Hong Kong Chief Secretary for Administration Donald Tsang on Wednesday stressed the need for all government officials to stick to the principle of accountability, which he described as a cornerstone of the administration.
Speaking in the Legislative Council, Tsang said all the officials should give an account of his actions and be responsible for their consequences.
"Our words, our deeds, our actions are rightly under close scrutiny by the public and the media. Those of us in public office cannot walk away from our mistakes or blunders without a thorough account of what led to, or caused, the mistake," he said.
"It has shown us that the values I mentioned earlier are tremendously important to the people of Hong Kong," Tsang added.
"Those of us in positions of trust must not only cherish and hold those values, but defend them vigorously. Not just during a debate such as this, but every day in every decision and every action we take, and during every breath we draw," said Tsang.
He said all principal officials must strive to build and nurture public trust, especially when varied challenges encounter the government and the community.
"This is the time for solidarity, and we must move on," Tsang said.
(Xinhua News Agency May 8, 2003)
