Denise Yue

Denise Yue Chung-yee
GBS, JP
俞宗怡
Secretary for the Civil Service
In office
24 January 2006 – 30 June 2012
Preceded by Joseph Wong
Succeeded by Paul Tang
Personal details
Born 1952 (age 62–63)
Hong Kong
Alma mater Belilios Public School
University of Hong Kong
Harvard University

Denise Yue Chung-yee (Chinese: 俞宗怡; pinyin: Yú Zōngyí) 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

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.[3]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Daniel Sin (9 August 2008). "Tsang's civil unrest". South China Morning Post. p. A14.
  2. ↑ Diana Lee (5 August 2008). "Former housing chief faces legal bid to demolish his job with developer". The Standard. Retrieved 7 August 2008.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Nickkita Lau (8 August 2008). "Spat over Leung retirement job prompts review". The Standard.
  4. ↑ Secretary for the Civil Service (15 August 2008). "SCS submits report to Chief Executive on Leung Chin-man's case" (Press release). Civil Service Bureau, Hong Kong Government.
  5. ↑ Chief Executive of Hong Kong (15 August 2008). "Statement of the Chief Executive's Office" (Press release). Chief Executive's Office, Hong Kong Government.
  6. ↑ Cheung Chi-fai (16 August 2008). "Ex-housing chief shocked officials didn't consider Hung Hom deal". South China Morning Post. p. A10.
  7. ↑ "job row show glaring lack of political sense". South China Morning Post. 16 August 2008. p. A14.
  8. ↑ Ambrose Leung & Gary Cheung (16 August 2008). "Critics of ex-official's job approval focus on system, not the minister". South China Morning Post. p. A10.
Political offices
Preceded by
Chau Tak-hay		 Secretary for Commerce and Industry
1995–1998 		Succeeded by
Chau Tak-hay
Preceded by
Kwong Ki Chi		 Secretary for the Treasury
1998–2002 		Succeeded by
Frederick Ma
as Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury
Preceded by
Joseph Wong		 Secretary for the Civil Service
2006–2012 		Succeeded by
Paul Tang
Order of precedence
Preceded by
Chung Chi-yung
Recipients of the Gold Bauhinia Star		 Hong Kong order of precedence
Recipients of the Gold Bauhinia Star 		Succeeded by
Stephen Ip
Recipients of the Gold Bauhinia Star