John Lee has proposed adding new layer of accountability for government workers, but deciding who is responsible for aspects of policy is tricky, observers say
Hong Kong needs to completely overhaul its civil servant review mechanism rather than add another layer of assessment to the existing system if the administration wants to improve performance and governance, observers have said.
While one lawmaker said the government should implement clear assessment criteria for civil servants, others stressed that objective performance measures for senior management were difficult to gauge.
“I think any changes would have to follow a fundamental review of the whole system,” said Mike Rowse, the former director general of InvestHK who worked in government for 28 years. “Just adding a new layer … might not help much.”
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu had said authorities were considering introducing a new accountability system that would punish underperforming senior civil servants.
