LABOUR LEGISLATION
IN CONFIDENCE
3.8 Hong Kong has an extensive range of labour legislation, controlling working hours and conditions for women and young people, paid holdiays and leave, workmen's compensation, safety at work,
etc. The employment of children under the age of 15 is banned in both industrial and non-industrial undertakings.
3.9 There are no legal obstacles to the development of effective
trade unions, though in the absence of a tradition of labour unionisation and because of political factors, only a minority of
workers belong to unions and those that exist tend to be small and
relatively ineffective.
SECTION 4: TOPICAL ISSUES (INTERNAL)
CORRUPTION
4.1
Public attention focussed on the problem of corruption in 1973 following the arrest and subsequent conviction on corruption
charges of a senior expatriate police officer. This led to the establishment of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) in February 1974. The Commission, which is answerable direct to the Governor, investigates complaints of corruption, gives advice on how to prevent it, and enlists community support for the drive against corruption. By the middle of 1977, ICAC had succeeded in breaking up the major corruption syndicates in Hong Kong. However, in October and November 1977, a feeling of persecution, nurtured by a corrupt minority, developed in the Royal Hong Kong Police Force. The consequent pressure led to a limited amnesty and, as was hoped, this de-fused the situation. Subsequently, a Home Office team led by an Inspector of Constabulary, was invited by the Governor to
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IN CONFIDENCE