Wednesday, October 17, 1973
MR. CATER TO HEAD NEW INDEPENDENT ANTI-CORRUPTION BODY
Government Determined To Stamp Out Corruption
An independent Anti-Corruption Commission will be set up with the
double task of rooting out corruption and educating the public on the evils of
graft.
Announcing this today, the Governor, Sir Murray MacLehose, made it
made on the advice of the Executive Council
clear however that the decision
did not in any way reflect on the "devoted work" of the present Anti-Corruption
Branch and of the police force in general.
The new Commission is to be headed by Mr. Jack Cater, Secretary for Home
Affairs, who has been specially released from his contract with the Telephone
Company to enable him to undertake this new service to Hong Kong.
He will be assisted by Mr. John Prendergast, a former Director of the
Special Branch of the Royal Hong Kong Police Force, who is appointed Director of
Operations with immediate effect.
"The implications of these appointments will be apparent the government
means business," Sir Murray said.
"The calibre and experience of these men provide assurance that this is so,
None are botter qualified to find out the truth and to set about carefully but
inexorably eradicating this end mic disease."
In due course,
the Governor said, one or two more officers from United
Kingdom police forces with special experience in anti-corruption work would be
appointed at different levels. But basically, it was for Hong Kong to put its
own house in order "and I know very well we have the men and women both inside and
outside the police force to do it."
Bir Murray