ENG-2006 — Page 51

Constitution and Administration 23

GRS appraises, acquires, preserves and provides access to records of enduring value from public and private sources. Through its public programmes and reference services, it encourages understanding, use

use and protection of Hong Kong's documentary heritage. Its Central Preservation Library for Government Publications. contains a wealth of printed materials for research and study of Hong Kong. Members of the public can visit the purpose-built archival facilities in the Hong Kong Public Records Building at 13 Tsui Ping Road, Kwun Tong or use its online service at www.grs.gov.hk.

Office of The Ombudsman

The Office of The Ombudsman is an independent statutory authority, established in 1989 under the Ombudsman Ordinance, to redress grievances arising from maladministration in the public sector through independent and impartial investigations to improve the standard of public administration.

Since December 2001, the office had severed its links with the Administration and had become a corporation sole. It has set up its own administrative system and now recruits contract staff on terms and conditions determined by The Ombudsman.

Directly responsible to the Chief Executive, The Ombudsman serves as the community's monitor on government departments and public bodies specified in the schedule to the ordinance to ensure that:

• bureaucratic constraints do not interfere with administrative fairness;

public authorities are readily accessible to the public;

• abuse of power is prevented;

• wrongs are righted;

• facts are pointed out when public officers are unjustly accused;

• human rights are protected; and

• the public sector continues to improve its 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 18 major public organisations in the schedule are: the Airport Authority, Employees Retraining Board, Equal Opportunities Commission, Financial Reporting Council, 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.