Hong Kong – New Ombudsman swears to uphold Basic Law and bear allegiance to HKSAR (with photo)
New Ombudsman swears to uphold Basic Law and bear allegiance to HKSAR (with photo)
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The new Ombudsman, Mr Jack Chan Jick-chi, today (April 5) took an oath at the Chief Executive’s Office.
The oath was administered by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee. The Ombudsman swore that he will uphold the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), bear allegiance to the HKSAR of the PRC and serve the HKSAR conscientiously, dutifully, in full accordance with the law, honestly and with integrity.
A Government spokesman said, “The new Ombudsman took the oath to uphold the Basic Law and bear allegiance to the HKSAR, thereby embodying the principle and responsibility of ‘patriots administering Hong Kong’ “.
Ombudsman probes provision of post-death public services by Government (with photo)
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Open recruitment for new Ombudsman begins
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(a) permanent residency of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region;
All applications should be submitted to the Administration Wing of the Chief Secretary for Administration’s Office at 19/F, West Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong by July 28, 2023.
Under The Ombudsman Ordinance (Cap 397), the appointment authority for The Ombudsman rests with the Chief Executive. The Chief Executive has appointed a Selection Board for this recruitment exercise. The Board is chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration, and its members are Mr Chan Kin-por, Mr Frank Chan Fan and the Director of Administration.
Established by The Ombudsman Ordinance, the Office of The Ombudsman serves the community of Hong Kong by redressing grievances and addressing issues arising from maladministration in the public sector through independent, objective and impartial investigations, bringing about improvements in the quality and standard of and promoting fairness in public administration.
The primary function of The Ombudsman is to investigate, whether upon complaint or on his/her initiative, the alleged maladministration of government departments and the public authorities and organisations which are under the jurisdiction of The Ombudsman.
Office of The Ombudsman announces results of direct investigation into problem of alleged illegal operation of kaito ferry service (with photo)
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Federal Procurement Ombudsman Alexander Jeglic published his 2020-2021 Annual Report, which was tabled in Parliament by the Minister of Public Services and Procurement on December 10, 2021. The report provides an overview of the Office of the Procurement Ombudsman’s activities from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021. Federal Procurement Ombudsman Alexander Jeglic published his 2020-2021 Annual Report, which was tabled in Parliament by the Minister of Public Services and Procurement on December 10, 2021. The report provides an overview of the Office of the Procurement Ombudsman’s activities from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021. As procurement has been at the forefront of Canada’s response to COVID-19, the Procurement Ombudsman reiterates the importance of transparency, and highlights the ongoing need to simplify the overly burdensome federal procurement process. The Annual Report provides a look at the activities undertaken by the Office to strengthen the federal procurement community and engage with suppliers, including underrepresented Canadian business owners, to diversify the federal supply chain. The report also presents the Top 10 federal procurement-related issues from complaints and stakeholder feedback received by the Office, including unfair or biased bid evaluations, overly restrictive criteria and issues of late payment. The Procurement Ombudsman also continued to lead initiatives to promote diversity and inclusion both within Canadian supply chains and the federal public service. “This year, my office has also watched with interest the level of transparency surrounding emergency procurement, and plans to continue to monitor this issue in the coming year.” – Alexander Jeglic, Procurement Ombudsman “My office continued our commitment in this area by hosting our third annual Diversifying the Federal Supply Chain Summit, geared toward connecting diverse business owners with organizations that can help them successfully bid on and obtain federal contracts.” – Alexander Jeglic, Procurement Ombudsman
Hong Kong – Ombudsman probes provision of post-death public services by Government (with photo)
The following is issued on behalf of the Office of The Ombudsman:
The Ombudsman, Ms Winnie Chiu, today (December 19) announced the launch of a direct investigation to examine the provision of post-death public services by the Government.
In early 2022, not a few people died with COVID-19 when the disease rampaged through Hong Kong. The resulted pressure threatened to overwhelm the operations of public mortuaries and the mortuaries in public hospitals, and demand for cremation services was once pressing. The situation had added worries to the bereaved when handling the post-death arrangements of the deceased.
Government statistics show a continuing ageing trend in Hong Kong’s population (note). The demand for public services relating to post-death arrangements (including death registration, mortuary services and burial services) is expected to keep growing and people will be more concerned about the arrangements for these services and the dissemination of related information. Against this background, The Ombudsman has decided to launch a direct investigation to examine the provision of public services relating to post-death arrangements (including death registration, mortuary services and burial services) and the dissemination of related information. At the present stage, the investigation will cover the Department of Health, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, the Hospital Authority and the Immigration Department. The scope is subject to adjustments depending on the investigation findings along the way.
Ms Chiu said, “With an ageing population in Hong Kong, the demand for public services relating to post-death arrangements will continue to increase. Besides, more and more people will wish to take the initiative to make burial arrangements for themselves and their next of kin in advance. Having gone through the trials of the pandemic, the government departments and public organisations which provide public services relating to post-death arrangements have accumulated certain experience in handling sudden surges in service demand. If they can consolidate their experience to further refine and enhance the services and the dissemination of related information, more relevant and timely services and support can be provided to the bereaved. In this light, I have decided to launch a direct investigation to probe the public services provided by the Government relating to post-death arrangements, as well as the adequacy and effectiveness of the dissemination of related information. Recommendations will be made where due.”
The Ombudsman welcomes views from members of the public on this topic. Written submissions should reach the Office of The Ombudsman by January 19, 2024:
Address: 30/F, China Merchants Tower, Shun Tak Centre
168–200 Connaught Road Central, Hong Kong
Fax: 2882 8149
Email: complaints@ombudsman.hk
Note: According to the “Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics” published by the Census and Statistics Department in October 2023, the proportion of elderly persons aged 65 and above is projected to increase from 1.45 million (or 20.5 percent of the total population) in 2021 to 1.9 million (or 26 per cent) in 2026, then almost double to 2.74 million (or 36 per cent) in 2046.Hong Kong – Open recruitment for new Ombudsman begins
The Government launched an open recruitment exercise for the post of The Ombudsman today (July 8). The new term of office of The Ombudsman will start on April 1, 2024. Advertisements for the post, which set out details of the requirements for potential candidates, have been published in newspapers today. Applicants must have:
(b) a good general education;
(c) at least 15 years of experience in public administration, professional practice or private sector management at a senior level;
(d) a clear vision, impeccable integrity, a strong sense of justice and fairness, good leadership qualities and management skills, and a mature personality;
(e) previous experience in public or community service in Hong Kong; and
(f) strong language and communication skills, including good command of written Chinese and English and spoken Cantonese and English.Hong Kong – Office of The Ombudsman announces results of direct investigation into problem of alleged illegal operation of kaito ferry service (with photo)
The following is issued on behalf of the Office of The Ombudsman:
The Ombudsman, Ms Winnie Chiu, today (September 1) announced at a press conference the completion of a direct investigation into the problem of alleged illegal operation of kaito ferry service, and made 10 recommendations for improvement to the Marine Department (MD) and the Transport Department (TD).
In general, kaito service is the mode of point-to-point marine transport charging passengers separate fares for commuting to and from remote destinations in Hong Kong that are largely inaccessible by roads. Operators are required to apply for kaito ferry service licences from the TD and provide the service with specified vessels.
Investigation by the Office of The Ombudsman revealed the prevalence of illegal kaito service. However, there is currently no government department dedicated to monitoring the issue of unlicensed kaito service. While the MD monitors the carriage of passengers by local vessels, its patrols were found to be ineffective in deterring such irregularities. The MD has also failed to adequately clarify the meaning and restriction of using Class IV pleasure vessels for prescribed purposes. Meanwhile, the TD has not implemented effective measures to assist the public to identify unlicensed or illegal kaito service.
Ms Chiu said, “In recent years, excursions to the outlying islands and remote local spots have become popular pastimes of the public. Given the thriving demand for kaito service, it is incumbent upon the authorities to step up monitoring of kaito service and curbing illegal carriage of passengers so as to ensure public safety.”
The Office has made 10 recommendations for improvement to the MD and the TD, which include:
The MD and the TD have in general accepted all of the Office’s recommendations.
The full investigation report has been uploaded to the website of the Office of The Ombudsman at www.ombudsman.hk for public information.
Canada – The Procurement Ombudsman releases his 2020-21 Annual Report
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