18 October 2006

Dear Fellow Engineers

Elections of Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of LegCo’s Committees and Panels

Just for your leisure reading!

When every new Legislative session commences in October, there are elections of Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of LegCo’s House Committee, Finance Committee and its two subcommittees: the Public Works Subcommittee, the Establishment Subcommittee, and 18 panels. I have been elected unchallenged as Chairman of the Public Works Subcommittee in the past years.

Contests between political parties are very fierce in these elections. It was particularly noticeable this year following the fallout from the election of the Finance Committee. Despite the rumours which were widely (“wildly” rather!) reported in local newspapers, all 5 votes from members of the Alliance including myself, went to Chan Kam-lam in the Finance Committee Chairman election though he lost to Emily Lau in drawing lots after a tied vote.

Some political parties have taken advantage of the situation to gain more chairmanships of key LegCo panels at the expense of the Alliance. As a result, Patrick Lau of the Alliance decided to withdraw from the Planning, Lands and Works Panel Chairman election, despite an earlier agreement reached with other parties. Lau Wong-fat of the Liberal Party was therefore re-elected as Chairman of the Panel. I myself was elected, uncontested again, as Chairman of the Public Works Subcommittee.

Ir Dr the Hon Raymond HO Chung-tai