SCS commends outstanding civil servants (with photos)

     The Secretary for the Civil Service (SCS), Mrs Ingrid Yeung, presented the SCS's Commendation Award to civil servants from different bureaux and departments with outstanding performances at the Central Government Offices today (November 28). The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, also attended the ceremony to extend his congratulations to the award recipients.
 
     One hundred civil servants were awarded under the SCS's Commendation Award Scheme 2023. They came from 38 bureaux and departments, involving 50 grades including professional and technical grades, disciplined services, general grades as well as Model Scale 1 grades.
 
     Addressing the ceremony, Mrs Yeung said that the awardees had demonstrated dedication in their respective posts and areas of service, and that their perseverance in providing quality public services and pursuit of excellence were highly commendable.
 
     Mrs Yeung pointed out that the civil service is the backbone of the Government's governing team and the key to governance. The Chief Executive's 2023 Policy Address mentioned a number of initiatives to strengthen the civil service management system, including advancing the performance-based management system and giving due recognition to civil servants with outstanding performances and dedication to serving the community. In addition, the Government will continue to enhance training for all civil servants to enhance their patriotism and sense of national security. It will also introduce the Civil Service Staff Exchange Programme with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) such that Hong Kong civil servants will have opportunities to station temporarily on the Mainland to have a deeper understanding of the development of the GBA. She encouraged all civil servants to continue to uphold the spirit of providing quality service, to stay people oriented, to go an extra mile and strive for excellence in their work, and to showcase more good stories of civil servants to the public.
 
     With 12 days to go before the District Council Election, and civil service awardees attending today's ceremony with their family members, Mrs Yeung took the opportunity to appeal to civil servants to cast their votes with their friends and families on the polling day to discharge their civic responsibility with a view to building a better community together.
 
     Senior Airworthiness Officer (Certification) of the Civil Aviation Department Mr Henry Leung, who was commended today, serves at the Airworthiness Office of the Flight Standards and Airworthiness Division. He is responsible for upholding the airworthiness requirements for aircraft entering Hong Kong registration and granting approval of aircraft modifications and repairs. He participated in type certification work of the C919 large passenger aircraft, independently developed by the country, and exchanged views with experts from the Civil Aviation Administration of China and the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China to strengthen mutual ties.

     Another awardee is Chief Customs Officer Mr Tjong Yu-pau. He is currently a Discipline Officer in the Rail and Ferry Command. He has rich frontline experience and has been assigned to various posts to perform passenger and cargo inspections at different boundary control points. He has been performing his duties diligently and giving full play to his strengths in every post. He also contributes to the community by providing voluntary music teaching at a community family centre in his spare time.
 
     An awardee, Land Surveyor of the Lands Department Mr Ho Chi-ho, changed his job from a contract project manager to a land surveyor seven years ago. He works in the Common Spatial Data Infrastructure Platform Section and had been actively promoting the development and application of common spatial data infrastructure in Hong Kong with his team. He established an efficient and reliable platform to collect different types of spatial data and standardise the specifications for ease of use, and to also assist Hong Kong to develop into a smart city.
 
     The SCS's Commendation Award Scheme was introduced in 2004 to commend colleagues who have achieved outstanding performances continuously for five years or above by the SCS on behalf of the Government. The Scheme has a meticulous selection process which requires nominations from Permanent Secretaries, departmental heads or heads of grades, adjudication by a selection committee and the final decision on the awardees' list by the SCS.
 
     To enhance public understanding of the work of award-winning civil servants and their dedication to serving the community, the Civil Service Bureau and Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) have jointly produced a 10-episode television series of five minutes each entitled "United to serve the community – Good stories of civil servants", for broadcast on RTHK TV31 from mid-December. In each episode, an outstanding civil servant who received the commendation award will be featured to showcase the "good stories of civil servants" and demonstrate the spirit of civil servants' courageousness, perseverance in overcoming challenges, commitment and dedication to serving the community through their introductions of their work, and to attract more outstanding talent to join the Government.