CCAC probes weather bureau over Hato forecast, mismanagement
The Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) has initiated an inquiry into the procedures of the Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG) for typhoon forecasting and internal management of the bureau, namely to determine the responsibility of disgraced director Fong Soi Kun over allegations of disregarding the Typhoon Prediction Procedures.
In a statement, the graft buster says it has “received a large number of complaints” in which there are suspicions regarding the prediction of typhoons by the SMG, requesting the intervention of the CCAC to investigate any illegalities or irregularities. The CCAC recalls that last year following Typhoon Nida, in which Signal 8 was not hoisted, they investigated the weather bureau but “did not detect any gross violation of legal provisions.”
However, the statement reads, the investigators noted then, “some problems in typhoon forecasting procedures and in the criteria adopted by the SGM as well as in the internal management of the service.”
One such group that called yesterday for an investigation into the bureau and its former chief was the Association of Synergy of Macao. The association handed a letter to the office of the Chief Executive, calling for the government to investigate the management of the aftermath of Typhoon Hato, including an investigation into Fong.
The association believes that it has the responsibility to urge the government to review the distressing lessons brought by Typhoon Hato, with practical and objective progress in mind.
The association also called for a formation of a group of society leaders across different professions, to assist the government in improving its crisis management, and requested a mechanism in which important information could be disseminated to the public swiftly.
“We are asking the CE to open an investigation [into] Fong Soi Kun because his resignation is not enough. […] He needs to pick up the responsibility and not just resign,” said Johnson Ian, vice director of the association.
Ian lamented that Fong served the government for some 30 years and it would be inappropriate should no disciplinary actions are taken, citing the untimely typhoon forecast signals leading up to Hato.
As the group is calling for the government to review the law and its regulations on crisis management, it also condemned the newly launched committee of the CE, as its members mostly consist of the five secretaries of the executive.
“The [new] committee is not enough,” he complained. “They cannot investigate by themselves. We want more commissioners and other experts to get into the committee to really see what is wrong with the system,” Ian added.
The government launched a committee yesterday to review its crisis response mechanism, following the disaster brought by Typhoon Hato.
The committee aims to assist the administration in reviewing and creating crisis management projects to respond to catastrophes, including the improvement of works on meteorological forecasting and the reinforcement of civil coordination protection.
Some of the listed competences of the committee include the promotion of a reasonable distribution of resources and coordination between the government and civil society, and to elaborate the general plan of crisis management. The committee will also coordinate general planning and construction of the region’s infrastructure, and will conduct public consultation until September 11.
