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The Government announced today (Tuesday) that Mr Bowen Leung Po-wing, currently Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands, will be appointed the first Director of the Beijing Office of the HKSAR Government in November 1998.
The Government concurrently announced that the Central People's Government has, on the nomination and recommendation of the Chief Executive, made the following appointments of Principal Officials:
* Mr Gordon Siu Kwing-chue, currently Head of the Central Policy Unit, will succeed Mr Bowen Leung Po-wing as Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands at the end of this year; and
* Mr Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong, currently Deputy Director of Immigration, is appointed Director of Immigration with immediate effect. Mr Lee succeeds Mrs Regina Ip who was appointed Secretary for Security in August this year.
The Government also announced that Dr Edgar Cheng Wai-kin is appointed as Head, Central Policy Unit. Mr Cheng is a prominent citizen and businessman. Among his many appointments on government boards and committees, he is the Chairman of the University Grants Committee.
The Government also announced the following directorate appointments:
* Mr Stephen LAM Sui-lung, currently Director of Administration and Development in Department of Justice, is designated to fill a proposed new post of Information Co-ordinator in the Chief Executive's Office;
* Mrs Helen YU LAI Ching-ping, currently Director of Education, will fill the post of Director of Regional Services;
* Mrs Fanny LAW FAN Chiu-fun, currently Commissioner for Transport, will take over from Mrs Helen Yu as Director of Education;
* Mr TSANG Kwong-yu, currently Deputy Director of Fire Services, will succeed Mr Peter Cheung as Director of Fire Services. Mr Cheung will proceed on pre-retirement leave on 2 November 1998;
* Miss Jacqueline Willis, currently Commissioner for Labour, will take over from Mr Kenneth PANG Tsan-wing as Commissioner, U.S.A.;
* Mr Matthew CHEUNG Kin-chung, currently Deputy Secretary for Education and Manpower, will succeed Miss Willis as Commissioner for Labour; and
* Mr Robert CHAN Ming-kui, currently District Officer (Yuen Long), will be posted to Civil Aid Service to succeed Mr FUNG Kwok-him as Chief Staff Officer. Mr Fung will proceed on pre-retirement leave on 27 October 1998.
Commenting on the new appointments, both the Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa; and the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mrs Anson Chan, expressed full confidence in the officers who will be taking up their new offices. "The officers have rich experience in public administration, and have displayed distinguished abilities and leadership. We deeply believe that they will rise to the challenges."
The HKSAR Government's Beijing Office will be established at the end of this year. The Office will be headed by Director, Beijing Office, a new post at Director of Bureau rank.
"As Director of the Beijing Office, Mr Bowen Leung will be HKSAR Government's principal representative in the Mainland. He will develop a high-level liaison network with senior officials in the Mainland and play an important role in enhancing working relations between the Central People's Government/other Mainland authorities and the HKSAR Government," said Mr Tung Chee Hwa.
Commenting on the appointment of Dr Edgar CHENG Wai-kin as Head, Central Policy Unit, the Chief Executive said: "I am glad to have Dr Cheng leading the Central Policy Unit. His experience in the private sector and service in government boards and committees will be of value to the work of the Central Policy Unit."
The Government plans to create a new post of Information Co-ordinator in the Chief Executive's Office later in the year.
"The Information Co-ordinator will play a strategic role in strengthening the flow of information between the Government and the media as well as the public, and also in overseeing Government's public relations programmes. We need a senior officer to take on this important job to further enhance the transparency and openness of Government," said Mr Tung.
The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mrs Anson Chan, also commended the outgoing Director of Fire Services, Mr Peter Cheung, for his dedicated service in the Government for the past 36 years and expressed her appreciation for his contributions. She also praised Chief Staff Officer, Civil Aid Service, Mr FUNG Kwok-him, for offering his dedicated service to the Government and to the public in the past 35 years, and for enhancing the presence of the Civil Aid Service in the community.
According to a government spokesman, a decision will be made on the appointments to the posts of Commissioner for Transport and Director of Administration and Development in the Department of Justice. The appointments will be announced separately.
Biographical notes on the officers and Dr Edgar Cheng are as follows:
Mr Bowen LEUNG Po-wing
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Aged 49. Mr Leung joined the Administrative Service in June 1973 and rose to his present rank of Director of Bureau in June 1996.
For the past 25 years, Mr Leung has served in various bureaux and departments. Positions held by Mr Leung in recent years include: Deputy Secretary for District Administration (1987- 1990); Deputy Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands (1990 - 1992); and Private Secretary to the former Governor (1992 - 1995). Mr Leung was appointed to his present position of Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands in May 1995. He was appointed Principal Official of the SAR Government in July 1997.
Mr Gordon SIU Kwing-chue
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Aged 52. Mr Siu joined the Government in February 1966 and was appointed to the Administrative Service in August 1968. He was promoted to his current rank of Director of Bureau in January 1995.
Over the years, Mr Siu has served in a number of policy bureaux and departments. Senior positions held by Mr Siu in recent years include: Postmaster General (1988 - 1989); Commissioner for Transport (1989 - 1992); Director, New Airport Projects Co-ordination Office (1992 - 1993); Secretary for Economic Services (1993 - 1996) and Secretary for Transport (1996 - 1997). While serving as Secretary for Transport, Mr Siu was appointed a Principal Official of the SAR Government in July 1997. He was appointed by the Chief Executive to his present position of Head, Central Policy Unit in August 1997.
Mr Ambrose LEE Siu-kwong
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Aged 50. Mr Lee joined the Immigration Officer grade of the Government in January 1974 and rose to his present rank of Deputy Director of Immigration in January 1997.
Over the years, Mr Lee has served in various sections of the Immigration Department and has amassed rich experience in a full range of immigration matters, including those on investigation, prosecution, issue of visa and passports, border control and right of abode. He was commended by the Director on various occasions for his outstanding performance. Before his promotion to Deputy Director, Mr Lee was Assistant Director with overall responsibility for the Department's Control and Investigation Branch. This is Mr Lee's first appointment as a Principal Official.
Dr Edgar CHENG Wai-kin
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Aged 54. Dr Cheng is Chairman and Managing Director of the World-Wide Investment Company Ltd. and Vice-chairman of Hang Seng Bank Ltd. His current service on Government's Boards and Committees include: Chairman, University Grants Committee; Member of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission; Member of the Council of the Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fund; Chairman of the Steering Committee on the Establishment of the Financial Services Institute and Commissioner of the Commission of Inquiry on the New Airport. Dr Cheng is also Chairman of the Hong Kong Securities Institute; a director of the One Country Two Systems Research Institute and a member of the Committee of Governors of Hong Kong Policy Research Institute. Dr Cheng has also been active in community service including his service as a Director of the Helping Hand; member of the Board of Governors of the Society for the Promotion of Hospice Care and member of Government's Working Group on Care for the Elderly. Dr Cheng will relinquish his work in the private sector and, as appropriate, vacate his other appointments to government boards and committees when he takes up office as Head, Central Policy Unit.
Mr Stephen LAM Sui-lung
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Aged 42. Mr Lam joined the Administrative Service of the Hong Kong Government in October 1978 and rose to his present rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A in January 1998.
Senior positions held by Mr Lam over the years include: Administrative Assistant to the Chief Secretary (1989 - 1991); Director, Toronto (1991 - 1994); Deputy Secretary for Constitutional Affairs (1994 - 1996); Senior Administrative Assistant to the Chief Secretary (April - December 1996); and Director, Handover Ceremony Co-ordination Office (1996 - 1997). He took up his present post of Director of Administration and Development in Department of Justice in December 1997.
Mrs Helen YU LAI Ching-ping
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Aged 57. Mrs Yu joined the Government in June 1965 as an Executive Officer. She was appointed to the Administrative Service in August 1968 and rose to her present rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A in February 1995.
While in the Administrative Service, Mrs Yu has served in a variety of bureaux and departments. She was formerly Deputy Director of Urban Services (1984 - 1989); Deputy Director of Hospital Services (1989 - 1990); Deputy Secretary for Health and Welfare (1990- 1993); Secretary-General of the former Office of the Members of the Legislative Council (1993 - 1994); and Director of Buildings (1994 - 1996). She took up her current posting of Director of Education in January 1996.
Mrs Fanny Law Fan Chiu-fun
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Aged 45. Mrs Law joined the Government in September 1975 as an Executive Officer. She was appointed to the Administrative Service in October 1977 and rose to her present rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A in January 1997.
While in the Administrative Service, Mrs Law has taken up a number of senior positions, including Deputy Secretary for the Civil Service (1991 - 1994); Deputy Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands (April - November 1994); Senior Assistant Director and later Deputy Director of Housing (1994 - 1996); and Director of the Chief Executive's Office (January - July 1997). She took up her present position of Commissioner for Transport in August 1997.
Mr TSANG Kwong-yu
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Aged 54. Mr Tsang joined the Government as a Fire Officer in March 1964. Rising through the ranks, he became Deputy Chief Fire Officer in 1990 and Chief Fire Officer in 1992. He was appointed Deputy Director of Fire Services in 1995.
Mr Peter Cheung
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Aged 56. Mr Cheung joined the Government as an Assistant Station Officer in 1962. He was promoted to Chief Fire Officer in 1989 and to Deputy Director of Fire Services in 1992. He was appointed Director of Fire Services in 1995. He will proceed on pre-retirement leave on 2 November 1998 after more than 36 years of dedicated service with the Government.
Miss Jacqueline Willis
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Aged 51. Miss Willis joined the Administrative Service of the Hong Kong Government in July 1969 and was promoted to her present rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A in January 1996.
Over the years, Miss Willis has held a number of senior positions including Deputy Director of Regional Services (1988 - 1990); Deputy Secretary for Home Affairs (1990 - 1992); Deputy Secretary for Health and Welfare (1992 - 1994); and Deputy Secretary for Education and Manpower (1994 - 1996). She has been Commissioner for Labour since April 1996.
Mr Matthew CHEUNG Kin-chung
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Aged 47. Mr Cheung joined the Government in July 1972. He served for seven years in the Information Officer grade before his appointment to the Administrative Service in September 1979. He was promoted to his present rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade B1 in January 1997.
While in the Administrative Service, Mr Cheung has served in a number of bureaux and departments. Positions held by Mr Cheung in recent years include Administrative Assistant to the Financial Secretary (1991- 1993); Deputy Judiciary Administrator (1993 - 1995); and Deputy Head of the Central Policy Unit (1995 - 1996). He has been responsible for policies on manpower since he took up his present position of Deputy Secretary for Education and Manpower in March 1996.
Mr Robert CHAN Ming-kui
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Aged 52. Mr Robert CHAN Ming-kui joined the civil service as an Assistant Registrar in February 1972. He transferred to the Trade Officer Grade in June 1973 and was promoted to the rank of Principal Trade Officer in July 1982. He was posted to the Administrative Service in August 1988 and promoted to his present rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade C in April 1995.
While in the Administrative Service, Mr Chan has served in the posts of Assistant Secretary in the Education and Manpower Branch (1988 - 1991); Assistant Secretary in the former Recreation and Culture Branch (1991 - 1992); and Assistant District Officer, Tai Po (1992 - 1993). He took up his current posting as District Officer, Yuen Long in September 1993.
Mr FUNG Kwok-him
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Mr FUNG Kwok-him joined the civil service as an Assistant Training Officer in August 1963 and was promoted to Principal Training Officer in July 1989. He was appointed as Staff Officer in December 1993 and was promoted to the rank of Chief Staff Officer in June 1996. He will be aged 60 when he proceeds on pre-retirement leave on 27 October 1998.
End/Tuesday, October 13, 1998
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