Ombudsman and Officials Discuss Enhancing Occupational Safety in Construction Industry and Strengthening Government Accountability

Ombudsman meets with Chief Secretary for Administration

The following is issued on behalf of the Office of The Ombudsman:

The Ombudsman, Mr Jack Chan, was invited to meet with the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki; the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung; and relevant senior officials, today (May 9) to deliberate on the findings and analyses of the investigation by the Office of The Ombudsman into the Government's regulation of occupational safety and health in the construction industry and exchange views on strengthening departmental management systems and reinforcing performance accountability.

The Ombudsman said, "I must, once again, express my gratitude to the Chief Executive for his recognition of our work. I am also very grateful that he has announced earlier that the Chief Secretary for Administration will lead a working group to conduct in-depth reviews of recommendations in the direct investigation operation reports issued by the Office of The Ombudsman to ensure that government departments will actively follow up on the recommendations from these investigations. I am also grateful for the Chief Secretary for Administration's invitation to this meeting. During our meeting today, we had an in-depth and focused deliberation on my Office's investigation findings as regards the Government's regulation of occupational safety and health in the construction industry, and a candid discussion on the bottlenecks and challenges. We also had a thorough exchange of views on ways to strengthen departmental management systems and reinforce performance accountability. I am pleased to learn that the working group led by the Chief Secretary for Administration will monitor relevant departments' follow-up actions to ensure full implementation of our recommendations. I am also pleased to note that the Labour Department and the Buildings Department have been actively following up the recommendations of our report and commenced various work including enhancing effectiveness of enforcement and expediting the processing of cases omitted earlier. The current-term Government is committed and determined to strengthen departmental management systems, reinforce performance accountability among departmental managerial staff, and enhance public service management and efficiency, demonstrating its devotion and dedication to fostering good governance. My Office will give full support and co-operation in enhancing the effectiveness of public administration to ensure high-quality and efficient public services."

Ombudsman meets with Chief Secretary for Administration 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.

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.

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