WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 1988
COMMISSIONER'S ROLE AND SCOPE WILL BE REVIEWED
THE ROLE AND SCOPE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINTS WILL BE REVIEWED AFTER THE OFFICE COMES INTO OPERATION, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WAS TOLD TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
FOR
WINDING UP THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE COMMISSIONER ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINTS BILL 1988, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON JEREMY MATHEWS, SAID THE MATTER HAD IMPORTANT IMPLICATIONS ATTRACTED SUBSTANTIAL PUBLIC INTEREST.
AND
HAD
THE
HE SAID THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD UNDERTAKE A REVIEW AFTER COMMISSIONER HAD OPERATED FOR A REASONABLE PERIOD OF TINE TO SEE WHETHER CHANGES WERE REQUIRED TO HIS ROLE, SCOPE OF JURISDICTION, INTERFACE WITH THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, OPERATING MACHINERY AND SO ON.
"I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD NOW PROCEED ΤΟ ENACT THE BILL AND THEN TO SET UP THE COMMISSION FOR ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINTS AND SEEK TO IMPROVE THE BILL'S PROVISIONS AS NECESSARY
IN
THE LIGHT OF EXPERIENCE RATHER THAN DELAY IT FURTHER IN THE HOPE OF SEARCHING FOR AN EVEN BETTER MODEL,' MR MATHEWS SAID.
HE SAID THE AD HOC GROUP WHICH STUDIED THE BILL, UNDER THE CONVENORSHIP OF THE HON SELINA CHOW, HAD MADE A VERY THOROUGH EXAMINATION OF THE BILL.
THE COMMITTEE STAGE AMENDMENTS ΤΟ BE MOVED BY MRS CHOW REPRESENTED THE OUTCOME OF VERY CAREFUL CONSIDERATION AND THE ADMINISTRATION FULLY ACCEPTED THOSE AMENDMENTS.
CONCERN HAD BEEN EXPRESSED BY THE HON HUI YIN-FAT AND THE HON MARTIN LEE ABOUT THE EXCLUSION OF THE POLICE AND THE ICAC FROM THE JURISDICTION OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINTS.
MR MATHEWS EXPLAINED THAT AS THE CHIEF SECRETARY HAD SAID, WHEN MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE BILL ON JUNE 22, MOST OF THE COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE POLICE AND THE ICAC WERE OF A FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT NATURE TO MALADMINISTRATION COMPLAINTS.
"EXPERIENCE SHOWS THAT ONLY COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE POLICE AND THE
MALADMINISTRATION.
VERY SMALL PROPORTION OF IEAC INVOLVE ALLEGED
"IF THE COMMISSIONER FOR ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINTS WERE TO ACT AS A FURTHER AVENUE OF APPEAL FOR THE POLICE AND THE ICAC COMPLAINTS COMMITTEE, HE COULD ONLY DEAL WITH THIS VERY SMALL PROPORTION OF CASES.
"THE GOVERNMENT