15
Q. How do you see the working relations between the ICAC and the Police especially
after the case brought up by the 4 ICAC officers.
A. I think it is one of the more satisfactory developments in HK how the working
relationship between these two law enforcement bodies has improved and I am
perfectly satisfied that that is so. I am not going to comment on the Kai
Tak case because it's a subject of litigation. Generally speaking working
co-operation including many joint operations is going very well.
Q. We have seen lots of problems with pollution in HK recently are you happy
with what the Govt is doing to combat pollution. Should it be more.
A. Every Govt can always do more about everything. You probably have noticed
that in an exceptionally busy Leg Co session the water pollution bill has
just been passed and this is a major piece of legislation and should form
a good frame work for tackling the problem of water pollution which I think
is one of the most serious ones.
Progressively we will introduce legislation which will give us the means of
tackling over a period different types of pollution. I should add that there
is no question of quick action. The pollution bill in the UK which had such
a dramatic effect on fogs in London took about 20 years but within that
period it solved the problem, there hasn't been a smog in London for a very long time.
We have got to be careful that we do not introduce legislation which is so
tight that it inhibits industry but new industry and control of pollution can
be combined perfectly well, but it will take time and good sense to ensure that existing polluting industry is not destroyed by the legislation, and I would add in my view certainly water pollution is caused more by agricultural
pollution than it is by industrial. This problem is enormous and extremely
difficult to solve.
Q. The ICAC has greater powers of investigation than any law enforcement agency
in the West greater powers than the FBI for example and two weeks ago the Govt extended those powers do you think the ICAC is doing enough to curb corruption and is corruption still a problem?
A. It's in the East if I may say so.
Their case load is about the same. There have been none of the big syndicated cases that there originally were and that's progress. But corruption isn't a thing that can be disposed of overnight. It's a long uphill struggle to keep on pressure over a period of time. That's what the ICAC is doing and extremely responsibly. Whatever the comparison may be with the FBI or the Metropolitan Police I am not concerned; I think it's generally accepted by the population.