CS meets with Ombudsman to discuss strengthening departmental management system and performance accountability
To enhance governance efficiency and strengthen performance accountability, the Chief Executive has instructed the Chief Secretary for Administration to lead a working group to conduct in-depth reviews of the direct investigation operation reports issued by the Office of The Ombudsman from time to time. This aims to ensure that all heads of government departments proactively follow up on the recommendations from these investigations while strengthening the establishment of departmental management systems and reinforcing performance accountability among departmental managerial staff to enhance public service management.
The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, met with the Ombudsman, Mr Jack Chan, today (May 9) to follow up on the Direct Investigation Operation Report on Government's Regulation of Occupational Safety and Health in Construction Industry, published by the Office of The Ombudsman on April 16, and discussed extensively the Ombudsman's findings, analyses and recommendations. At the meeting, both sides had in-depth discussions on the bottlenecks and inadequacies in the occupational safety and health (OSH) regulatory system for the construction industry. They also held candid and pragmatic exchanges on strengthening the management systems of government departments, particularly focusing on the leadership and supervisory responsibilities of management personnel, as well as issues such as performance accountability among departmental managerial staff.
The Government attaches great importance to OSH in the construction industry. The Labour Department (LD) and the Buildings Department (BD) have been taking a number of follow-up actions on the recommendations in the report. The LD has amended the relevant OSH legislation to increase the penalties. It also plans to start a trial of using small unmanned aircraft for inspections, investigations and evidence collection in the second half of 2025 and to explore the adoption of automatic speech recognition to assist in taking statements, thereby improving the efficiency of frontline officers in law enforcement. The LD and BD have strengthened communication and collaboration and improved the inter-departmental referral mechanism. The BD has improved the internal monitoring system for case handling in early 2025 and speeded up processing of previously omitted cases, and is reviewing lowering the threshold for instigating disciplinary actions to enhance deterrent effect. In addition, the Government will introduce a bill into the Legislative Council to amend the Buildings Ordinance in the first half of 2026 to further enhance the regulatory regime for registered contractors.
Mr Chan said, "The Government attaches great importance to the Office of The Ombudsman’s investigation operation report and appreciates the valuable observations and recommendations put forward by the Ombudsman. In accordance with the Chief Executive's instruction, the working group will ensure that all government departments conscientiously and proactively follow up on the recommendations, while strengthening the establishment of departmental management systems at source and reinforcing performance accountability of the management to effectively improve governance efficiency, with a view to continuing to provide high-quality and efficient services for the public."
CS meets with Ombudsman to discuss strengthening departmental management system and performance accountability Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Blackspot for illegal waste disposal on Yick Yuen Road, Tuen Mun successfully tackled through smart enforcement and interdepartmental collaboration
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (January 14) said that, through smart enforcement and interdepartmental collaboration, it has successfully tackled an illegal waste disposal blackspot on Yick Yuen Road, Tuen Mun, significantly improving environmental and hygienic conditions. Over 50 prosecutions were instituted during the operation.
Yick Yuen Road in Tuen Mun is situated in a remote rural area, surrounded by villages and brownfields. Following the commencement of the Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area project, residents in the vicinity of Yick Yuen Road had gradually relocated. The EPD had identified illegal waste disposal at a concealed and remote roadside spot on Yick Yuen Road since mid-last year. The situation has grown increasingly severe, adversely affecting environmental hygiene.
The EPD promptly co-ordinated with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, the Highways Department, the Civil Engineering and Development Department, and the Lands Department to jointly work out an action plan. A series of interdepartmental collaborative measures were implemented, including setting up a smart surveillance system to detect illegal activities, swiftly clearing waste to prevent the deterioration of hygiene conditions, as well as placing concrete barriers and warning signage to deter further violations. During the initial phase of the operation (from June to August 2025), the EPD utilised the smart surveillance system to quickly identify vehicles transporting waste for illegal disposal at the site and prosecuted the registered owners of the relevant vehicles. Among these, several small-scale works or transport companies were found to be involved in repeated illegal dumping of large quantities of waste and demolition materials. These prompt prosecutions had a significant deterrent effect, resulting in a substantial reduction in violations in the subsequent months.
An EPD spokesman said, "The department has been concerned about the rural areas of the New Territories, especially some public places such as remote roadsides or laybys, which are easily becoming illegal waste disposal sites. The waste deposited at this site, including some large-sized commercial and industrial (C&I) waste, not only created obstruction to pathways but also caused environmental hygiene problems. The EPD will continue to combine technology-driven enforcement with interdepartmental collaboration in its commitment to improving the living environment."
The spokesman appealed to all sectors, especially members of the logistics and construction industries, to properly dispose of waste in accordance with the laws. The logistics sector and the C&I sector may contact recyclers to collect C&I waste with reusable or recycling value, while non-recyclable waste should be delivered to refuse transfer stations or landfills.
According to the Public Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances Regulation (Chapter 132BK), it is an offence to dispose of waste on streets or in public places from vehicles, including goods vehicles, private cars and motorcycles. The registered vehicle owners concerned may be prosecuted. Offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $25,000 and six months' imprisonment.
Blackspot for illegal waste disposal on Yick Yuen Road, Tuen Mun successfully tackled through smart enforcement and interdepartmental collaboration Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Blackspot for illegal waste disposal on Yick Yuen Road, Tuen Mun successfully tackled through smart enforcement and interdepartmental collaboration Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Blackspot for illegal waste disposal on Yick Yuen Road, Tuen Mun successfully tackled through smart enforcement and interdepartmental collaboration Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Blackspot for illegal waste disposal on Yick Yuen Road, Tuen Mun successfully tackled through smart enforcement and interdepartmental collaboration Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
