The Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG) has approved Florence Leong Ka Cheng’s request to resign from her post as the bureau’s vice-director effective from March 1, according to an announcement published in the Official Gazette (BO) on Wednesday.
The weather bureau has a director and a vice-director.
The announcement, signed by SMG Director Raymond Tam Vai Man earlier this month, stated that Leong had requested the “termination of her appointment” as the bureau’s vice-director effective from March 1, when she will return to her original post as a senior public servant at the weather station.
The announcement did not say why Leong tendered her resignation.
According to the Macau Post Daily, In November, Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On initiated disciplinary procedures against the former director of the Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG), Fong Soi Kun, and against Leong for their alleged failure to fulfil their duties properly over the hoisting of typhoon warning signals when deadly Super Typhoon Hato pummelled Macau in August.
Super Typhoon Hato hit Macau on August 23, causing massive flooding, killing 10, injuring 244 and resulting in damage officially estimated at over MOP11 billion.
Chui made the decision after a special commission tasked with probing whether any government entities or officials were at fault in their response to Hato submitted its investigative report to Chui in early November.
The investigation by the special commission found that Fong and Leong’s controversial handling of the hoisting of Hato’s warning signals may have constituted disciplinary violations. The commission proposed that disciplinary procedures be launched against Fong and Leong.
Photo by Macau Daily Times
