Key performance indicators should be created to monitor the performance of politically appointed officials, lawmakers said on Friday.
The proposal was submitted on Friday as the city s Legislative Council discussed the government's restructuring plan, which includes adding 13 politically appointed officials and 57 civil service posts at an annual cost of HK $95 million $12.1 million.
The proposal, approved by the Executive Council on Tuesday and then submitted to the city s legislature for deliberation, also proposes setting up a new Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, and splitting the Transport and Housing Bureau into two separate bureaus.
The next administration will draw up performance indicators for government work to allow the public to see progress and goals, said Daniel Cheng Chung-waiCheng Chung-wai, secretary-general of the Chief Executive-designate's Office.
When introducing the restructuring plan to the legislature, Erick Tsang Kwok-wai, secretary for constitutional and Mainland Affairs, said it was important for the city as it will affect the government's structure and ability to implement policy for the next five years.
In response to concerns about the additional expenditures for the restructuring, Tsang said Lee formerly served as chief secretary and knew how to improve governance and address the pressing needs of the public.
Tsang said that the new administration needs to have a team of soldiers and opening up new positions is like investing in the future. As in doing business, one has to rent office space and invest money in it with the hope of earning more, Tsang said.
After the restructuring, Ronick Chan Chun-yingChan Chun-ying, a lawmaker from the financial sector, expressed concern about the role that would be given to the financial secretary, as the secretary would be responsible for six bureaus, including the Housing Bureau and Transport and Logistic Bureau. Chan said that the expansion of the secretary's purview might distract his or her attention from finance and the economy.
According to Cheng, there are concerns that deputy secretaries are being proposed to relieve the burden on secretaries.
According to some lawmakers'suggestions to pass the proposal in phases, Cheng said that the government's restructuring plan is crucial to the implementation of Lee's political platform and should not be passed in stages.
On Wednesday, the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions spokesman Stanley Ng Chau-pei backed Lee's proposal to create the three positions of deputy secretaries, saying they would play important roles in making holistic planning and coordination.
After the union meeting with Lee and other lawmakers, the union expressed support for the restructuring plan and said it hopes Lee can find the right candidates for his administration as soon as possible to lead Hong Kong into a new chapter.
Lee, who has been meeting with lawmakers to gauge views recently, said he hoped that LegCo members will support the proposals and that the legislative and funding procedures can be completed by mid-June so that the new government structure can take effect on July 1, when Lee will take office.