FSD is under fire

THE Office of the Ombudsman initiated a direct investigation into the Fire Services Department's (FSD's) regulation of eateries'fire safety facilities. Its conclusion is that the FSD'smanagement is outdated, and its regulation lax. Itsfindings lay bare two fundamental problems. First,owing to limitations of the FSD's establishment, itsadministration is not up to modern standard. Second,the Security Bureau has long been ignorant of theFSD's inadequacies or has long ignored them. It hasfailed to fulfil its supervisory function. It can hardlyescape the blame for what has happened at the FSD.The Office of the Ombudsman has called theFSD's management outdated and its regulation lax.This criticism is very severe indeed. Were the Directorof Fire Services an accountability official, he wouldhave to take the blame and step down. Being a civilservant, he need not do so. However, the problems theOffice of the Ombudsman has uncovered arelong-standing rather than new. It is clear from thesituation at the FSD that many of its former heads arealso to blame, as is the Security Bureau, whichsupervises the FSD.

The FSD's outdated management has to do withits characteristics. Its top posts are filled by internalpromotion. The head of the FSD may have muchknowledge of and great expertise in his line of work.However, one who has such professional qualificationsmay not be a capable administrator. When a fire fighterwas killed in the line of duty, his fellow officers wouldcomplain of inadequate equipment and otherproblems. Things have not worsened because top FSDofficers have managed to pacify them. However, firefighters' complaints indeed point to the FSD'smismanagement. They have been placated, but thatdoes not mean the FSD's management problems havedisappeared.

RTHK is in many ways similar to the FSD. Bothare special, and their top posts are filled by internalpromotion. RTHK was once beset with suchadministrative problems that some of its employeeswere prosecuted. Those problems cost RTHK dearly.Subsequently, the government appointed Gracie FooDeputy Director of Broadcasting. A shake-up helpedstop loopholes in RTHK's management system andreturn the broadcaster to the right track.

Departments like the FSD abhor the "parachuting"of administrative officers (AOs). In fact, it may beproblematic to have an AO head such a departmentbecause experts will then have to take instructionsfrom a layman. No AO is omnipotent. However, AOshave received training and have experience inadministration. Some say the government should makean AO Assistant Director of Fire Services. We believethat would go some way towards improving itsadministration. The AO may leave it when amanagement system is established. The governmentwould do well to consider this suggestion.

The FSD is under the Security Bureau. Is it awarethat FSD officers still process documents manually?The FSD has for years just appeared to carry outinspections at eateries. Does the Security Bureaueffectively supervise the FSD as it is duty bound to do?Such questions ought to be looked into. The SecurityBureau should try to correct mistakes if it has madethem and guard against them if it has not.

明報英語網「雙語社評」 english.mingpao.com/critic.htm

2010.05.14明報社評

部門職系首長有局限 宜有政務官協助管理

申訴專員公署（下稱公署）主動調查消防處的食肆消防安全規管工作，結論是消防處「管理落後，監管不嚴」，所暴露問題的性質，我們認為有兩點：（1）部門職系的局限，使部門的行政管理未能適應現代管理的要求，有很大關係；（2）保安局長期以來未察覺或漠視消防處力有不逮之處，未能發揮領導職能，對於消防處的現况，也有不可推卸的責任。

公署指消防處「管理落後，監管不嚴」，這個批評其實十分嚴厲；若是問責官員，大概就會被問責而下台了。消防處長是公務員，沒有問責下台的問題，但是申訴專員公署所揭露問題，並非一朝一夕、而是長期累積的結果，目前的情况，顯示歷任消防處的首長有責任，領導消防工作的保安局也責無旁貸。

消防處內部行政管理落後，與部門的特質有關，領導層由內部遞升，消防首長在其本職所需要知識、技能，或許甚為豐富和高強，但是具備這方面「專業」要求，並不顯示首長們具有行政管理的能力和要求。過去發生的消防員執勤時殉職事件，多會引來消防員隊伍投訴裝備不足等問題，雖然在領導層安撫下，事態未至惡化，但是消防員的投訴，乃反映消防處在管理上出現的問題。安撫了消防員的情緒，不等於解決了管理上的問題。

香港電台與消防處有相同之處，部門性質較特別，領導層都由內部升遷，過去香港電台行政管理上的種種漏弊，導致多名員工官司纏身，港台也為此付出沉重代價。後來政府派遣政務官出身的傅小慧出任副廣播處長，經過一番整頓，港台的行政管理漏弊才得以堵塞，重上正常軌道。

類似消防處的部門職系，極其抗拒政務官空降，事實上，政務官完全主導這類部門，不能排除外行領導內行之憂，政務官也並非萬能，但是政務官在行政管理的訓練和歷煉，若能夠出任副消防處長的職位，對於加強這類部門的行政管理，相信會起到一定作用。派遣政務官協助消防處長管理消防隊伍，或建立起一套管理模式後，政務官引退，由消防處自行運作，這個建議值得政府考慮。

保安局領導消防處工作，該處仍然用人手處理文牘，這些年來，保安局是否知悉？多年來，消防處巡查食肆根本只做表面工夫，保安局在監察和督促方面，是否已經盡其職能？類似問題，值得檢討，有則改之，無則加勉。

G lossary

in the line of dutywhile doing a job.placate /pl ?'keIt/pacify.omnipotent /?m'nIp ?t(?)nt/able to do anything.

每周一音標每周一音標《明報英語網》逢星期二推出「每周一音標」，以視像短片模式教授國際音標，真人發音，歡迎瀏覽

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