ENG-2004 — Page 51

Constitution and Administration | 25

⚫ the public sector continues to improve quality, transparency and efficiency.

Two exceptions to the monitoring system are the Hong Kong Police Force and the Independent Commission Against Corruption, both of which have their own. separate bodies for dealing with public complaints.

The 17 major public organisations in the schedule are: the Airport Authority, Employees Retraining Board, Equal Opportunities Commission, Hong Kong Arts. Development Council, Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority, Hong Kong Housing Authority, Hong Kong Housing Society, Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Hong Kong Sports Institute Limited, Hospital Authority, Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation, Legislative Council Secretariat, Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority, Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, Securities and Futures Commission, Urban Renewal Authority and Vocational Training Council.

Apart from investigating complaints, The Ombudsman may initiate direct investigations of her own volition into matters of public interest and widespread concern, and publish the reports. This proactive and preventive approach aims at addressing problems affecting a broad spectrum of the community. The direct investigations are particularly useful in redressing administrative flaws of a systemic nature and addressing fundamental problems or underlying causes for complaint.

Since 1994, when The Ombudsman was empowered to undertake direct investigations, 51 such investigations have been completed -six of them in 2004. These six concerned:

• the handling of examination scripts under marking by Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority;

• 2003 priority arrangements for surplus teachers in aided primary schools by Education and Manpower Bureau;

• the enforcement of the Building Management Ordinance by Home Affairs Bureau and Home Affairs Department;

• the enforcement action on unauthorised

on unauthorised building works in New Territories exempted houses by Buildings Department and Lands Department;

⚫ the administration of urn grave cemeteries by Food and Environmental Hygiene

Department; and

• the actions taken by Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and Leisure and Cultural Services Department in bloodworm incidents in public swimming pools.

The reports of all direct investigations have been published and are available for public scrutiny at the Office's Resource Centre.

The Ombudsman Ordinance also empowers The Ombudsman to investigate complaints of non-compliance with the Code on Access to Information against government departments, including the Hong Kong Police Force and the Independent Commission Against Corruption. The Ombudsman is also empowered to act as an independent review body in respect of an alleged breach of the code.