The issue is poor records management. The government has, so far, owned up to five cases of missing data. Could this be just the tip of the iceberg? These are the recent cases which have come to light, but they show the current administrative system of public-records management is not what it should be.
Records come in many forms. They include paper documents, reports, press releases, minutes, diaries, accounts, photographs, audio tapes, video footage and much more. In today's world, there are also electronic records. Losing disks, flash drives and computer servers does happen, which is why it is vital to back up data.
The recent public-sector losses (flash drives being left in taxis, for example) have been mainly from the Hospital Authority, with one case from the Immigration Department, in which a new officer apparently uploaded information onto the internet.
The government is aware that it needs a well-managed record-keeping, storage and retrieval system. With the spate of embarrassing losses, the Hospital Authority has set up an inquiry under the former privacy commissioner. The public is also aware of the importance of society's need for public institutions to manage their records well, and the media has highlighted these recent cases.
The problem is that both the government and the media see the issue as relating to personal data and privacy. They see the loss of a patient's record, for example, as relating to that patient's information when the wider problem is a matter of records management. They are both somewhat hazy about who is responsible and how that responsibility should be met.
Government departments, public agencies and their staff have an implied responsibility on our behalf in relation to the creation, control, use and preservation of records. Almost all governments around the world, including on the mainland and in Macau, have ensured that the responsibility is spelled out in legislation. This ensures that all government and public institutions appreciate the importance of records management in the day-to-day performance of public duties. In this way, proper systems are created, maintained and updated, and officials are held accountable.