David Dodwell

Inside Out | Result-oriented John Lee must beware of procrastination traps

Mega projects like the Northern Metropolis eat up money and recources while taking years to be realised – hardly a recipe for delivering results

Lee should instead focus on less grand, but more practical and pressing, needs such as affordable healthcare, adequate housing and improved energy efficiency

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John Lee pictured at his former offices in Wan Chai on April 15, before being sworn in as chief executive on July 1. Photo: Jonathan Wong

David Dodwell

Published: 9:15am, 4 Jul 2022

Once upon a time, we had an environment secretary called Sarah Liao Sau-tung, who asked a consultant to help her sprawling bureau find a sense of purpose so they could “get things done”. The mission was not too different from that of new Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu to be “result-oriented”.

The consultant told Liao that one of the best things her staff could do was put stickers in large print at the top of each computer screen: “Our mission is to bring Quality to Life”. Not only must they bring the concept of quality to life, but deliver initiatives that brought quality to the lives of Hong Kong citizens.

The recommendation was ignored. Liao procrastinated. But I think Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, then chief executive, may have taken note. In his 2007-08 policy address, he unveiled plans to deliver 10 mega-infrastructure projects. There was much derision. There were protests about grandiose “white elephants”. There was alarm about the taxpayer cost and the impact on reserves.

Last week, I looked back on those projects. They provided glimpses into persistent bureaucratic procrastination but, on balance, Tsang earned a passing grade as a “result-oriented” leader.

Of the 10 projects, seven have today been delivered: the MTR’s southern extension; and (just a month ago) the Sha Tin-Central link; the link from Tuen Mun to the airport; the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail; the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge; (bits of) the West Kowloon Cultural District; and, the Kai Tak redevelopment.

Passengers at Hung Hom station on the first day of services for the Sha Tin-Central link, on May 16. Photo: Felix Wong

Two others are still loitering somewhere between the Development Bureau and other parts of our fragmented government: the Lok Ma Chau loop, and the New Territories Development Areas. These are now bundled into the planned “Northern Metropolis”, which is likely to be a high priority for Lee over the next five years. The final project – Hong Kong-Zhuhai Airport cooperation – has evaporated into the ether.