'Enhanced national security in civil service course'
Ingrid Yeung says senior civil servants need to take greater responsibility in supervising subordinates. Photo: RTHK
New national security guidelines for government workers will be incorporated in courses offered by the Civil Service College, according to Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung.
In last year's Policy Address, Chief Executive John Lee said public officers are duty bound to safeguard national security and called on government departments to review guidelines and codes.
The Security Bureau announced last month that a new set of guidelines, detailing how civil servants can uphold national security in daily duties, will be released in due course.
In an interview with RTHK marking her third year in John Lee's administration, Yeung said that although national security has already been included in the college's training courses, updates will be made once the new guidelines are released.
'External challenges and risks for national security are constantly shifting and manifesting in diverse forms, so our training has to be be continuously adjusted to align with changes in the external environment,' she said.
The chief executive has also recently said he hopes to expand the roles and responsibilities for senior civil servants through the introduction of a 'senior civil servant accountability system'.
Asked if that would place greater pressure on civil servants, Yeung noted that 'accountability for performance' is one of 12 core values outlined in the Civil Service Code and that the principle is well established and not new.
'What the chief executive requires is that senior officials should place greater focus on supervising their subordinates,' she said.
"Senior civil servants, of course, have their own work responsibilities, but the higher their rank, the greater their responsibility to oversee others."
Asked whether senior civil servants should be held accountable, Yeung stressed that each case was unique.
Changes in the external environment can affect policy implementation while resource limitations may also have an impact, she said.
Yeung stressed that pausing certain policies can be a responsible decision, given that new technologies or methods may emerge and indicate a better way to implement policies.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTHK
9 hours ago
- RTHK
Labour import scheme needs to continue: Chris Sun
Labour import scheme needs to continue: Chris Sun Chris Sun rejected a fresh call from trade unionist Bill Tang to suspend the importation of catering workers. File photo: RTHK Labour Minister Chris Sun on Sunday rejected fresh calls to suspend the importation of workers, saying there was an acute labour shortage in many sectors. This came after trade unionist lawmaker Bill Tang said imported labour for the catering sector should be suspended as many locals were concerned about their jobs. Speaking on a TVB programme, Sun said the Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme already ensured that locals got priority, as employers can only import workers if they are unable to hire a local after a four-week recruitment exercise. The minister told reporters the government had received more than a hundred complaints of employers sacking locals after hiring imported labour but that, so far, initial evidence suggested there had been just two such cases. "Because we're talking about initial evidence, we cannot implement executive sanctions right away. We need to give the employers time to explain their case to us," Sun said. "But given the evidence, we have put them on our watch list, which means their ongoing import applications have been suspended." Sun said if the violations are substantiated, the authorities will impose sanctions "without hesitation". That means all import applications for the employer concerned will be withdrawn and the employer won't be able to apply to import workers for two years. Meanwhile, the minister said in another related case, an initial probe had found that an employer had refused to hire a local during the four-week recruitment period. Sun said the authorities are now waiting for the employer's reply.
RTHK
a day ago
- RTHK
Police chief renews vigilance call over security risks
Police chief renews vigilance call over security risks Police commissioner Joe Chow speaks to reporters after attending a passing-out parade. Photo: RTHK Police commissioner Joe Chow on Saturday called for continued vigilance against national security threats even in times of peace, saying a recent case demonstrate such risks remain. Four men believed to be members of a Taiwan-based organisation that promotes Hong Kong independence were arrested on Wednesday. Three of them have been jointly charged with one count of conspiracy to commit secession. "This case shows that national security risks always exist. We shouldn't let our guard down just because things appeared to be relatively calm and peaceful," Chow said. "The police force has a primary responsibility to safeguard national security. But at the same time, safeguarding national security is every resident's responsibility." Chow, who spoke to reporters following a passing-out parade of officers, noted that there were more than 1,220 new recruits in the past financial year, up some 25 percent compared to the 2023-24 period. The police chief also said new arrangements were put in place on July 1 to fast-track the recruitment of officers, with the entire process expected to be cut down to around four months. Under the new policy, those who have scored at least level 4 in both Chinese and English in the Diploma of Secondary Education Examination, and passed the aptitude test of the government's examination for recruiting civil servants, will be considered to have passed the probationary inspector written test.
RTHK
a day ago
- RTHK
'Four years enough time for shoebox flat renovations'
'Four years enough time for shoebox flat renovations' Winnie Ho says people shouldn't fear that rents for upgraded basic housing units will increase, as supply of public housing is increasing. Photo: RTHK Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho on Saturday expressed confidence that owners of shoebox flats will have plenty of time to make necessary changes to their properties to meet new minimum standards currently being considered in Legco. She noted that owners of flats that aren't up to scratch have a total of four years to register their flats and make the needed renovations to comply with new requirements such as a minimum size of eight square metres, the provision of windows and an individual toilet. "Because we currently have a one-year registration period and a three-year grace period, there is a total of four years for everyone to discuss and digest the situation," Ho told an RTHK programme. "We have teams of social workers available to help anyone who needs it. I certainly hope that within these four years, everyone will feel they have enough time to handle the situation -- if they'd put up too many partitions and they have to renovate, surely four years is enough time to renovate a flat, right?" Ho also stressed that even landlords who don't plan to rent out their subdivided units face prosecution if they fail to register their properties. The housing chief urged owners to apply quickly to take advantage of government waivers of a proposed HK$3,000 accredition fee per unit for early birds. Ho also brushed aside suggestions that these upgraded 'basic housing units' will result in higher rents, saying she actually expects rents to go down as housing supply increases. "In early 2025, compared to early 2024, the average rent for subdivided units in Hong Kong dropped by two percent, while general rents have increased. As we all know, market rents are rising, with an overall increase of eight percent," she said. "Rents for subdivided units not only didn't rise, but fell by two percent, creating a gap of 10 percent. We have the land to build and complete public housing so people are moving in. Also, as more light public housing become available, people may choose to stop renting [shoebox flats], which will also have an impact."
