MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 1993
THE COMMISSIONER SHOULD BE ABLE TO
PUBLICISE INVESTIGATION REPORTS WITH THE NAMES OF THE INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN THE COMPLAINTS BEING ANONYMISED TO ENSURE PRIVACY.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THESE CHANGES, FIRST PROPOSED BY THE GOVERNOR IN HIS POLICY ADDRESS IN OCTOBER, WERE BASED ON A DETAILED REVIEW OF THE ROLE OF THE COHAT OFFICE IN THE LIGHT OF OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCE.
THE COMMISSIONER,
"THE PROPOSED CHANGES REFLECT ARE SUPPORTED BY SPOKESMAN SAID.
THE GENERAL PUBLIC OPINION AND WHO HAS BEEN CONSULTED, THE
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UNDER THE PROPOSAL, THE PUBLIC WOULD ВЕ ABLE TO TAKE THEIR COMPLAINTS TO THE COMMISSIONER WITHOUT THE NEED FOR REFERRAL BY A NON- OFFICIAL LEGCO MEMBER.
PROVIDED
MEMBERS OF LEGCO, THE TWO MUNICIPAL COUNCILS AND DISTRICT BOARDS CAN STILL REFER CASES TO THE COMMISSIONER IN FUTURE, IT IS WITH THE CONSENT OF THE COMPLAINANT.
ON THE EXTENSION OF COMAC'S JURISDICTION ΤΟ MAJOR STATUTORY BODIES, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT CHANGE WOULD UNDERLINE THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY OF STATUTORY BODIES.
"PRIORITY WELL BE GIVEN TO THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY CORPORATION, KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY CORPORATION, URBAN COUNCIL, REGIONAL COUNCIL, AND THE SECURITIES AND FUTURES COMMISSION.
"THESE STATUTORY BODIES PROVIDE
AN IMPORTANT PUBLIC SERVICE
AND HAVE CLOSE DEALINGS WITH THE PUBLIC. OTHER STATUTORY BODIES WILL BE BROUGHT UNDER THE COMMISSIONER'S JURISDICTION WHEN RESOURCES PERMIT, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
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ON THE PROPOSAL TO ENABLE THE COMMISSIONER TO PUBLICISE HIS INVESTIGATION REPORTS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE CHANGE WOULD PROMOTE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE COMAC SYSTEM AND ENHANCE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN IT.
THE COMAE OFFICE CAMB INTO OPERATION IN MARCH 1989 AND CURRENTLY HAS AN ESTABLISHMENT OF 26 STAFF MEMBERS.
THE NUMBERS OF CASES IT RECEIVED IN THE PAST THREE YEARS WERE RESPECTIVELY 167, 197 AND 150.
THE SPOKESMAN ESTIMATED THAT THE PROPOSED CHANGES WOULD INCREASE THE CASELOAD OF THE COMAC OFFICE BY 50 PER CENT EACH YEAR. THE ADDITIONAL STAFF COST IS ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT $10.8 MILLION A YEAR.
AMENDMENTS TO THE COMAC ORDINANCE TO EFFECT
THE CHANGES WILL
BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AND, IF PASSED, WOULD BE PUT INTO EFFECT IN THE SECOND HALF OF THIS YEAR.
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