TNAG-1642-FCO40-2289-Public-finance-in-Hong-Kong-Supplementary-Appropriation-(198-1987 — Page 62

APPENDIX B

Introductory Remarks by the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, the Hon. Allen LEE Peng-fei, O.B.E., J.P., at the First Public Hearing of the Committee on Tuesday 25 November 1986

As this is the first public meeting of the Public Accounts Committee in this Legislative Session, before I open this hearing formally, I should like to say a few words of introduction.

Firstly I am sure the Committee would wish me to pay tribute to my distinguished predecessor, Mr. S. L. CHEN, who stepped down on 30 October this year. More than any other member Mr. CHEN has contributed to the development of this Committee's work and to its present high standing having served since its inception in 1978 and as its Chairman since 1 September 1981. I would therefore like to thank him most warmly for all that he has done and for the leadership he has displayed in these formative years.

time.

Secondly it is my pleasure to welcome Mr. CHUNG Pui-lam who has been appointed to this Committee for the first

The Committee's task is to consider the Report of the Director of Audit on the Government's accounts for the last financial year. The Director of Audit's own investigations are necessarily selective; ours are even more selective still. We have decided which parts of the Director's Report indicate the most serious irregularities or shortcomings in the Government's control. On these topics we shall be calling as witnesses the respective Controlling Officers, that is the heads of branches or departments into whose stewardship passes the money which the Legislature votes each year under the Approporiation Bill.

The questions which we shall ask the Controlling Officers are intended to establish the facts surrounding each case. We are not here, may I repeat, we are not here to prosecute or persecute. In each case we want to be satisfied on three points-

whether there has been a failure of proper financial control

if so, why this happened

and what has been done and will be done to ensure that the problem does not recur.

At these public hearings the Committee will simply be asking questions. After the hearings the Committee meets in private to discuss the evidence which it has heard, and to come to its own conclusions. These conclusions and recommendations will not be known to the public until the Committee has reported back to the Legislative Council. That will be on 18 February 1987, when our Report is tabled and published. Until then we will not, as a Committee or individually, be making any public comments on these cases.

I now have much pleasure to declare the Committee to be in formal session.

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