29 Sept 2025集誌社#7364
Waste charging | Tse Chin-wan: “Continue suspension, not shelving”; “understanding public sentiment is also part of management” amid accountability question
環境及生態局上周二（23日）樺加沙襲港期間，向立法會提交文件，交代「繼續暫緩」垃圾收費。當局今（29日）到立法會就施政報告作簡報，會上多名發言議員讚局方「順應民意」暫緩政策，局長謝展寰強調是「繼續暫緩，唔係擱置、唔係取消」，又指垃圾收費是減廢回收的備用工具，政府 2035 年零廢堆填決心「絕不改變」。
會上有議員問及有否部門首長需問責，謝展寰則指當局循多方面「做咗好多功夫達到目標」，已盡力體現以結果為目標、有效管理的精神，而掌握民情亦是管理一部分，體現局方和署方「盡力履行責任」。
The Environment and Ecology Bureau submitted a document to the Legislative Council last Tuesday (the 23rd), during Typhoon Ragasa’s impact on Hong Kong, explaining the decision to “continue suspending” waste charging. The authorities briefed the Legislative Council today (the 29th) on the Policy Address. Several legislators praised the bureau for “responding to public sentiment” by suspending the policy. Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan stressed that it was a “continued suspension, not shelving and not cancellation”, adding that waste charging was a contingency tool for waste reduction and recycling, and that the Government’s determination to achieve zero waste to landfill by 2035 “will absolutely not change”.
A legislator asked whether any heads of departments would be held accountable. Tse said the authorities had “done a lot of work in various areas to achieve the goal” and had done their utmost to demonstrate a results-oriented and effective management approach. He added that understanding public sentiment was also part of management, demonstrating that the bureau and department had “done their utmost to fulfil their responsibilities”.
29 Sept 2025Yahoo#7366
Civil Service Accountability | Ingrid Yeung Says “Doing Nothing Means Making No Mistakes” Culture Does Not Exist, Admits Current Appraisals Are Too Lenient: Merely Passing Should Not Earn a Pay Increment
立法會今日（29 日）舉行舉行會議討論《施政報告》提出的「部門首長制任制」及公務員評核制度改革。多名議員關注公務員個案調查時間過長、退休後追究責任機制，以及「自動跳 point」增薪點制度過於寬鬆等問題。公務員事務局局長楊何蓓茵強調，新制度可加快調查進度並落實層層問責，同時承認現行評核過於寬鬆，僅僅合格的員工不應獲增薪點。
The Legislative Council held a meeting today (29th) to discuss the “department heads’ accountability system” and civil service appraisal reforms proposed in the Policy Address. Several legislators raised concerns about the lengthy investigations into individual civil service cases, mechanisms for pursuing accountability after retirement, and the overly lenient “automatic pay-point progression” system. Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung Ho said the new system could speed up investigations and implement accountability at every level, while acknowledging that current appraisals are too lenient and that employees who merely pass should not receive a pay increment.
26 Sept 2025明報#7359
China recognises Julie Eadeh as US Consul General in Hong Kong
曾任美國駐港澳總領事館政治部主管的伊珠麗（Julie Eadeh）接替梅儒瑞出任新任駐港澳總領事，早前已抵港履新。特區政府今日（26日）刊憲公布，中國承認伊珠麗為美國駐港總領事。
Julie Eadeh, formerly head of the political section at the US Consulate General in Hong Kong and Macau, has succeeded Hanscom Smith as the new Consul General in Hong Kong and Macau and arrived in Hong Kong earlier to take up her post. The HKSAR Government announced in the Gazette today (26th) that China recognises Julie Eadeh as the US Consul General in Hong Kong.
26 Sept 2025明報#7360
Voter Register Falls for Fourth Consecutive Year, with 330,000 Fewer Than in Previous LegCo Election; Only Those Aged 66 and Above Increase
立法會12月7日將舉行換屆選舉。選舉事務處昨公布正式選民登記冊，今年地方選區選民約413.8萬人，較去年正式選民登記冊少約7萬人，連續第四年下跌，對比上屆2021年立法會選舉則減少逾33萬人。相較2021年立法會選舉及2023年區議會選舉，年輕選民均大幅萎縮，其中18至20歲選民分別大跌約87%及54%；各年齡層只有66至70歲及71歲或以上有增長。有直選議員認為難藉此估計年底投票率。
今年是選舉年，地方選區選民人數較「完善選舉制度」後的2021年立法會選舉減少33.4萬，亦比前年區選少19.4萬。按年齡層計，35歲或以下的各個群組選民人數按年齡遞減，其中18至20歲僅12,125人。
The Legislative Council election will be held on 7 December. The Registration and Electoral Office yesterday published the final register of electors. This year, there are about 4.138 million electors in the geographical constituencies, approximately 70,000 fewer than in last year’s final register, marking a decline for the fourth consecutive year. Compared with the 2021 Legislative Council election, the number has fallen by more than 330,000. Compared with the 2021 Legislative Council election and the 2023 District Council election, the number of young electors has contracted sharply. The number of electors aged 18 to 20 fell by about 87% and 54%, respectively. The only age groups to record increases were those aged 66 to 70 and those aged 71 or above. A directly elected legislator said it was difficult to use the figures to estimate the turnout at the end of the year.
This election year, the number of electors in the geographical constituencies is 334,000 lower than at the 2021 Legislative Council election held after the implementation of the “improved electoral system”, and 194,000 lower than at the District Council election two years ago. By age group, the number of electors in each group aged 35 or below declines as the age decreases; there are only 12,125 electors aged 18 to 20.
26 Sept 2025Yahoo#7361
Typhoon Ragasa | Two South Asian women arrested on suspicion of child neglect after taking children wave-watching at South Horizons
超強颱風樺加沙襲港期間，當局多番勸諭，仍有人到岸邊觀浪，保安局局長鄧炳強今早（25日）在電台訪問表示，會研究家長帶同子女觀浪，是否構成疏忽照顧兒童。警方同日下午拘捕兩名女子，她們被指帶小童到海怡半島觀浪，涉嫌疏忽照顧兒童。
During Super Typhoon Ragasa's approach to Hong Kong, authorities repeatedly urged people to stay away from the shore, but some still went wave-watching. Secretary for Security Chris Tang said in a radio interview this morning (25th) that the authorities would study whether parents taking their children wave-watching constituted child neglect. Police arrested two women that afternoon after they were alleged to have taken children to wave-watch at South Horizons, on suspicion of child neglect.
25 Sept 2025商台#7352
Labour Department to Use Small Drones for Occupational Safety Inspections and Enforcement from Next Month
勞工處下月起會使用小型無人機，協助進行職業安全的巡查及執法，並會展開小型無人機特別巡查行動，打擊不安全作業。
無人機會配備高倍率變焦高清攝錄鏡頭。
The Labour Department will use small drones from next month to assist with occupational safety inspections and enforcement, and will launch a special small-drone inspection operation to combat unsafe work practices. The drones will be equipped with high-magnification zoom high-definition video cameras.
23 Sept 2025集誌社#7350
Waste charging | Government says suspension will remain as Hong Kong faces challenges from trade war and complex geopolitics
原定去年 4 月實施的垃圾徵費，歷兩度押後、再被暫緩，環境及生態局未有遵原定承諾，在今年 7 月底向立法會匯報評估進度，剛發表的《施政報告》亦未有著墨政策。垃圾徵費命運正式塵埃落定，環境及生態局今（23日）向立法會提交文件，指市民和業界著遍不支持實施，香港因「全球貿易戰」和「地緣政治局勢日趨複雜」面臨重大挑戰，政府要「因時制宜」制訂減廢回收政策，宣布現屆政府「維持暫緩實施」垃圾收費。
The waste charging scheme, originally scheduled to be implemented in April last year, was postponed twice and then suspended. The Environment and Ecology Bureau did not report to the Legislative Council on the assessment progress by the end of July as originally promised, while the recently released Policy Address also made no mention of the policy. The scheme’s fate has now been formally settled. In a paper submitted to the Legislative Council today (23rd), the bureau said that the public and industries broadly did not support its implementation. Citing the major challenges Hong Kong faces from the “global trade war” and an “increasingly complex geopolitical situation”, the Government said it would formulate waste-reduction and recycling policies “according to circumstances” and announced that the current-term Government would “maintain the suspension” of waste charging.
22 Sept 2025Yahoo#7345
Typhoon Ragasa | Will Shenzhen give timely notice of flood discharge? Drainage Services Department: WeChat group established for smoother operations
超強颱風樺加沙正逐步迫近廣東沿岸，外界關注內地會否再次排洪，及提早通知香港。渠務署署長莫永昌指，香港與深圳已有開會溝通，並已建立 WeChat 群組，若深圳打算排洪，會在群組通知香港代表，相信運作會比之前更暢順。
莫永昌稱，目前深圳水位仍處於低防限度水位，運行平穩，並沒有排洪計劃。他強調，一旦深圳決定排洪，會及時向香港通報，以便港方提前做好防禦措施，提醒市民避免途經相關地點，並盡快採取保護行動。
Super Typhoon Ragasa is gradually approaching the Guangdong coast, prompting concern over whether the mainland will discharge floodwater again and notify Hong Kong in advance. Director of Drainage Services Mok Wing-cheong said Hong Kong and Shenzhen had held meetings and communicated, and had established a WeChat group. If Shenzhen plans to discharge floodwater, it will notify Hong Kong representatives in the group. He believes operations will be smoother than before.
Mok said Shenzhen’s water level was currently still at the low flood-control limit, operations were stable, and there was no plan to discharge floodwater. He stressed that once Shenzhen decides to do so, it will notify Hong Kong in a timely manner, enabling the Hong Kong authorities to prepare defensive measures in advance, remind members of the public to avoid passing through the relevant locations, and take protective action as soon as possible.
20 Sept 2025明報#7341
Director of Government Logistics Chan Ka-shun begins pre-retirement leave; procurement director also retires; John Lee: management system remains applicable before departure; Audit: “counterfeit water” probe largely complete
捲入政府採購「冒牌水」樽裝飲用水風波的物流署長陳嘉信昨起停任署長，開始退休前休假；本報同時發現，另一捲入事件的物流署採購科總監曾昭奇亦會退休，繼任人選最少本周初已上任。特首李家超昨回應陳嘉信展開休假時重申，仍在調查事件及責任，公務員正式離任前，管理制度仍適用。
Director of Government Logistics Chan Ka-shun, who was embroiled in the government procurement scandal involving “counterfeit” bottled drinking water, ceased serving as director yesterday and began pre-retirement leave. This newspaper also found that Tsang Chiu-kei, director of the Government Logistics Department’s Procurement Division, who was also implicated in the incident, will retire, and that a successor had taken up the post by at least the beginning of this week. Chief Executive John Lee, responding yesterday to Chan Ka-shun’s commencement of leave, reiterated that the incident and responsibility were still under investigation, and that the management system remained applicable until a civil servant formally leaves office.
20 Sept 2025HK01#7343
Second-level probe under department heads’ accountability system excludes police, says Ingrid Yeung; no answer on penalties for retired officials
新一份《施政報告》提出增設「部門首長責任制」，以處理各級公務員的「行政問責」，機制設有兩級調查機制。公務員事務局局長楊何蓓茵出席政策記者會時表示，現行《公務員敍用委員會條例》不涵蓋警隊，所以調查嚴重問題的「第二級別」將不涵蓋警隊，至於第一級別則仍然適用。
被問到如調查過程中涉及退休官員，是否仍會作扣薪等懲處，楊何蓓茵未有正面回應，僅稱若政府出現日積月累的問題，調查或牽涉剛退休的公務員，強調訂立公務員評核機制，是希望各部門做好份內工作，有問題要盡快解決，「唔會將問題積咗好多年之後顯然出嚟先發生」。
The latest Policy Address proposed introducing a “heads of departments accountability system” to address the “administrative accountability” of civil servants at various levels, with a two-tier investigation mechanism. Speaking at a policy press conference, Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung Ho said the existing Public Service Commission Ordinance does not cover the police force. As a result, the “second level” for investigating serious issues would not cover the police force, while the first level would still apply.
Asked whether penalties such as salary reductions would still be imposed if an investigation involved retired officials, Yeung did not directly respond. She said that if problems accumulated in the government over time, an investigation might involve civil servants who had only recently retired. She stressed that the purpose of establishing a civil service assessment mechanism was to ensure departments properly carried out their duties and resolved problems as soon as possible, rather than allowing problems to accumulate for many years before becoming apparent.
Translations are supplied by the source workbook. Consult the original reporting for context.
