The Hong Kong government has selected a new chief for the Social Workers Registration Board, two days after the opposition-free legislature passed a bill that gave government appointees a majority in the licensing body.
Chief Executive John Lee on Friday appointed solicitor Herman Hui as the new chairperson of the board that is tasked with issuing qualifications for the city’s social workers. He and other newly appointed members will serve on the board for three years from Friday.
Hui is the vice-chairperson of the Hong Kong Social Service Professional Alliance of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area Limited. The lawyer, who previously sat on the social workers’ board from 2019 to 2022, has also worked in several government boards and committees, including the Child Fatality Review Panel and the Independent Police Complaints Council.
He was awarded the Gold Bauhinia Star award in 2022 for his community service, particularly on the enhancement of child protection and child welfare services. He was said to have been dedicated to promoting the development of rehabilitation services for the disabled, volunteerism, and professionalism of social work in the city.
The appointment came two days after amendments to the Social Worker Registration Ordinance were passed, a move which Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun said would “protect the public interest and safeguard national security.”
Under revamped legislation, individuals who have been convicted of national security offences are barred from becoming social workers. Members of the licensing body are also required to take an oath to affirm that they would uphold the Basic Law and bear allegiance to Hong Kong.
The board was expanded while its composition was changed. The influence of members elected by their peers was reduced, with government-appointed members now making up 60 per cent of the licensing body, compared to 40 per cent in the past.
Seven of eight elected board members had quit before the revamp. The only remaining elected member was Oscar Lai, who was the vice-chair of pro-democracy group Demosisto. The group led by prominent activists Joshua Wong, Nathan Law and Agnes Chow was disbanded after the Beijing-enacted national security law took effect in June 2020.
The oath-taking ceremony took place at the government headquarters on Friday morning. Lai told local media outside the venue that he believed that Hui was capable of taking up the role as the chairman, adding he hoped that the new chief could lead the board “out of predicament.”
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