Ways we can make executive-led government work more effectively

We are often reminded that one of the basic tenets of the Hong Kong system is that it is “executive led”. This is indeed signaled in the title “chief executive” for the person chosen to steer the special administrative region. Hong Kong’s democratic development is currently stalled but if the process is restarted then changes might be expected. In the meantime, we need to continue to rely on the arrangements laid down where responsibility for the smooth running of Hong Kong largely rests with the chief executive, her political ministers and the civil service. Hong Kong people are patient and pragmatic people and will be largely content so long as things are working well. That qualification is important; The SAR is renowned for efficiency produced by a diligent and dedicated workforce and they expect to see the same from their government.

At the very top of the government there is certainly no leadership deficit. We can see that Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has a comprehensive vision that she is not afraid to articulate and to drive forward. However, even the most energetic and determined leader cannot be a one-woman band. If the government is to function well we need more than one leader. We need people in senior and middle management positions who are equally willing, within their own spheres, to take bold decisions and follow them through. It is at these levels that we may find some areas where improvement is required.

We are fortunate to have a variety of institutions that monitor government performance and help to ensure accountability. One of the best established of these is the Office of the Ombudsman, whose well-researched reports pull no punches. Last December, one of those reports focused on elderly residential institutions. There are many issues in elderly care which require attention but this time it was the failure to take enforcement action against inadequate care homes. The dire consequences of such failure hardly need to be spelled out. A family that takes the difficult decision to place elderly loved ones into residential care hope that it will indeed be truly a “home” with kind treatment the norm. The elderly can be frail and unable to speak up for themselves and if they are neglected or not looked after properly even premature death may result. The ombudsman’s excoriating report aroused much discussion and knowledgeable people claimed that one reason for the failure was the fear of the officials concerned that if they closed down unsatisfactory homes they would not know how to house the displaced residents. If true, this is most regrettable as it indicates an unwillingness to tackle tough problems, however compelling the social reasons to do so.

Sadly, this is not the only subject area in which experts in the field believe braver leadership from the government is required to protect the vulnerable. Some three months before the publication of that ombudsman’s report on elderly care, the University of Hong Kong hosted a conference on “Safeguarding Children’s Best Interests: Translating Policies into Local Practices — Combating Violence Against Children”. One knowledgeable speaker after another expressed their concern that in Hong Kong far too many children are not removed from violent or neglectful parents. Some of this seems to be due to timorousness, an unwillingness to use existing laws and confront threatening situations but some is due to lack of appropriate legislation, which in turn should be brought forward by government officials.

These are serious matters, so serious that inaction may result in death or serious harm. There are also, though, many other areas where the need to take action may not seem so critical but where lethargy eventually leads to social harm and discontent. For example, it has been known for a long time that employment levels for women, especially mothers, are not as high as they could be. Surveys and studies point to the need for better childcare provision to be more attuned to parents’ real needs, and yet progress seems cosmetic rather than genuine. Many of us are convinced by the arguments of scientists and environmentalists that we should be much more active in tackling pollution, climate change, decreasing biodiversity and increasing waste that is not properly disposed of. The Environmental Protection Department’s expert staff undoubtedly make good efforts but, as a whole, the community does not have the sense of a crusade in which we should all be playing a part.

What we see, over and over again, is too weak a sense of leadership at government’s operational levels. To be criticized is always painful but the truly mature will use it as a spur for reflection and improvement. Leadership, at any level, demands confidence born of competence. For its small size, Hong Kong has an admirable number of top ranking tertiary institutions and so we could expect a pool of well-qualified graduates. On top of that, though, there should be other things: emotional resilience, readiness to take risks and the courage to go all out for the right answers, rather than the easiest or least inconvenient ones. The two past Policy Addresses have included an important initiative to set up a civil service college. Let us hope that those who devise the curricula will give due consideration to nurturing these intangible qualities which can contribute so much to achieving good governance.

If the government is to function well we need more than one leader. We need people in senior and middle management positions who are equally willing, within their own spheres, to take bold decisions and follow them through.