Annual operating costs for offices of ex-Hong Kong leaders reach HK$21 million, with Carrie Lam’s workplace accounting for 44%
Lawmaker Dominic Lee Tsz-king from the New People’s Party said Lam mainly attended events out of courtesy and questioned if the grade A office space was necessary. He suggested moving her office to government property or other commercial areas, such as Kai Tak.
“The city’s economy is bad and the government is facing a deficit. The former leader should go through this difficult time together,” he said.
“Even multinational corporations are moving their offices to places with lower rent. Why does a former chief executive need to rent such space?”
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After Lam completed her five-year term in 2022, the government rented a 2,874 sq ft office for her in the Admiralty shopping centre and office tower complex as the Office of Former Chief Executives on Kennedy Road in Mid-Levels had run out of space after accommodating three other former leaders.
Currently, Tung Chee-hwa, Donald Tsang Yam-kuen and Leung Chun-ying use the government-owned office, a Grade I historic building constructed in the early 1900s.
In a reply to lawmakers’ questions on the latest government budget, the director said Lam’s office spent HK$6.95 million in the 2022-23 financial year, with more than 60 per cent of that for paying rent.
It also spent HK$6.55 million on renovations that year, prompting some lawmakers to question the huge sum involved.
Overall expenses for running all four ex-leaders’ offices cost HK$17.85 million in the 2022-23 financial year.
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The Administration Wing in 2022 said Admiralty was a suitable location as it had to meet the status of the former chief executive and operational requirements.
It added the monthly rent was “reasonable” and the fitting-out works were done in accordance with the city leader’s status and police’s instruction on security.
The director expected to spend HK$22.07 million on running all the former chief executives’ offices in the current financial year, a 5.1 per cent year-on-year increase.
“[It is] representing a slight increase of HK$1.08 million over the revised estimate for 2023-24, which is mainly due to the increase in staff remuneration and other daily operating expenses,” the director said.