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Regarding the "Letter to Hong Kong" by Legislative Council (LegCo) member Mr Charles Mok, broadcast on Radio Television Hong Kong today (September 29), the Chief Executive's Office gave the following response:
Mr Mok stated that the Chief Executive had promised that he would establish the Technology and Communications Bureau before he took office, but despite bipartisan support for the establishment of this bureau in LegCo, the Chief Executive said in October last year that he would not carry out his campaign promise to restructure the Government Secretariat.
The allegation by Mr Mok is unfounded. In fact, before the current-term Government took office, the Chief Executive had already proposed to re-organise the Government Secretariat. The re-organisation proposal, however, was not put to vote by the previous LegCo due to the "filibustering". As a re-launch of the re-organisation proposal might result in another round of protracted meetings in LegCo, the Chief Executive had therefore decided not to re-submit the re-organisation proposal to LegCo in the near future, so that the Government could focus on other areas of work.
We have to reiterate that the Chief Executive has always wished to set up the Technology and Communications Bureau so as to map out a comprehensive and systematic policy for information and technology. However, the proposal has so far not yet been implemented owing to the possible "filibustering" in LegCo.
Ends/Sunday, September 29, 2013
Issued at HKT 13:16
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