The presence of four so-called "professional participants", who were "selected randomly" at all public hearings" in Chengdu, Sichuan province, but agreed several times to suggestions to raise prices of products and services, has sparked a heated debate among netizens, with many of them criticizing the arrangement, says an article in Beijing Times. Excerpts:

The presence of "professional participants" at public hearings is nothing new. But they are not expected to be "talking machines" that can only say "yes". The role they should play is supposed to be that of ordinary consumers. But they have done the opposite: agreed many times to raise prices.

That's why many people say they have failed in their role and undermined the credibility of public hearings.

China introduced public hearings - held before raising prices of goods and services such as subway tickets, water supply, taxi fares, parking fees and mobile phone charges - just more than a decade ago to guarantee public participation in and supervision of national affairs.

But many people say that public hearings have become a mere formality, prompting ordinary people to shun them.

People have been alienated from and criticize public hearings mainly for two reasons. The system fails to guarantee the implementation of measures agreed to in 2008 because the increase in the prices of some goods and services are approved without any public hearing.

And the pricing management department is not impartial and does not necessarily protect public interests, because when monopoly companies try to increase prices, relevant departments not only go along with their wishes, but also select "obedient public representatives" for public hearings.

The existing system has to be reformed if we want to change the phenomenon.

Perhaps it would be better if third parties were invited to conduct public hearings to ensure transparency of information, set the procedures and choose real public representatives instead of obedient participants.

(China Daily 07/26/2011 page9)