Denise Yue Explained

Denise Yue Chung-yee
Native Name Lang:zh-hk
Honorific-Suffix:GBS, JP
Office:Secretary for the Civil Service
Term Start:24 January 2006
Term End:30 June 2012
Predecessor:Joseph Wong
Successor:Paul Tang
Office1:Secretary for the Treasury
Term Start1:9 April 1998
Term End1:30 June 2002
Predecessor1:Kwong Ki-chi
Successor1:Position abolished
Birth Place:Hong Kong
Alma Mater:Belilios Public School
University of Hong Kong (BA in History)
Harvard University
Signature:Signature_of_Denise_Yue.gif
T:俞宗怡
J:Jyu4 Zung1 ji4
Y:Yùh Jūng yìh
P:Yú Zōngyí

Denise Yue Chung-yee GBS JP (born 1952) was a Hong Kong politician and Secretary for the Civil Service.

Yue graduated from the University of Hong Kong in 1974 and she attended Harvard University in 1988 obtaining an MPA during her civil service career. She joined the civil service in 1974 and has served in a number of senior positions, including:

She later took up the post of Secretary for the Civil Service since January 2006.

Leung Chin-man controversy

See main article: Leung Chin-man appointment controversy. In August 2008, Yue was subject of controversy when the former Permanent Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands, Leung Chin-man was named deputy managing director and executive director of New World China Land.[1] Yue signed off on the approval for Leung to take up the job after it passed through the Advisory committee on post-service employment of civil servants, responsible for vetting the application.[2]

After public outcry amidst widespread suspicion of conflict of interest,[1] Chief Executive Donald Tsang called the Secretary to account.[3] On 15 August, the Civil Service Bureau issued the report requested by Tsang, where they admitted that they had not considered Leung's role in the Hung Hom Peninsula affair when approving his appointment.[4] Sir Donald Tsang asked the SCS to reassess the approval.[5]

New World announced in the early hours of 16 August that Leung had resigned from his post, and would not be seeking compensation from the government for its "inappropriate handling".[6]

A SCMP editorial criticised the "glaring lack of political sense of some of our senior officials."[7] Commentators noted with surprise that there were no demands for Yue's resignation.

A political scientist suggested that parties feared that such calls would alienate civil servants in the forthcoming LegCo elections.[8] Donald Tsang confirmed that he was satisfied with Yue's apology and with the explanations offered by her, and would not be seeking her resignation.[9]

Notes and References

  1. News: Tsang's civil unrest. Daniel Sin. A14. South China Morning Post. 9 August 2008.
  2. News: Former housing chief faces legal bid to demolish his job with developer. Diana Lee. The Standard. 5 August 2008. 7 August 2008. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20081211062928/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=69649&sid=20042344&con_type=1&d_str=20080805&sear_year=2008. 11 December 2008.
  3. News: Spat over Leung retirement job prompts review. Nickkita Lau. The Standard. 8 August 2008. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110522080059/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=69891&sid=20093210&con_type=1&d_str=20080808&sear_year=2008. 22 May 2011.
  4. SCS submits report to Chief Executive on Leung Chin-man's case. Secretary for the Civil Service. Civil Service Bureau, Hong Kong Government. 15 August 2008.
  5. Statement of the Chief Executive's Office. Chief Executive of Hong Kong. Chief Executive's Office, Hong Kong Government. 15 August 2008.
  6. News: Ex-housing chief shocked officials didn't consider Hung Hom deal. Cheung Chi-fai. A10. South China Morning Post. 16 August 2008.
  7. News: job row show glaring lack of political sense. A14. South China Morning Post. 16 August 2008.
  8. News: Critics of ex-official's job approval focus on system, not the minister. Ambrose Leung & Gary Cheung. A10. South China Morning Post. 16 August 2008.
  9. News: Tsang orders sweeping review after job storm. Eva Wu. A6. South China Morning Post. 17 August 2008.