2 yıl önce

Hong Kong official Caspar Tsui resigns over birthday party scandal

Secretary of Home Affairs Caspar Tsui had been among 15 officials who attended the party, after the government urged citizens to avoid big gatherings to control the spread of Covid-19.

AP

Tsui's resignation is a blow to the administration of Chief Executive Carrie Lam whose time in office has been marked by protests and a subsequent crackdown on dissent.

A top Hong Kong official has resigned for attending a birthday party with about 200 guests in early January as the city was battling a Covid-19 surge.

Secretary of Home Affairs Caspar Tsui said in a statement issued on Monday afternoon that "as one of the principal officials taking the lead in the anti-epidemic fight" he had "not set the best example."

“I made the wrong decision to attend a banquet on January 3 and behaved in an inappropriate manner when all efforts should have been devoted to controlling the spread of the virus,” Tsui said.

At least one guest later tested positive at the party, and Tsui was among several officials and lawmakers ordered to quarantine after the event, which was held for Witman Hung, a delegate to China’s legislature.

At the time, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam and health officials had urged the public to avoid large gatherings to prevent the spread of the virus.

“I will take responsibility for my actions, and I have therefore decided to resign from the position of Secretary for Home Affairs.”

Lam said Caspar Tsui had attended two internal meetings by the Govt on Dec 31 and Jan 3, which should have the awareness of avoiding large social gatherings, causing embarrassment to the govt.
— Alvin Lum (@alvinllum) January 31, 2022

Disciplinary investigation

Tsui’s announcement came hours ahead of a planned news conference by Lam, where she announced the results of a disciplinary investigation into officials who had attended the party.

Lam said 12 of the government officials who attended had been cleared as they had only attended the party briefly.

Two, Allen Fung, a political assistant to the secretary for development, and Vincent Fung, an official in the Policy Innovation and Co-ordination Office, would be issued verbal warnings, she said.

She expressed disappointment at the behaviour of the officials and lawmakers who attended, and ordered those in quarantine to be suspended from their duties.

Tsui "brought the Hong Kong government into disrepute" and "did not meet the expectations of the general public", Lam told a news conference.

"I accepted his resignation," she said.

All government officials involved have issued public apologies.

Hong Kong has followed China with a zero-Covid policy despite the economic costs and a rising psychological toll on many people of the tough restrictions aimed at keeping the virus at bay.

SOURCE: TRTWorld and agencies