政壇：睇社論學英文：統計數據也造假 港府誠信剩多少
政府統計處爆出造假醜聞，港府匆忙撲火，特首梁振英對事件表示高度關注，統計處隨即推出加強覆檢、突擊抽查等預防措施，並成立由處長親自掛帥的調查小組。可惜，事件已對港府誠信造成沉重打擊，要重建市民信心談何容易！
統計處職員最近接連爆料，指前線統計員為了提升「工作效率」，涉嫌故意漏問問題、杜撰答案、漏查劏房戶等等，令失業率及劏房等統計數字不盡不實，大量需要幫助的弱勢人士得不到應有的支援，而管理層竟然一直沒有發現，可謂奇哉怪也。
問題不只是前線人員敷衍塞責那麼簡單。統計處承認，現行制度有不合理處，前線人員逐戶訪問一個被間成多個劏房的住宅單位，只被視作完成一戶調查，變相為他們提供躲懶、造假的誘因。尤有甚者，統計處片面追求統計個案成功率，毫不重視調查的完整和準確性，以致統計員造假愈多升遷愈快，拒絕造假者反而遭到排斥，久而久之，整個部門淪為一個同流合污的醬缸，構成系統性、制度性的造假亂象。在這種情況下，不管當局如何加強抽查覆檢，恐怕也無濟於事，遑論自己人查自己人，根本沒有甚麼說服力。
How much integrity is left in the Hong Kong Government now that even the CSD is forging statistical data?
It is alleged that the Census and Statistics Department (CSD) forged survey data. After the scandal broke, the Government rushed to stamp out the flames. As the Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying expressed grave concern about the matter, the CSD immediately launched preventive measures such as enhancing double-checks and surprise inspections, while the Commissioner for Census and Statistics set up a task force headed by herself to look into the matter.
Unfortunately, the incident has already dealt a heavy blow to the integrity of the Hong Kong Government. People's trust is not that easy to rebuild.
In the past few days, CSD staff blew one whistle after another. To "improve work efficiency", it is suspected that CSD frontline officers deliberately omit certain questions in their questionnaires, make up answers and avoid sub-divided flats. As a result, the statistics on unemployment rate and sub-divided residences cannot reflect the full picture and many vulnerable people are unable to receive the help they need. However, one is surprised that the CSD management has strangely never discovered the problem.
The issue is not just a simple matter of the frontline officers' perfunctory attitude. The CSD admits that the present system may be unreasonable in certain areas. For example, if a frontline officer interviews, the multiple units individually in a sub-divided flat, the interviews would be regarded as one single interview. Consequently, the frontline officers are tempted to lessen work and forge interview results. Moreover, the CSD only attaches importance to the success rate of interviews, and pays no attention to the completeness and accuracy of data. The more forged data a statistician provides, the faster his promotion. On the contrary, those that refuse to log incorrect information to save time are repelled. As time passes, the whole department wallows in the same mire and data forgery becomes systematic. Under such circumstances, no matter how much the CSD beefs up its random checks, the effort will be of no avail.
Incidentally, it is utterly unconvincing for the department to investigate its own staff.
重要生字
stamp out the flames 撲火
deal a heavy blow to 對……造成沉重打擊
blow one whistle after another 接連爆料