Chairman’s Foreword

Each and every year, the Public Service Commission publishes an annual report to give an account of the work done in the past year. The 2022 Annual Report is the ninth published under my Chairmanship and my last.

Two years back in 2020, the Commission celebrated without any fanfare its 70^th Anniversary. Hong Kong then was still under the overcast of the COVID pandemic with stringent anti-epidemic measures imposed on almost all social aspects of life. After three years of tremendous forbearance, Hong Kong has finally bounced back to normalcy with the last restriction on face mask removed on 1 March 2023. In the intervening period, the work of the Commission has not stopped and we have continued to discharge our responsibilities as steadfastly as ever before in full accordance with the statutory power and the mandate bestowed on the Commission under the Public Service Commission Ordinance.

Since its establishment in 1950, the Commission has been held in high regard by the Administration and civil servants at large for its role as a vital, impartial and independent advisor with resolute commitment in safeguarding the integrity and fairness of the appointment, promotion and disciplinary systems in the Hong Kong Civil Service. The Commission also serves as a “think tank” and collaborates with the Administration in reviewing and formulating Civil Service policies and procedures contributing to the maintenance of a meritorious Civil Service which can stay ahead and be among the best in the world.

The mission of the Commission to ensure that only the most qualified get appointed and promotion is awarded only to the best suited with exemplary performance with good conduct and integrity. For the sub-standard performers and ones who misconducted themselves or have broken the law, they have no place in the Civil Service and cannot escape with impunity. The Commission is thus in resounding support of the Chief Executive (CE)’s policy initiatives to provide enhanced training and advancement opportunities to officers with good potential and outstanding ability and to strengthen the management of sub-standard performers.

The CE has tasked the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) to review and enhance the disciplinary mechanism so that disciplinary lapses can be dealt with decisively and expeditiously. We look forward to contributing to these important initiatives and working with CSB for their early implementation. In the meantime, we shall, as always, examine each and every recommendation submitted to the Commission thoroughly, objectively and fairly without fear or favour.

2022 is a busy year for the Commission. In terms of workload, the number of cases advised by the Commission has grown from 1 096 in 2014 when I began my term to 1 265 in 2022. In between, a record high of 1 379 cases was recorded in 2021. From these submissions, we are able to see the extent and how well Bureaux and Departments are able to comply and observe the laid down rules and regulations to ensure fairness in the selection process and procedural propriety in their work. We have included in various chapters of this Report some noteworthy cases where there is scope to do better. We hope that our observations can serve as a reminder and pointers for both management and staff in the pursuit of excellence. They also have the added value of offering real life experience for use as case studies in staff training.

We are gratified that our annual reports are read and shared widely within the Civil Service and often used as ready reference by personnel responsible for human resource management. And we are even more heartened to see increased readership among the general public as reflected in the sixfold rise in the browsing rate on the Commission website since we began digital reporting in 2018. To enhance efficiency and for the better administration of the performance management system, the Commission has suggested the development of a comprehensive digital database of all civil servants to the Secretary for the Civil Service. This is in line with the CE’s policy initiative of building a smart government as announced in the CE’s 2022 Policy Address. We much look forward to the formulation of a concrete roll-out plan and to be consulted in the year ahead.

During the year, Mr John Lee retired from the Commission after six years’ dedicated service to whom I owe a debt of gratitude. It also gives me great pleasure to extend a warm welcome to Ms Agnes Chan and Mrs Ann Kung, who joined the Commission in 2022.

It has been a great honour and privilege for me to have had the opportunity to serve as the Chairman for the past nine years. The time and experience I have had is truly rewarding. The role of the Public Service Commission is an enduring one and as a long and well-established institution, it shall continue to offer checks and balances the Civil Service needs. Taking this opportunity, I must pay tribute to all my fellow Commission Members, past and present, for their wise counsel and the contributions they have made. The work of the Commission has called heavily upon their time and energy. For the unfailing support each of them has rendered me, I wish to place on record my heartfelt appreciation. I would also like to extend my gratitude to all former and present Secretary for the Civil Service and their senior staff as well as to Heads of Bureau/Department and their colleagues for their cooperation, understanding and support in their dealings with the Commission. Their readiness and responsiveness in taking forward the advice and suggestions the Commission has given is most appreciated. Finally, I would like to record my special thanks to the Secretary of the Commission and all the staff of the Commission Secretariat for their dedication and commitment and for the indispensable support each of them has rendered.