Incompetent local officials face removal

CHANGSHA/JINAN - A local Communist Party chief in Central China's Hunan province has been removed from his post after gambling during office hours, local authorities announced on Wednesday.

Tan Zhengqi, the Party chief of a street community in the Yongding District of Zhangjiajie City, was placed under investigation after a photo of the official gambling with a stack of money in front of him went viral recently, according to Shu Hongbo, director of the district's disciplinary inspection department.

The Zhangjiajie municipal government issued a statement in February, noting that government officials and cadres who take bribes, are involved in gambling or illegal money-making activities, or engage in entertainment during work time should be removed from their posts.

In mid March, Tian Qiwen, disciplinary director of the immigration bureau of Sangzhi County in Zhangjiajie was removed from his post in the wake of revelations that he had traded stocks during office hours.

Coincidentally, sources with the Shandong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) said on Wednesday that CPPCC members with the provincial committee who have been frequently absent from its sessions or meetings will be deprived of their CPPCC membership of the committee.

"These incompetent CPPCC members who can not perform their duties efficiently should give their places to those who have capacity, passion and time for the work," said Wang Zhuyu, member of the standing committee of the Shandong Provincial Committee of the CPPCC.

The Shandong committee has issued a regulation to evaluate members' performance, according to Wang.

This not only requires members to attend sessions of the provincial committee but also details their other duties such as submitting proposals, reflecting public opinions, and engaging in research, investigation and theoretical study.

Files of the CPPCC member's performance will also be established to serve as evidence for evaluation, Wang said.