CONFIDENTIAL
BACKGROUND
Much has been said over the years on the subject of
corruption in Hong Kong. Government departments, in particular
the Royal Hong Kong Police Force, have frequently been the target
for allegations on the subject. Usually such allegations are
based on little more than assumption and rumour or on sources of
information that the complainants have been unwilling to reveal.
That corruption does exist in Hong Kong there can be no doubt,
but its extent is a matter for conjecture and the difficulties of
dealing with it are well known.
2. No one is more alive to the dangers of corruption than the
Governor himself, particularly where it exists in the public service.
Hong Kong Establishment Regulations already contain strong
di sciplinary provisions designed to combat corruption that are
unique in the Colonial Service context (i.e. an officer can be
required to account for the accretion of financial resources
beyond levels considered reasonable having regard to his official
emclurents).
3.
In July, 1969, the Hong Kong Government published a draft
Frevention of Bribery Bill for the purpose of assessing public
reaction to the somewhat stringent measures it contained. At
the same time copies of the Bill were sent to the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office for study. The Bill is primarily designed
to deal with corruption in the public service (including a
number of privately-owned public utilities listed in a schedule)
but it is also aimed at persons offering bribes to public servants.
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