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Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung, after attending the Panel on Economic Development of the Legislative Council today (May 27):
Reporter: Professor Cheung, many lawmakers are still not confident that the internal investigation, even if it is conducted by the bureau, will be independent and professional. How do you respond to that?
Secretary for Transport and Housing: I take it that the spirit behind the motion passed by the Economic Development Panel is that the investigation should be independent and professional, or have professional input. So in terms of independence, the arrangement now is for people outside the Marine Department to conduct the investigation. My intention is to ask the Permanent Secretary in my bureau, who is responsible for transport matters, to take up the investigation. Of course we will exercise due diligence to ensure that in his past career history, he has nothing to do with the subject of investigation. We have to ask civil servant to do it or a team of civil servants to do it because we have to respect the established civil service procedures in relation to any investigation in the aftermath of an independent commissioner inquiry report. This is what the Government has always done in previous cases. As to how to incorporate professional input, this is something that we would pursue further with the Civil Service Bureau.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Monday, May 27, 2013
Issued at HKT 13:10
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