ICAC launches best practice guidelines on administration of government funds
2011-9-15
The ICAC has introduced two sets of Best Practice Checklists for government bodies and grantee organisations to enhance integrity and accountability in the proper administration of various government funding schemes.
Speaking at a press briefing today (Thursday), Corruption Prevention Advisory Committee (CPAC) Chairman Mr Philip Chen Nan-lok said administration of government funds had become one of the major concerns and work priorities of the CPAC and ICAC in view of the substantial amount of public money and public interest involved.
Mr Chen stressed that proper administration of a funding scheme should begin with the prudent processing of applications. He also noted that lack of monitoring of funded projects could easily give rise to malpractice.
Over the years, the Government has established a number of funding schemes under different bureaux and departments, involving billions of dollars. These funding schemes cover various aspects such as promoting quality and continuing education, boosting in dustrial and commercial development, and raising competitiveness of disadvantaged persons.
The two Best Practice Checklists offer practical advice and procedural safeguards for all parties concerned, including the funding committee members, secretariat staff of the controlling government bodies as well as the grantee organisations, to commit to ethical practices in the allocation and use of the funds.
“In a gist, there are three ways to enhance proper fund administration, namely a precise and transparent approving mechanism, a comprehensive and clear funding agreement and an efficient and effective monitoring system,” Mr Chen said.
Incorporating preventive measures into the funding agreement would not only raise the awareness of the grantees, but would also strengthen the monitoring capacity of the secretariats, Mr Chen added.
The best practice checklist for grantee organisations features the general obligations, as well as the probity requirements specified in the funding agreement which they should observe and discharge.
In the past five years, the ICAC had prosecuted 57 persons in relation to improprieties and abuses of several major government funding schemes, involving a total amount of about $9 million.
Meanwhile, over 200 participants from more than 20 government bureaux, departments and public bodies today attended a workshop organised by the ICAC on the two corruption prevention guides.
Copies of the two checklists have been distributed to various bureaux and departments, while the tailor-made checklist for grantee organisations will be dispatched to successful applicants via the relevant government bodies. Online versions are also avai lable for downloading on ICAC’s corporate website ( www.icac.org.hk ).
In addition, the ICAC will, upon requests, organise briefings or workshops for departments or grantee organisations to assist them in implementing corruption preventive measures.
Speaking at a press briefing today (Thursday), Corruption Prevention Advisory Committee (CPAC) Chairman Mr Philip Chen Nan-lok said administration of government funds had become one of the major concerns and work priorities of the CPAC and ICAC in view of the substantial amount of public money and public interest involved.
Mr Chen stressed that proper administration of a funding scheme should begin with the prudent processing of applications. He also noted that lack of monitoring of funded projects could easily give rise to malpractice.
Over the years, the Government has established a number of funding schemes under different bureaux and departments, involving billions of dollars. These funding schemes cover various aspects such as promoting quality and continuing education, boosting in dustrial and commercial development, and raising competitiveness of disadvantaged persons.
The two Best Practice Checklists offer practical advice and procedural safeguards for all parties concerned, including the funding committee members, secretariat staff of the controlling government bodies as well as the grantee organisations, to commit to ethical practices in the allocation and use of the funds.
“In a gist, there are three ways to enhance proper fund administration, namely a precise and transparent approving mechanism, a comprehensive and clear funding agreement and an efficient and effective monitoring system,” Mr Chen said.
Incorporating preventive measures into the funding agreement would not only raise the awareness of the grantees, but would also strengthen the monitoring capacity of the secretariats, Mr Chen added.
The best practice checklist for grantee organisations features the general obligations, as well as the probity requirements specified in the funding agreement which they should observe and discharge.
In the past five years, the ICAC had prosecuted 57 persons in relation to improprieties and abuses of several major government funding schemes, involving a total amount of about $9 million.
Meanwhile, over 200 participants from more than 20 government bureaux, departments and public bodies today attended a workshop organised by the ICAC on the two corruption prevention guides.
Copies of the two checklists have been distributed to various bureaux and departments, while the tailor-made checklist for grantee organisations will be dispatched to successful applicants via the relevant government bodies. Online versions are also avai lable for downloading on ICAC’s corporate website ( www.icac.org.hk ).
In addition, the ICAC will, upon requests, organise briefings or workshops for departments or grantee organisations to assist them in implementing corruption preventive measures.