16
CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION
specialist knowledge or expertise, their record or interest in contributing to community service, and the specific needs of the concerned bodies.
The Government oversees the operation of the advisory and statutory bodies to ensure that they meet the needs of the community. A reasonable turnover of membership is generally maintained to keep up the inflow of new ideas. Guiding principles are being formulated for a review of the advisory and statutory bodies in the light of the Accountability System for Principal Officials, and public aspirations and expectations.
Structure of the Administration
The Chief Executive is the head of the Government of the HKSAR. The Chief Secretary for Administration, the Financial Secretary or the Secretary for Justice are to deputise for the Chief Executive during his temporary absence.
There are currently 11 bureaux, each headed by a Director of Bureau, which collectively form the Government Secretariat. There are 68 departments and agencies whose heads are responsible to the Directors of Bureaux for the direction of their departments and the efficient implementation of approved polices. The exceptions are the Audit Commission, the independence of which is safeguarded by having the Director's report submitted directly to the Legislative Council; and the Independent Commission Against Corruption and the Office of The Ombudsman, whose independence is safeguarded by having the Commissioner's and The Ombudsman's reports submitted directly to the Chief Executive.
Following the implementation of the Accountability System for Principal Officials on July 1, 2002, the Chief Secretary for Administration, the Financial Secretary, the Secretary for Justice and the 11 Directors of Bureaux are no longer civil servants. They are directly responsible to the Chief Executive and are accountable to him for matters falling within the portfolios as assigned to them. They are appointed to the Executive Council. Together with five non-official members of the Executive Council, they assist the Chief Executive in policy-making.
Role of the Chief Secretary for Administration
The Chief Secretary for Administration is the leading Principal Official of the HKSAR Government. He is a member of the Executive Council and the most senior among the three Secretaries of Departments available to deputise for the Chief Executive.
The Chief Secretary for Administration assists the Chief Executive in supervising the policy bureaux as directed by him and plays a key role in ensuring harmonisation in policy formulation and implementation. This is particularly important in areas that cut across policy bureaux.
The Chief Secretary for Administration also covers specific priority areas of the Chief Executive's policy agenda, and is responsible for forging a closer and more effective working relationship with the Legislative Council and for drawing up the Government's legislative programme. The Chief Secretary for Administration exercises statutory functions vested in him by law, such as those concerning certain public bodies and the handling of appeals.
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