XN000022-1987-04-08 — Page 20

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 1987

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LEGCO PANEL READY TO SUPPORT OMBUDSMAN IDEA *****

THE CONVENER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AD HOC GROUP TO EXAMINE THE CONSULTATIVE DOCUMENT ON THE REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES THE HON SELINA CHOW, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT MEMBERS OF THE GROUP WERE PREPARED TO ACCEPT THE PRINCIPLE OF THE FORMATION OF THE INSTITUTION OF COMMISSIONER FOR ADMINISTRATION.

SPEAKING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DURING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE CONSULTATIVE DOCUMENT, MRS CHOW SAID MEMBERS ALSO AGREED THAT THE OPTION FOR CREATING SUCH A POST DESERVED TO BE EXAMINED IN MUCH MORE DETAIL, PARTICULARLY REGARDING ITS TERMS OF REFERENCE, POSITION WITH THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE AND THE QUESTION OF FINALITY.

SHE CALLED ON THE GOVERNMENT TO PROCEED WITH THE STUDY EXPEDITIOUSLY,

RECOUNTING THE WORK OF THE AD HOC GROUP, MRS CHOW SAID THAT DURING ITS FIVE MEETINGS THERE WAS ACTIVE DISCUSSION ON ALL ASPECTS OF THE DOCUMENT ON THE REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES.

+ ALTHOUGH THE PUBLIC RESPONSE CANNOT BE DESCRIBED IN ANY WAY AS OVERWHELMING, IT IS A FACT THAT A CLEAR MAJORITY OF THE 50 OR SO SUBMISSIONS ARE FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE THIRD OPTION IN THE CONSULTATIVE DOCUMENT THAT IS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMMISSIONER FOR ADMINISTRATION, SHE SAID.

ALL

SHE SAID THE GROUP FELT THAT THE OPTION OF MAKING NO CHANGE TO THE EXISTING SYSTEM WAS NEITHER REALISTIC NOR DESIRABLE. AGREED THAT THE OPTION WHICH CALLED FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF ALL EXISTING CHANNELS SHOULD NOT ONLY BE ACCEPTED BUT POSITIVELY SUPPORTED.

MRS CHOW ADDED THAT SHE PERSONALLY WAS CONVINCED THAT ALL EXISTING CHANNELS FOR REDRESS WERE BY AND LARGE RECEPTACLES OF GRIEVANCES RATHER THAN INVESTIGATIVE INSTRUMENTS OF ALLEGED MALADMINISTRATION.

+WITH THE GRADUAL POLITICISING OF OUR SYSTEM, THERE IS MERIT IN HAVING AN INSTITUTION TO UNDERTAKE THAT INVESTIGATIVE FUNCTION INDEPENDENT OF OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM, WHILE EXISTING CHANNELS ARE IMPROVED UPON TO RECEIVE COMPLAINTS AS WELL AS TO RESOLVE THOSE GRIEVANCES WHICH HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH MAL ADMINISTRATION, + SHE SAID.

IN ORDER THAT THE COMMISSIONER FOR ADMINISTRATION WAS SEEN TO BE FAIR AND INDEPENDENT OF THE EXECUTIVE, THOUGHT SHOULD GO INTO HIS QUALIFICATION AND SELECTION, AS WELL AS THE KEY QUESTION OF WHETHER HE WAS ANSWERABLE TO THE GOVERNOR OR THE LEGISLATURE, SHE ADDED.

/MRS CHOW

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