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LettersRight to information law won’t help without legislation to ensure documents are properly archived

  • Missing documents and records following recent scandals show the limits of what a right to information law would achieve by itself

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The Law Reform Commission of the Archives Law Subcommittee, chaired by Andrew Liao (right), in December called on the Hong Kong government to enact a law to “bring greater visibility, clarity, certainty and transparency” to the management of government records and archives. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Letters
The Ombudsman has rightly supported the need for a good access to the information law in Hong Kong. However, an access to information law goes hand in hand with archives legislation which would ensure that government documents are properly created, filed and archived (“Why Hong Kong’s proposed freedom of information law must face public scrutiny”, February 23).

Without archive legislation to ensure the protection and accuracy of documents, access would be a mute point. The information may not be there.

Consider the current situation where certain documents pertaining to the MTR Sha Tin-Central rail scandal are not to be found, and to the missing records related to the tragic Lamma ferry accident, to name but two examples.
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It is essential that archive legislation be adopted in Hong Kong. This would bring our city up to the international standards of mature jurisdictions which have archive legislation to protect and preserve their government’s documentary heritage. The law would strengthen our civil service, and ensure not only accountability and transparency of the government but also the preservation of our cultural and historical heritage.

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Nelly Fung, South Bay

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