics Department (GLD)... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3330039/probe-hong-kongs-water-procurement-scandal-must-restore-trust?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3330039/probe-hong-kongs-water-procurement-scandal-must-restore-trust?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Oct 2025 23:15:14 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li Civil servants’ vigilance in guarding against potential procurement scams falls short of public expectations, Hong Kong’s treasury minister has admitted, pledging to conduct site visits and prevent the process from becoming a “robotic” arrangement of “checking boxes”. But Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui Ching-yu stressed on Tuesday that the principle of “the lowest bidder wins” did not apply to government procurement procedures this time around and denied that... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3329753/hong-kong-minister-admits-procurement-vigilance-below-expectations-vows-reform?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3329753/hong-kong-minister-admits-procurement-vigilance-below-expectations-vows-reform?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Oct 2025 05:29:59 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Hong Kong authorities will launch a disciplinary investigation into officials involved in a bottled water procurement scandal after an initial probe by the audit watchdog found that human error may have been a factor in the case. A review by the Audit Commission found that the Government Logistics Department (GLD) had repeatedly failed to follow up on suspicious signs, giving the green light to a company that allegedly used fraudulent documents to win the tender and supply substandard... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3329681/hong-kong-officials-involved-water-procurement-fiasco-face-disciplinary-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3329681/hong-kong-officials-involved-water-procurement-fiasco-face-disciplinary-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Oct 2025 09:32:23 +0000 Cannix Yau Cannix Yau The private secretary of Hong Kong’s leader has been appointed to take over as the new head of the government’s logistics department after it was embroiled in a water procurement scandal. In an announcement of senior appointments on Tuesday, the government said Vicki Kwok Wong Wing-ki would take up the post of director of government logistics on October 27 to succeed Carlson Chan Ka-shun, who proceeded on pre-retirement leave last month. Serving as the private secretary to Chief Executive John... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3328991/hong-kong-leader-lees-secretary-take-over-scandal-hit-logistics-department?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3328991/hong-kong-leader-lees-secretary-take-over-scandal-hit-logistics-department?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Oct 2025 11:54:34 +0000 Lam Ka-sing Lam Ka-sing Hong Kong’s government spent more than HK$5 billion (US$642.3 million) using the city’s currency on services or purchases related to mainland China in the last financial year, according to officials. In comparison, the government only used 240 million yuan (US$33.7 million) annually to settle expenditures, in addition to payments related to its renminbi-denominated bonds. Authorities are now exploring ways to increase payments in renminbi and expand its use. “Since the amount of renminbi bonds... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3328712/yuan-boost-eyed-hong-kongs-mainland-china-spending-hits-hk5-billion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3328712/yuan-boost-eyed-hong-kongs-mainland-china-spending-hits-hk5-billion?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Oct 2025 01:07:46 +0000 Mike Rowse Mike Rowse Alarm and despondency could spread through Hong Kong’s civil service in the coming weeks as the significance of last month’s policy address begins to sink in. The proposal to introduce a heads of department accountability system and make other changes to performance assessment methodology is a real game changer. Despite ritual praise of our 170,000 officials as “an outstanding team”, it is clear Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu feels there is considerable scope for improvement in management, and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3327657/will-new-accountability-system-be-fair-hong-kongs-civil-servants?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3327657/will-new-accountability-system-be-fair-hong-kongs-civil-servants?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Oct 2025 08:30:08 +0000 Harvey Kong,Fiona Sun Harvey Kong,Fiona Sun A new accountability system for senior civil servants aims to strengthen the fitness of government departments and raise public trust in authorities, Hong Kong’s leader has said. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu told a radio programme on Saturday that the measure would push department heads to consistently look for areas for improvement, likening the practice to regular exercise. In his annual policy blueprint on Wednesday, Lee introduced the “Heads of Department Accountability System”, which... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3326251/hong-kongs-new-civil-servant-accountability-system-ensure-government-keeps-fit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3326251/hong-kongs-new-civil-servant-accountability-system-ensure-government-keeps-fit?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Sep 2025 08:47:06 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The departmental head who apologised for a HK$52.9 million (US$6.8 million) government water procurement scandal has begun pre-retirement leave, in what a minister has said is a normal arrangement, while the incident remains under review. It may not come under the accountability system proposed in the chief executive’s policy address, but Carlson Chan Ka-shun’s exit as director of the Government Logistics Department will be seen as consistent with the government’s resolve to strengthen... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3326171/accountability-system-hong-kongs-top-civil-servants-long-overdue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3326171/accountability-system-hong-kongs-top-civil-servants-long-overdue?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Sep 2025 23:15:12 +0000 Jeffie Lam,Fiona Sun Jeffie Lam,Fiona Sun The head of Hong Kong’s logistics department, embroiled in a water procurement scandal, has started his pre-retirement leave, while Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has said that civil servants remain subject to the management system until they officially depart. According to the latest government gazette, Carlson Chan Ka-shun ceased to be the director of the Government Logistics Department on Friday as he began his pre-retirement leave. His former deputy, Avia Lai Wong Shuk-han, has been... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3326066/hong-kong-logistics-department-head-begins-pre-retirement-leave-following-water-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3326066/hong-kong-logistics-department-head-begins-pre-retirement-leave-following-water-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Sep 2025 02:58:20 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Permanent secretaries of government bureaus will not escape scrutiny even though a proposed new accountability system is targeting department heads, as investigations under the mechanism will cover “all civil servants”, Hong Kong’s leader has said. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu offered more clarity on Thursday on the new “Heads of Department Accountability System”, which he announced in his annual policy blueprint the previous day and will penalise underperforming senior civil servants and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3326031/top-hong-kong-civil-servants-wont-avoid-scrutiny-under-accountability-system-john-lee?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3326031/top-hong-kong-civil-servants-wont-avoid-scrutiny-under-accountability-system-john-lee?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Sep 2025 12:43:50 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong’s senior civil servants will be subject to a new mechanism to hold them accountable for underperformance, with dismissal as the maximum penalty. Announcing the new “Heads of Department Accountability System” in his annual policy address, the chief executive later dismissed concerns that the move might deter senior servants. “If they think like that, they had better go,” city leader John Lee Ka-chiu said. The new accountability system, aimed at building a more effective governing team,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3325905/top-hong-kong-civil-servants-worried-accountability-policy-had-better-go-lee?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3325905/top-hong-kong-civil-servants-worried-accountability-policy-had-better-go-lee?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Sep 2025 13:55:25 +0000 Willa Wu,Olga Wong Willa Wu,Olga Wong Hong Kong’s leader will introduce a mechanism to hold senior civil servants accountable for their misconduct in his policy blueprint, targeting incidents such as a recent bottled water supply scandal, the Post has learned. But political observers have warned of a possible pushback from civil servants concerned about job security, while recommending the government implement gradual changes with robust investigative procedures. According to a government source, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu is... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3325437/hong-kongs-john-lee-tackle-civil-servant-accountability-policy-address?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3325437/hong-kongs-john-lee-tackle-civil-servant-accountability-policy-address?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Sep 2025 01:00:29 +0000 David Dodwell David Dodwell Counterfeit bricks in MTR’s Tung Chung East station project, improperly sourced bottled water for government departments, substandard trainers for lifeguards – recent scandals in Hong Kong have aroused controversies rooted in the government’s public procurement process. Few Hongkongers have the vaguest idea of the scale of government procurement, even though it is everywhere around us. The Government Transparency Institute, which tries to monitor government procurement worldwide, estimates it... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3325245/hong-kongs-procurement-scandals-reminder-constant-vigilance-needed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3325245/hong-kongs-procurement-scandals-reminder-constant-vigilance-needed?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Sep 2025 08:30:09 +0000 Jane Lee Jane Lee Hong Kong’s bottled water procurement scandal has garnered widespread public attention. Beyond the immediate concerns over the process and contract management, it offers an opportunity to reflect more broadly on civil service culture. The episode should be viewed not only as a problem to resolve but also as an opportunity to promote attentiveness, ownership and flexibility in public administration. The 2025 tender awarded contracts mainly based on the lowest bid. Requirements were described as... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3324926/end-hong-kongs-procurement-failures-overhaul-civil-service-culture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3324926/end-hong-kongs-procurement-failures-overhaul-civil-service-culture?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Sep 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Mike Rowse Mike Rowse Hong Kong should be very concerned about the recent flurry of cases involving misbehaviour in the construction industry. It would be too easy to write them off as isolated incidents when they could just as easily be straw in the wind, indicating a serious underlying malaise. One high-profile case is the Anderson Road quarry redevelopment by CK Asset Holdings. The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) arrested 10 suspects earlier this year for allegedly paying or receiving bribes in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3324375/hong-kong-cant-let-its-construction-sector-be-captured-bad-actors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3324375/hong-kong-cant-let-its-construction-sector-be-captured-bad-actors?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Sep 2025 08:30:08 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Hong Kong’s logistics chief has issued a set of guidelines to senior civil servants, urging them to “heighten their alertness” and conduct due diligence to prevent potential fraudulent acts by tenderers and contractors, following a recent drinking water procurement scandal. “In light of the recent incident on procurement of bottled drinking water for which fraud elements involving the contractor are revealed, it is of utmost importance for bureaus and departments to step up efforts to prevent... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3324094/hong-kong-official-calls-heightened-alertness-among-staff-after-water-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3324094/hong-kong-official-calls-heightened-alertness-among-staff-after-water-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Sep 2025 13:43:31 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Hong Kong’s treasury chief has dismissed calls to set up a separate commission of inquiry to investigate officials’ roles in a bottled water procurement scandal, arguing that the government auditor will be able to identify lapses in a “professional and independent” manner. Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui Ching-yu, the head of a new task force that is reviewing the case, on Sunday defended the adequacy of having the Audit Commission conduct the investigation and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3322966/no-separate-inquiry-needed-probe-hong-kong-water-scandal-treasury-chief-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3322966/no-separate-inquiry-needed-probe-hong-kong-water-scandal-treasury-chief-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Aug 2025 06:22:26 +0000 Willa Wu,Harvey Kong Willa Wu,Harvey Kong Hong Kong’s leader has expressed deep disappointment over the Government Logistics Department’s failure to detect fraudulent documents before awarding a HK$52.9 million (US$6.78 million) contract to a bottled water supplier, urging authorities to plug loopholes in the procurement process as soon as possible. Commenting on the water supply scandal for the first time, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also said on Saturday that the treasury minister’s response to the incident had been timely and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3322912/very-disappointed-john-lee-speaks-first-time-hong-kongs-water-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3322912/very-disappointed-john-lee-speaks-first-time-hong-kongs-water-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Aug 2025 06:24:19 +0000 Willa Wu,Vivian Au Willa Wu,Vivian Au A vague public apology and blaming a procedural “flaw” have failed to quell public discontent over the government’s water procurement scandal, political analysts have said, urging Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu to accelerate developing a civil servant accountability system. Analysts made the call on Friday as the government said that the central tender board, chaired by the permanent secretary of the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, had given the final approval to the bottled water... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3322877/hong-kong-urged-expedite-civil-servant-accountability-system-after-water-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3322877/hong-kong-urged-expedite-civil-servant-accountability-system-after-water-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Aug 2025 13:21:49 +0000 Willa Wu,Vivian Au Willa Wu,Vivian Au The Hong Kong government’s procurement system failed to detect document fraud and authorities are taking immediate steps to strengthen it, the head of the logistics department has said, apologising to the public for the first time since a growing water scandal broke out. Government Logistics Department director Carlson Chan Ka-shun said on Thursday that officials understood the case had caused huge public concern over the procurement process. “It has also sparked doubts over the safety of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3322620/i-apologise-everyone-hong-kong-official-admits-system-failed-detect-water-fraud?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3322620/i-apologise-everyone-hong-kong-official-admits-system-failed-detect-water-fraud?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Aug 2025 05:48:38 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The Hong Kong government carries a heavy responsibility as a major procurer of goods and services. While there are well-established procurement guidelines to ensure value for public money, fair competition and accountability, irregularities may still occur, as in the latest suspected water procurement fraud. Officials must expeditiously find out what went wrong and learn from the episode. The controversy came to light last Saturday when the Government Logistics Department announced it had... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3322363/clarity-hong-kongs-water-procurement-scandal-needed-quickly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3322363/clarity-hong-kongs-water-procurement-scandal-needed-quickly?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Aug 2025 23:15:09 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying,Lorraine Chiang,Angel Woo Lo Hoi-ying,Lorraine Chiang,Angel Woo Hong Kong’s treasury chief has admitted to “shortcomings” in procurement processes after a scandal erupted over a HK$52.9 million (US$6.8 million) contract to supply bottled drinking water to some government offices, as authorities confirmed that the allegedly fraudulent winning bid was the lowest they received. But Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui Ching-yu stressed on Tuesday that price was not the sole consideration in granting the contract to a company later... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3322334/hong-kong-businessman-charged-fraud-wife-bailed-water-procurement-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3322334/hong-kong-businessman-charged-fraud-wife-bailed-water-procurement-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Aug 2025 06:17:28 +0000