TNAG-0812-FCO40-1017-Allegations-of-bribery-and-corruption-in-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 71

CONFIDENTIAL 機密

SUPERVISORY ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE CIVIL SERVICE

Foreword

All Government officers who perform the function of directing and controlling staff embrace a two-fold responsibility that for the satisfactory discharge of their own specific duties (whether professional, technical or managerial), and that for the discharge of their duties as supervisors. Too often staff performance has been appraised and duties have been allocated on the basis of the former, personal type of responsibility. Appraisal of the performance of a Government officer as a supervisor is too often dependent on two questions does he get on well with his junior officers and does he get work from them. During the past few years the Commission has brought to light a large number of corruption cases which have shown that the concept of supervisory responsibility should involve far more than the relatively superficial factors of harmonious relationships and the production of apparent results.

2.

In 1976, therefore, the Corruption Prevention Department began a study of the subject of "supervisory accountability". As with any big organisation, the Hong Kong Civil Service is run by a hierarchy of officers with each level accounting to the other for the discharge of responsibility conferred. This study deals with accountability for the discharge of supervisory responsibility, looking at the concepts of leadership, staff motivation, control and organisation.

3.

Some of the more important questions raised in this study are whether the Civil Service itself has the mechanism and the structure for the practice of accountability, whether the systems and practices for staff control can be distorted to favour the corrupt, whether the present disciplinary process is sufficiently expeditious and flexible to deal with those officers who are unable to account for widespread and repeated malpractices by their junior officers, and finally, whether the attitudes which contribute to esprit-de-corps within an organisation, whilst in themselves necessary and commendable, could result in the development of a blind spot towards the possibility of corrupt activity within its ranks.

4.

The aim of this study is to raise questions and to provoke thinking. It does not aim at proposing a series of ready-made solutions but it does reach positive conclusions as to the forms of management and supervision, and changes in attitudes, necessary for progress towards this fundamental aspect of good government. One factor is certainly crucial; if supervisory officers at all levels, especially those in the most senior posts, are determined to ensure that accountability will be practised, then the right attitude will prevail and the thinking and action necessary to convert the concept into more widespread practice will stand a good chance of success.

CORRUPTION PREVENTION DEPARTMENT

G.F. 323

CONFIDENTIAL

機密