Taxpayers' group seeks $1m refund from Tourism Board

Local
P08 4 . 英文虎報
Timothy Chui
2008-05-06

A dozen members of a taxpayers' concern group have posted notices at the North Point headquarters of the Tourism Board demanding a refund of around HK$1 million for what they say is wasted public money.

The convener of Momentum 107, Raymond Ho Man-kit, said the group wants board chairman James Tien Pei- chun to refund HK$177,000 spent on medical insurance for the family of the board's former executive director, Clara Chong Ming-wah, and also ``the roughly HK$1 million in public money paid to Chong as salary bonuses despite her poor performance.''

The group also wants Tien to disclose his strategy on the board's spending to prevent waste of public money.

A government audit report looking into the matter last November uncovered overspending ranging from travel and entertainment expenses to salaries and benefits.

According to the report, more than HK$177,000 of public money was approved and spent from 2004 to 2006 on medical insurance premiums for Chong's family although she was only entitled to insurance policies costing HK$37,000 in her contract.

The audit report also revealed that HK$970,000 was awarded in pay rises to 11 staff whose wages exceeded market levels by 25 percent.

Tien said he expects the problem to be rectified within two years as staff who received the raises have had their salaries frozen.

It was also found that senior executives received bonuses despite missing half the required performance targets.