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Chan leaves government
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CHIEF Secretary for Administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Anson Chan Fang On-sang flashed her trademark dimpled smile before her chauffeur-driven BMW sped her away from government offices for the last time on Saturday.
Chan spent her last day as head of Hong Kong's 190,000-strong civil service attending meetings and saying farewell to colleagues.
Her position will be assumed by current Financial Secretary Donald Tsang on Wednesday.
Chan told reporters that life without the civil service would be hard after so many years and she would miss her colleagues.
"From next week, I won't have to come to these office any more," she said with a beaming smile before giving thanks to Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa and her family.
Speaking earlier on RTHK radio, Chan, nicknamed the "Iron Lady", was typically forthright in her views that Hong Kong would need to do more to remain competitive.
"We must foster a sense of belonging, both to the SAR and to the nation. We must preserve and enhance our autonomy," she said adding that Hong Kong must continue to emphasise its differences from other cities in the region in order to maintain its competitive edge.
Chan also stressed the success of the "one country, two systems" principle after the handover in 1997.
At a farewell dinner on Friday hosted by Tung, the Chief Executive told Chan he "cherished the dedication and support you have given me".
Despite experiencing some "tempestuous and difficult times" he said, "with your bright dimpled smile, wise counsel and advice, Anson, we have pulled through, and Hong Kong is now set firmly on course to recovery."
After starting as a cadet in 1962, Chan was appointed civil service head in 1993.
She was the first ethnic Chinese to hold the post after 150 years of British rule.
Chan, who was born in Shanghai in 1940, comes from a wealthy family of former refugees.
She revealed her immediate plans were to go on holiday to Europe with her husband Archie, adding she also hoped to visit Taiwan in a private capacity.(SD-Agencies)
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