of government policies, participate in the enactment of legislation, consider complaints by members of the public against government departments and monitor the effectiveness of public
administration. The 22 appointed Unofficial members are selected
by the Governor from a wide spectrum of society and they hold
more than 300 seats, outside the two councils, on various
committees and boards dealing with public and community affairs.
The 24 elected members comprise 12 who are elected by an
Electoral College composed of members of the Urban Council
(URBCO), the Regional Council (REGCO) and Hong Kong's 19 District
Boards; and 12 who are elected by functional constituencies
representing legal, commercial, industrial, social services,
medical, teaching, labour, financial and professional groups.
1.7
The Office of Members of the Executive and Legislative
Councils (OMELCO, previously UMELCO), funded by the Hong Kong
Government, provides research and administrative assistance to
Unofficial members. OMELCO is also an established channel for
the redress of grievances, and it handles all public complaints,
the appeals and cases of maladministration. Under OMELCO redress
system, members have the right of access to government records and senior officials and to challenge the established practices
and policies of government departments. When necessary they
bring important issues to the attention of either of the two
councils.
1.8 Unofficial Members spend much time studying all Government
Bills and any course of government action
of government action which is important or
controversial, or about which representations are received from
public bodies or from members of the public. The Police Group,
which consists of a panel of eight Unofficial members and
Justices of the Peace, plus the Attorney General, monitors the
handling of complaints against the police. Similarly the ICAC
Complaints Committee, also comprising seven Unofficial members
and the Attorney General, monitors the handling of complaints
against the Independent Commission Against Corruption. Various
OMELCO panels meet regularly with senior government officials. Issues and policies of importance are discussed at these meetings and may be debated and publicly questioned at meetings of the
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