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These points are in favour of the idea; but the limitations
I have mentioned on what the Commissioner can do, arising from the very legal powers he has, risks public disappointment and disillu- sion with him developing. On the other hand, honourable Members,
for example, hearing complaints in the UMELCO office, may not be
empowered by law to investigate; but in practice I am assured they
are not hampered by this, and receive all the official co-operation
they require. This can be, and is, assured to them administratively,
as a matter of courtesy, without recourse to a legal power. More- over, they do not have to refuse to hear any complaint. and they can seek solutions to a complainant's problems in ways quite other than
those which have actually been sought, which is something a
Commissioner could not do. Much the same is true of the other
channels of complaint we have, for example through the District Officers and the C.D.O. organisation, or indeed, by merely writing to Heads of Department or to me. Moreover many complaints received
in this way can be taken notice of although merely "erbal or even anonymous, whereas a Commissioner could not countenance either,
In
The first conclusion one must come to therefore is that the
existence of a Commissioner would not in any way reduce the need
to retain all our existing channels of complaint. But that leaves
open the question whether we need a Commissioner as well.
Personally, I think it is a question which must stay open until
we have improved the existing channels to the maximum extent.
this connection I would like to repeat my previous offer to
honourable Members: which was, that I would be glad to recommend
any further funds that may be needed, or to help in any other way,
to further the work of the UMELCO office. I believe that honourable
Members already have under consideration ways in which their work might be assisted and I shall await their recommendations with
much interest. By next year I would like to feel that this and
similar mechanisms have everything needed to make them work as
effectively as possible, and that we are, by that much at least,
clearer on the need for a Commissioner.
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