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Ella Lee

Stella Lee

But ICAC official says some staff are unhappy with their heavy workloads

The general morale of ICAC investigators was 'all right' and it was just a small number who were unhappy, according to a survey by staff representatives.

A survey shows some frontline investigators' morale has been dented by a combination of a heavy workload and shortage of staff.

But Ricky Hui Kar-man, chairman of the  consultative committee of the Independent Commission Against Corruption, said  it was just a small number who felt unhappy.

Mr Hui said the committee decided to gauge the views of frontline operations officers after the media last month publicised an anonymous letter from 'a group of disappointed and helpless investigators' who said the morale in the department was 'very low'.

The complaint letter also said the management's claim that some senior investigators had been willingly demoted two grades to become assistant investigators was untrue.

Mr Hui said members of his committee had talked to many officers in the operations department over the past few weeks and concluded that there was no widespread problem.

'But some colleagues have morale problems and feel unhappy because of work pressure. The number of these officers is small,' Mr Hui said.

He said the heavy work pressure was related to rising caseloads and shortage of staff as 51 frontline investigation posts had been left vacant through natural wastage because of a recruitment freeze imposed last year.

The posts, which account for about 10 per cent of more than 400 frontline operations staff, consisted of 17 senior investigators and investigator posts and 34 assistant investigator posts.

But Mr Hui said the situation was expected to improve because the ICAC had started recruiting again late last year and the recruits would help to ease the workload by the end of this year or early next year after completing their training.

According to the ICAC, about 20 assistant investigators and investigators have been hired.

Mr Hui said the morale problem of some of the officers had not affected the work of the ICAC and their recent successful operations, including the detection of a $116 million cigarette-smuggling case, was proof of his colleagues' strong sense of dedication.

He declined to comment on the 'demotion' cases amid privacy concerns, but he said all contract renewals were subjected to fair and careful deliberations.

Seven senior investigators have recently been demoted two grades and made assistant investigators in their new contracts.

The move, which ICAC management said was a 'voluntary redeployment', means that the officers have had their monthly pay of $61,000 slashed by up to $37,000.

Mr Hui said they had asked for more resources for the operations department in a meeting with ICAC commissioner Raymond Wong Hung-chiu late last month but were told the request would be difficult to meet because the department already accounted for 75 per cent of the agency's resources.

'But the commissioner has promised to give it a think,' Mr Hui said.



Morale among frontline graft officers 'all right'