XN000022-1987-04-08 — Page 29

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 1987

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HE NOTED THAT AT PRESENT, OMELCO COULD MAKE DIRECT CONTACT WITH RESPONSIBLE OFFICERS AND GAIN ACCESS TO RELEVANT PAPERS IN THE COURSE OF HANDLING COMPLAINTS.

+ON THE BASIS OF THIS ARRANGEMENT, THE CHIEF ASSISTANT SECRETARY (COMPLAINTS) OF OMELCO MAY BE DELEGATED AN APPROPRIATE AUTHORITY TO FUNCTION AS A STATUTORY COMMISSIONER FOR COMPLAINTS, HE SAID.

THE INCUMBENT WOULD BE CHARGED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF HANDLING PUBLIC COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE CIVIL SERVICE AND WOULD BE DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE TO OMELCO UNDER THE EXISTING STRUCTURE.

MR CHUNG SAID THAT UPON THE REQUEST OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR COMPLAINTS, OMELCO'S DUTY ROSTER MEMBERS WOULD EXAMINE A CASE TO SEE IF AN AD HOC GROUP SHOULD BE SET UP TO HANDLE THE CASE REPORTS SUBMITTED BY THE CHIEF ASSISTANT SECRETARY (COMPLAINTS) OR THE COMMISSIONER FOR COMPLAINTS.

THE COMMISSIONER FOR COMPLAINTS MIGHT, EITHER BY HIMSELF OR THROUGH THE AD HOC GROUP, SEEK TO SETTLE THE COMPLAINT BY REFERRING

IT TO THE RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS UNDER AN ESTABLISHED PROCEDURE. AS A FURTHER STEP, LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENTS COULD BE INTRODUCED TO PROVIDE A SOLUTION FOR THE PROBLEM CONCERNED.

MR CHUNG NOTED THAT AIN THE EYES OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC, THE PROPOSED COMMISSIONER FOR ADMINISTRATION MUST PLAY A ROLE SIMILAR TO THAT OF THE LEGENDARY +JUSTICE BAO+ WHO OFFERED REDRESS TO PEOPLE'S GRIEVANCES.

BUT THIS IN FACT WOULD NOT BE THE CASE AS THE CONSULTATIVE DOCUMENT STATED THAT THE PROPOSED COMMISSIONER COULD ONLY HANDLE COMPLAINTS AGAINST MALADMINISTRATION OR DERELICTION OF DUTY AND WOULD NOT BE EMPOWERED TO DEAL WITH CASES CONCERNING GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND DECISIONS, COURT JUDGEMENT, PERSONNEL MATTERS IN THE CIVIL SERVICE, TRANSACTIONS BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR AS WELL AS MATTERS OF PUBLIC INTEREST.

+HOW CAN SUCH A COMMISSIONER FOR ADMINISTRATION BE ABLE TO DEAL SQUARELY WITH ISSUES THAT PEOPLE ARE MOST CONCERNED WITH AND FOR WHICH PEOPLE HAVE A REAL NEED TO SEEK REDRESS?+ MR CHUNG QUESTIONED.

HE SAID THAT IN THE COURSE OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT, IF THE GOVERNMENT WAS TO ESTABLISH A REDRESS SYSTEM WHICH HAD AN EMPTY TITLE BUT NO REAL POWER IT WOULD IN THE LONG RUN ONLY LET PEOPLE DOWN AND MAKE THEM EVEN MORE DISCONTENDED.

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