'Color-blind' officials paint new picture of old problem

The authorities of Sanhe, Langfang city, Hebei province, are caught up in a whirling vortex these days after they enforced a sweeping ban prohibiting shop signs, advertisement boards or other public signs using the colors of black, red and blue.

The local government has instructed that the three colors be replaced with green, a color that local officials claim gives the county a more international look. So even the red cross used to identify clinics and hospitals has been changed to green.

Despite the wide complaints of the shop owners who think the authorities have gone too far with this absurd move, local officials insist they have just carried out a policy of the county.

It is reported the only "legitimate" base for the "color revolution" to promote the "green development" of the county is a guideline on urban planning, construction and management the county issued late last year.

So the question is whether the public had been fully consulted in making the guideline, and, if not, whether the watchdog departments in the county can play their due roles to prevent a problematic guideline from being carried out by force in the face of public opposition to its peremptory implementation.

The sweeping ban on the three colors and the authorities' efforts to enforce it have gone viral on social media, triggering a heated discussion on the role of the authorities in the process of building a rule-of-law business environment.

Under mounting public pressure, the major persons in charge of the Sanhe authorities were removed from their posts for investigation on Tuesday, according to the superior Langfang authorities.

But be they found at fault or not, the incident has exposed the old problem of effectively supervising grassroots power-holders remains unresolved, despite so many laws, regulations and rules being introduced to that effect.

Whether grassroots officials act reasonably in fulfilling their duties has a direct bearing on people's sense of gain and happiness.

As the "last mile" in the implementation of the central authorities' guidelines and policies, the performance of the officials at the county and lower levels is of vital importance to social security, stability and prosperity.

Green development is more than color, and law-based governance goes far beyond the law.

- Li Yang, China Daily