Chief Executive John Lee today presented award certificates to two civil service teams under the Chief Executive's Award for Exemplary Performance scheme.

The recipients are the Inter-departmental Team for Wartime Bomb Disposal with Emergency Relief and Support Services (Bomb Disposal Team), and the Inter-departmental Team for Light Public Housing (LPH).

Addressing the presentation ceremony, Mr Lee praised the teams for fulfilling their duties with exceptional competence and winning public trust through tangible results. He added that they demonstrate the Government's “people-oriented” approach and responsible and results-driven governance philosophy, setting an example for the entire civil service.

The Bomb Disposal Team was recognised for its swift response in September 2025, when a 1,000-pound wartime bomb was discovered at a Quarry Bay construction site. The operation was further complicated by the approach of Super Typhoon Ragasa.

The Security Bureau, the Hong Kong Police Force, the Fire Services Department and the Home Affairs Department immediately activated an emergency mechanism. Their co-ordinated efforts ensured the orderly evacuation of nearly 2,900 residents across 18 buildings and the safe defusal of the bomb.

Senior Bomb Disposal Officer (Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau) Suryanto Chin-chiu thanked the Chief Executive for the recognition. He noted that the crisis was handled safely because every department demonstrated a high level of professionalism and the solidarity of “One Government”.

The LPH Team, led by the Housing Bureau in collaboration with the Architectural Services Department, achieved remarkable results in a short period to break Hong Kong construction records.

The Yau Pok Road project in Yuen Long was completed in approximately 12 months. Meanwhile, the foundation and 18-floor superstructure at Choi Hing Road in Ngau Tau Kok were completed in less than 18 months. As a result, the Composite Waiting Time for Subsidised Rental Housing dropped from 6.1 years to 4.8 years.

Then-Deputy Secretary for Housing (Special Duties) Winnie Wong stated that providing a comfortable and safe environment for those previously living in inadequate housing was the team's greatest motivation for rapid delivery.

The nomination exercise for this round of the Chief Executive's Award for Exemplary Performance commenced in May. The Civil Service Bureau invited bureaus to nominate outstanding teams or colleagues for the honour.