Government Enhances Accountability and Efficiency Following Ombudsman Investigation Reports on Occupational Safety in Construction Industry.

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

Notice on appointments to advisory and statutory bodies

A Government spokesman said today (January 12) that Mr Chan Kin-por recently sought approval from the Chief Executive to suspend his three public positions as appointed by the Chief Executive, until the completion of the work of the Independent Committee in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po (Independent Committee). Mr Chan made this request to allow himself more time to dedicate to the work of the Independent Committee. After due consideration, the Chief Executive has agreed to and approved this request. The three public positions are: (1) Chairman of Independent Commission Against Corruption Advisory Committee on Corruption; (2) Non-executive Director of Urban Renewal Authority Board; and (3) Member of Honours and Non-official Justices of the Peace Selection Committee.

Mr Chan Kin-por, Photo source: reference image

On December 12, 2025, the Government established the Independent Committee to examine the causes of the incident and related issues, ascertain the facts, and make recommendations on preventing similar tragedies and on improvement measures. The Independent Committee is chaired by Mr Justice David Lok, with Mr Chan Kin-por and Dr Rex Auyeung Pak-kuen serving as members. The Independent Committee held its first meeting on December 19 last year and aims to complete its work within nine months of commencing operations.

Mr Chan Kin-por wrote earlier to the Chief Executive, expressing his wish to suspend the aforementioned three public positions until the Independent Committee completes its work, in order to dedicate more time and focus to the Independent Committee's tasks. The Chief Executive has agreed to and approved the request.

A Government spokesperson said that since the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, both the Government and the wider community have been highly concerned about the causes of the incident and the follow-up work. The scope of the Independent Committee's work is extensive, particularly concerning systemic issues related to bid-rigging and connected interests. Given the numerous issues involved and their complex nature, the Government will fully co-operate with the Independent Committee to ensure that it can complete its work and compile its report within nine months. The Government extends its gratitude to Mr Chan for accepting the appointment as a member of the Independent Committee and for his professional and conscientious approach to the Committee's work. When the Independent Committee's work is completed, the Government looks forward to Mr Chan's continuous contribution through his aforementioned public positions.

Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, Photo by Bastille Post