Government Announces Key Senior Appointments in Environment and Cultural Services Departments

Senior appointments

The Government announced today (November 29) the following senior appointments:

(a) Mr Eddie Cheung Kwok-choi, Director of Broadcasting, will take up the post of Permanent Secretary for Environment and Ecology (Environment) on January 2, 2025. He will succeed Miss Janice Tse Siu-wa who will proceed on pre-retirement leave on the same day; and

(b) Ms Manda Chan Wing-man, Deputy Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Financial Services), will take up the post of Director of Leisure and Cultural Services on December 4, 2024. She will succeed Mr Vincent Liu Ming-kwong, who has proceeded on pre-retirement leave.

Commenting on the appointment of Mr Cheung and Ms Chan, the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, said, "The appointees are seasoned Administrative Officers with proven leadership and management skills. I have every confidence that they will continue to serve the community with professionalism in their new capacity."

On the retirement of the two senior officials, Mrs Yeung thanked them for each rendering over 30 years of loyal and dedicated service to the community and making significant contributions to the Government. She wished them a fulfilling and happy retirement.

Mrs Yeung said, "During Miss Tse's tenure as Permanent Secretary for Environment and Ecology (Environment), she capably led the Environment Protection Department and the team to formulate and implement a range of environmental policies, delivering results particularly on the improvement of air and water quality, waste reduction and management, nature conservation, tackling climate change and promoting energy efficiency/conservation. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she personally steered the roll-out of a unique territory-wide sewage surveillance programme for detecting virus loads in the population, which provided important data for informing the formulation of anti-epidemic measures, thereby contributing to our ultimate success in combating the epidemic."

Turning to Mr Liu, Mrs Yeung said, "During Mr Liu's tenure as Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, he played an instrumental role in ensuring the strategic planning, steady provision and sound management of sports and cultural venues. He also strived to provide quality leisure and cultural programmes to the public, making sterling contributions to reinforcing Hong Kong's status as an events capital and East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchanges."

Brief biographical notes of the four officers are set out below:

Miss Janice Tse Siu-wa

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Miss Tse joined the Government in June 1987. She served in the Executive Officer and Labour Officer Grades before joining the Administrative Service in June 1988, rising to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A1 in April 2023. She has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former City and New Territories Administration, the former Constitutional Affairs Branch, the former Civil Service Branch, the former New Airport Projects Co-ordination Office, the former Economic Services Branch, the former Health and Welfare Branch, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels, the former Finance Bureau, the former Economic Development and Labour Bureau, the former Transport and Housing Bureau and the former Food and Health Bureau. She was Director of Home Affairs from April 2016 to January 2022, Permanent Secretary for the Environment (later renamed as Permanent Secretary for Environment and Ecology (Environment))/Director of Environmental Protection from January to December 2022, and has been serving as Permanent Secretary for Environment and Ecology (Environment) since January 2023.

Mr Vincent Liu Ming-kwong

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Mr Liu joined the Administrative Service in July 1987 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A in April 2021. He has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former Municipal Services Branch, the former City and New Territories Administration, the former Education and Manpower Branch, the former Chief Secretary's Office (later renamed as the Chief Secretary for Administration's Office), the Civil Service Bureau, the former Health, Welfare and Food Bureau, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the former Home Affairs Bureau, and the former Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority (later renamed as the Office of the Communications Authority). He served as Deputy Secretary for the Environment from March 2014 to January 2019, Government Property Administrator from January 2019 to October 2019, and became Director of Leisure and Culture Services from October 2019.

Mr Eddie Cheung Kwok-choi

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Mr Cheung joined the Administrative Service in October 1993 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A in April 2024. He has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former City and New Territories Administration, the former Health and Welfare Branch, the former Financial Services Branch, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Toronto, the former Information Technology and Broadcasting Bureau, the former Education and Manpower Bureau and the Home Affairs Department. He was Deputy Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Financial Services) from January 2013 to August 2019, Special Representative for Hong Kong Economic and Trade Affairs to the European Union from August 2019 to October 2022, and has been serving as Director of Broadcasting since October 2022.

Ms Manda Chan Wing-man

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Ms Chan joined the Administrative Service in September 1995 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade B1 in April 2024. She has served in various bureaux and departments, including the Home Affairs Department, the former Health and Welfare Branch, the former Planning, Environment and Lands Bureau, the former Trade and Industry Bureau, the Innovation and Technology Commission, the Security Bureau, the Chief Executive's Office, and the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau. She was Commissioner for Narcotics of the Security Bureau from January 2016 to November 2019, Commissioner for Rehabilitation of the Labour and Welfare Bureau from November 2019 to October 2022, and has been serving as Deputy Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Financial Services) since October 2022.

Senior appointments Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Senior appointments Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Senior appointments Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Senior appointments Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Seven persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operation

The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted an anti-illegal worker operation codenamed "Contribute" today (January 15).During the operation, ImmD Task Force officers raided premises under renovation in a newly built public housing estate in Sheung Shui district.A total of six suspected illegal workers and one suspected employer were arrested. Thearrested suspected illegal workers comprise six men, aged 22 to 41. Furthermore, one man, aged 45, suspected of employing the illegal workers, was also arrested. An investigation into the suspected employers is ongoing, and the possibility of further arrests is not ruled out.

Apart from mounting the enforcement operation, ImmD officers and a promotional vehicle have been deployed to distribute "Don't Employ Illegal Workers" leaflets and convey the message in the estate.

An ImmD spokesman said, "Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him or her shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties."

The spokesman stressed that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. Under the Immigration Ordinance, the maximum penalty for an employer employing a person who is not lawfully employable, i.e. an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land, has been significantly increased from a fine of $350,000 and three years' imprisonment to a fine of $500,000 and 10 years' imprisonment to reflect the gravity of such offences. The director, manager, secretary, partner, etc, of the company concerned may also bear criminal liability. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence.

According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee's identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker's valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $150,000 and to imprisonment for one year. In that connection, the spokesman would like to remind all employers not to defy the law by employing illegal workers. The ImmD will continue to take resolute enforcement action to combat such offences.

Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct an initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) and/or forced labour victims. When any TIP and/or forced labour indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the ImmD officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP and/or forced labour elements. Identified TIP and/or forced labour victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter or temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP and/or forced labour victims to report crimes to the relevant departments immediately.

For reporting illegal employment activities, please call the dedicated hotline 3861 5000, by fax at 2824 1166, email to anti_crime@immd.gov.hk, or submit "Online Reporting of Immigration Offences" form at www.immd.gov.hk.

Seven persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operation Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Seven persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operation Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases