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Jimmy Cheung

Lawmakers have criticised the Government for maintaining the advisory committee system established under the colonial administration, with some saying it is too confusing.

Members of the Home Affairs Panel yesterday demanded officials streamline the system, improve transparency and increase public participation.

The move came after a Home Affairs Bureau survey found nine per cent of the 634 bodies were considered to have duplicated functions.

However, independent legislator Andrew Wong Wang-fat said the Government had been too generous in that assessment.

He said the advisory system was created under the colonial administration but 'now the situation is different'.

One in four committees was also found by the assessment to have no system for the declaration of interests, the bureau said.

However, 99 per cent had adopted measures to increase transparency, according to officials.

Panel chairman Ip Kwok-him criticised the changes for not going far enough.

The Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong legislator said his own research showed that some appointees advising on school curriculum development were only paid $90 to attend meetings, while the chairman of a tax appeal board was paid $86,000 a year.

'I think the situation is getting out of control. It's very confusing,' he said.

Independent Ng Leung-sing said professionals and experts from the 800-strong Election Committee should be appointed to sit on advisory panels.

Deputy Secretary for Home Affairs Stephen Fisher said departments would be issued with revised guidelines requiring all committees to raise transparency and develop a system for the declaration of interests, but he said there was no policy to appoint Election Committee members.



Lawmakers call for advisory overhaul