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A senior official overseeing the redevelopment of Queen Mary Hospital has stepped down following widespread lift malfunctions at the newly completed block, prompting questions over government accountability and transparency before an official inquiry concludes.
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The Development Bureau had earlier announced a comprehensive review into the supervision and inspection mechanisms of both the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department and the Architectural Services Department, with findings expected to be submitted to the Legislative Council in October.
However, reports have emerged suggesting internal management fallout within the Architectural Services Department ahead of the report’s publication.
Departure of key project manager sparks speculation
The controversy centers on the hospital’s new building, which was commissioned in phases late last year. Multiple lifts subsequently failed to operate normally, with reports alleging structural defects, including skewed lift shafts.
Sources revealed that the department had initiated an internal investigation prior to media coverage. Shortly afterwards, Tuesday Li Pak-yee, the chief project manager responsible for liaising with contractors and overseeing on-site execution, abruptly tendered her resignation. In standard government construction procedures, project managers of her rank are typically responsible for issuing and signing completion certificates.
Reports further indicated that she was pressured to step down, with department leadership allegedly considering her responsible for potential administrative mismanagement surrounding the project’s delays and technical flaws. According to the latest government directory records, her name has been removed, and her duties have been temporarily assumed by her superior, project director Ben Yeung King-on.
Department refutes forced exit claims
The Architectural Services Department dismissed reports of a forced departure as inaccurate, stating that the official had resigned purely for personal reasons. According to the department, she submitted her application three months in advance in line with standard civil service protocol and formally left the civil service in mid-August.
The department added that appropriate staffing arrangements have been implemented to handle ongoing responsibilities. It stressed that it would cooperate fully with the Development Bureau's investigation, emphasizing that accountability measures would be pursued against relevant companies and individuals based on the final review findings, regardless of whether the persons involved have left their positions. It also declined to comment further on specific allegations to prevent speculative conclusions.
Lawmaker criticizes lack of transparency and piecemeal disclosures
Lawmaker Chan Hoi-yan raised sharp concerns over the timing of the personnel change, noting that the manager's departure occurred before the issue was exposed in the media. She argued this indicated that authorities were already aware of the problems earlier, questioning why the public was not informed promptly.
While acknowledging that potential legal implications might cause authorities to exercise caution, Chan contended that basic facts—such as when the faults were discovered and what remedial measures were taken—ought to have been communicated openly rather than through a slow, piecemeal release of information. She criticized the decision to withhold full details until October under the guise of an ongoing inquiry, warning that the prolonged silence only generates more public skepticism.
Chan also maintained that the Hospital Authority shares responsibility as the end user. She pointed out that hospital officials could not have been entirely unaware of the underlying reasons behind project setbacks. Citing past meeting records, she reiterated that the Hospital Authority carries out on-site inspections after the completion of works to check for quality breaches, remarking that pleading ignorance would reflect even worse on its oversight.
