WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 1987
23
COMMISSIONER EXPECTED TO CHANGE WRONG DECISIONS
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THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMMISSIONER FOR ADMINISTRATION WILL ONLY BE MEANINGFUL AND VALUABLE IF HE CAN FULFIL THE GENERAL PUBLIC'S EXPECTATION THAT HE CAN CHANGE THE GOVERNMENT'S WRONG DECISIONS, THE HON CHAN YING-LUN SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
SPEAKING DURING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE CONSULTATIVE DOCUMENT ON REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES, MR CHAN EXPRESSED DOUBT ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COMMISSIONER AS IT WAS UNDERSTOOD FROM THE CONSULTATIVE DOCUMENT THAT IT WOULD ONLY BE AN ADDITIONAL AVENUE OF COMPLAINT AND APPEAL.
HE SAID THERE WAS NO WAY TO KNOW THE EXACT POWER OF THE COMMISSIONER, ESPECIALLY WHEN BOTH THE COMPLAINANTS AND THE MEMBERS INVOLVED IN THE CASE WERE NOT SATISFIED WITH THE OUTCOME OF THE INVESTIGATIONS.
MR CHAN SAID ALTHOUGH HE GAVE HIS SUPPORT IN PRINCIPLE TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMMISSIONER FOR ADMINISTRATION, HE CALLED ON THE GOVERNMENT TO DETAIL THE COMMISSIONER'S POWERS, THE AMBIT OF INVESTIGATION AND THE OPPORTUNITIES OF RE-EXAMINATION OF ANY CASES BEFORE ANY DECISION WAS MADE.
MR CHAN SAID THE COMMISSIONER FOR ADMINISTRATION SHOULD ADHERE TO CERTAIN STATUTORY PROCEDURES WHEN MAKING INVESTIGATIONS TO ENSURE THAT THE COMPLAINANTS RECEIVED FAIR TREATMENT.
+ IN THE EVENT OF UNREASONABLE COMPLAINTS, THE COMMISSIONER CAN, BY VIRTUE OF HIS INDEPENDENT STATUS, MAKE FAIR DECISION WITHOUT BEING AFFECTED BY POLITICAL ELEMENTS,+ HE SAID.
HE SAID HE ALSO FELT THAT THOSE PUBLIC OFFICERS WHO HAD ERRED, DELIBERATELY WRONGED THE INNOCENT OR DONE INJUSTICE SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR MISDEEDS.
+ HOPE THE COMMISSIONER FOR ADMINISTRATION WILL POINT OUT THOSE PUBLIC OFFICERS WHO SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MALADMINISTRATION SO AS TO IMPROVE THE WORKING ATTITUDE AND EFFICIENCY OF CIVIL SERVANTS,+ HE SAID.
REGARDING THE REDRESS SYSTEM, MR CHAN SAID THAT IT WAS A BASIC RIGHT OF THE PUBLIC TO LODGE COMPLAINTS TO COUNCILLORS AND DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS WHO SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER IT THEIR BASIC OBLIGATION TO LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC'S VIEWS.
HE FELT THEREFORE THAT THE EXISTING REDRESS SYSTEM SHOULD BE RETAINED EVEN AFTER THE COMMISSIONER FOR ADMINISTRATION WAS APPOINTED.
+THE COMMISSIONER AND THE MEMBERS SHOULD KEEP IN CLOSE CONTACT EVEN IF THE FORMER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE INVESTIGATION, HE SAID.
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