The 1999 Hong Kong Awards for Services culminated in a presentation ceremony on December 13, 1999. Over 500 guests attended the ceremony, in which five Grand Award Winners, and 20 Subsidiary Award Winners were presented with their trophies.

A total of 104 entries from 100 companies involving over 50,000 employees entered the awards. Over 50 per cent of the entries employed less than 100 staff. The five organisers said they were delighted by the increase in participants, quality and coverage of the awards the 1999 awards. In addition, they were delighted to see more small- and medium-sized enterprises enter the awards.

The awards also achieved new records in sponsorship raised, despite the faltering economy over the past three years. The organisers said that the scheme was playing a valuable role in raising the standard of Hong Kong's service industries, as evidenced by the rise in entries and their high quality.

All entries underwent a rigorous assessment process; the results of which helped the judges make their final choices on October 26, 1999, in a session presided over by the Financial Secretary and Chairman of the Central Judging Panel Donald Tsang.

Transfer of Secretariat