XN000022-1987-04-08 — Page 22

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 1987

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+THIS IMPARTIALITY HOWEVER MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY PERVADING AUTHORITY -- POWERS TO COLLECT EVIDENCE. TO GAIN ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS AND FILES AND TO REQUIRE THE DISCLOSURE OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION BY SENIOR CIVIL SERVANTS TO THE BEST OF THEIR KNOWLEDGE, + HE SAID.

HE SAID THE COMMISSIONER SHOULD BE ABLE TO COMMENT FREELY, NOT JUST ON THE DEFECTS OF SYSTEM, BUT ON POLICIES, PROCEDURES AND RELATED PERSONNEL. IN ADDITION, THE COMMISSIONER'S AUTHORITY SHOULD INCLUDE RECOMMENDING PROSECUTION BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND DISCIPLINARY MEASURES ON CIVIL SERVANTS.

MR HUI SAID THE LIMITATIONS OF THE OMELCO COMPLAINTS DIVISION WERE ONLY TOO REAL TO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS, WHO WERE SO OVERLOADED WITH COMPLAINTS AND APPEALS THAT THEY SIMPLY COULD NOT AWARD ENOUGH ATTENTION TO INDIVIDUAL CASES.

HE SAID THE CRUX OF THE MATTER WAS THAT ALL INVESTIGATIONS WERE DONE BY OMELCO STAFF WHO FOR THE LACK OF STATUTORY AUTHORITY COULD ONLY RELY ON OFFICIAL RECORDS, CORRESPONDENCE, TELEPHONE CALLS AND MEETINGS WITH GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS.

+ IT IS DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE THAT INVESTIGATIONS CARRIED OUT BY SECONDED OFFICERS INTO CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS PREPARED BY SENIOR OFFICIALS WOULD BE TOTALLY IMPARTIAL, HE SAID.

HE SAID THE RECORD OF 2 911 NON-CORRUPTION REPORTS RECEIVED BY THE ICAC IN 1986 SPOKE FOR THE SUCCESS OF AN INDEPENDENT AVENUE OF REDRESS THAT HAD COMMANDED THE CONFIDENCE AND RESPECT OF PEOPLE WITH GRIEVANCES TO PURSUE.

+A COMMISSIONER FOR ADMINISTRATION IS THE ONLY MEANS THROUGH WHICH JUSTICE FOR ALL IS SEEN TO BE DONE BY OUR GOVERNMENT, AND WHICH WILL DEFINITELY ENHANCE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN THE RUN-UP TO 1997, + MR HUI CONCLUDED.

OMBUDSMAN IS NOT THE PANACEA

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THE COMMISSIONER FOR ADMINISTRATION COULD BE A MEANS TO IMPROVE UPON THE EXISTING MACHINERY TO DEAL WITH COMPLAINTS AGAINST MALADMINISTRATION BY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, THE HON S.L. CHEN SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

HOWEVER, HE POINTED OUT THAT IT SHOULD NOT BE SEEN AS AN END IN ITSELF.

+THE COMMISSIONER FOR ADMINISTRATION IS DEFINITELY NOT GOING TO BE THE PANACEA FOR OUR COMPLAINANTS AND THOSE WHO SEEK REDRESS OF THEIR GRIEVANCES, HE SAID.

MR CHEN MADE THESE REMARKS WHEN HE SPOKE DURING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE CONSULTATIVE DOCUMENT ON REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES.

/HE SAID