Decentralization in Public Administration: Hong Kong's Experience

This paper aims at discussing the practice of decentralization in public adminis tration in Hong Kong. The operationalization of decentralization in the public sector will be analyzed in the light of the political context in Hong Kong. As Hong Kong is undergoing political transition from a British colony to a Special Administrative Region under sovereignty of Communist China in 1997, decentralization of the public sector is not only a pure administrative matter, but a political issue as well. Decentralization in Hong Kong's public sector has attained some fruits of success, as indicated by the efficient use of trading funds, the effective operation of Non-Departmental Public Bodies, and the minimization of cost of services. Hence, the efficiency and effectiveness brought about by decentralization in the public sector in Hong Kong is certainly positive. Yet decentralization brings about wider political implications for the smooth transition in Hong Kong before and after 1997. It leads to the concerns of the decreasing commitment of the government at the end of the colonial adminis tration, social injustice and disorder, as well as declining morale and stability of the civil service. Thus decentralization of the public sector in Hong Kong should take a cautious approach without neglecting the political implications. In the final analysis, a simplistic approach towards decentralization in the light of administrative efficiency and effectiveness could result in a failure, or even a disaster in the case of Hong Kong.