Transcript of remarks by SLW on Social Workers Registration Board governance at media session

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, on the governance of the Social Workers Registration Board at a media session this afternoon (May 13) after attending a meeting of the Legislative Council Panel on Welfare Services:

Reporter: Secretary, are there any plans to change the composition of the Social Workers Registration Board, by increasing the ratio of appointed members? Also, how would you respond to the Board Chairperson's comments that existing mechanism has been effective enough in handling registration regarding offenders of serious offences?

Secretary for Labour and Welfare: I pointed out very clearly in the article I published earlier about my serious concerns that the Social Workers Registration Board is deviating from what it should be doing under the law and what it has been doing right now undermines public interest and also the credibility and professionalism of social workers. There is no misunderstanding. I have complete information about what is going on in the Board. Based on my clear understanding and my serious concerns about what is going on there, I have pointed out very clearly that we have to improve the governance of the Board, so that the Board will in future deal with issues concerning registration of social workers as well as disciplinary matters concerning social workers in a manner that is commensurate with the need to ensure that public interest is given priority and also the professionalism and credibility of social workers is being upheld.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)