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related to government departments. At the end of the year, 16 studies were under preparation and 157 areas of activity were awaiting study.
As the department broadens its scope of activity, and refines its methods of identi- fying corruption opportunities and devising preventive measures, more advice is being given by letter. This takes much less time than a full-scale study and allows a much wider field to be covered. This type of work may well form the bulk of corrup- tion prevention activity in the long term.
Community Relations
The task of educating the public against the evils of corruption and enlisting their support rests with the Community Relations Department. These aims are far-reaching and involve not only the promotion of greater civic awareness, but also greater faith in good government and, inevitably, higher social ethics. The department is guided by the Citizens' Advisory Committee on Community Relations, whose members come from a cross-section of the community.
The department's activities fall into two broad categories - public information and education through the mass media; and personal contact with the public, individually or in groups, mainly through local offices.
The seven local offices, situated in densely-populated areas, are open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day of the year to take reports about corruption, to answer questions and to liaise with the public. A further two offices are planned.
During the year, contact was made with different sectors of the community through a programme of liaison talks and through 5,409 visits and meetings. As a result of these activities, many community groups joined forces to promote the need to combat corruption and to foster higher social ethics.
Work with educational institutions and the teaching profession highlighted the need to introduce into classrooms the aims and aspirations of the commission and, more importantly, positive values and social attitudes.
The department's liaison effort is complemented by public education through the mass media. This involves the dissemination of information through the Press, radio and television, and through other graphic or written material.
A Community Research Unit monitors public attitudes towards corruption and the impact of the commission's education programme. At the end of the year, the unit was collating and analysing research findings that will be used to help plan the future development and direction of the department.
In December, an ICAC Complaints Committee was set up to monitor complaints against the commission. The committee is made up of seven unofficial members of the Executive and Legislative Councils and a law officer, with the administrative secretary of the UMELCO Office and an ICAC official serving as joint secretaries.
The committee's terms of reference are to monitor and, where it considers appro- priate, to review the handling by the ICAC of complaints by anyone against the ICAC and its officers; identify any faults in ICAC procedures that lead or might lead to complaints; and, when it considers appropriate, to make recommendations to the Commissioner of the ICAC or, when necessary, to the Governor.
The committee is to submit a summary of cases it has considered to the Governor within six months and thereafter once a year.