Patrick Nip Rejects Concerns About His New Role

The new Secretary for the Civil Service, Patrick Nip, has rejected criticism over his appointment, saying he believes his experience as a politically-appointed official can help him in his new job.

"I can say, maybe my experience gained from working as a politically-appointed official in the past three years ... it can help me understand how politically-appointed officials can work better with the civil servants,” Nip told the media as he arrived at Legco to attend a budget debate on Thursday.

Nip, who was the constitutional and mainland affairs minister, was moved to the Civil Servants Bureau (CSB) – which oversees 180,000 civil servants in the city – as Chief Executive Carrie Lam carried out a cabinet reshuffle.

He is the first person from outside the Civil Service to be appointed chief of the bureau since the accountability system was established in 2002.

Asked about concerns expressed by some civil servants that his appointment may have breached rules and regulations, Nip said "whatever documents that need to be amended....we will see”.

"I think people would agree that I have been in the civil servants' system for a long time, and I believe I have thorough understanding to the operation and system of the civil servants," Nip said.

He then went on to recount how he had joined the government after graduating from university, worked in 15 different positions, in various departments including the CSB.

"Even though in the past 3 years I was a politically-appointed secretary, I have been working closely with the civil servants,” he said.