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27
Wednesday, October 17, 1973
We know that Hong Kong is not alone in the world in facing a
problem of corruption. We know of many cities and countries much worse
and many no better in Europe, America, and Asia, and which have not known
the pressures under which we here have existed. I wonder what the result
would be if many governments whether national or municipal, opened their
most confidential files to impartial and expert scrutiny and published
the results? We have done this, because we realise that there is only
one way to stop people calling Hong Kong corrupt, and that is to eradicate
corruption from our society. This we are determined to do.
Fugitive Offenders Act
The Godber affair has highlighted the case for amendment of the
Fugitive Offenders Act, as recommended by Sir Alastair Hair-Kerr. The
requirement of double criminality is hard to understand in the case of
a dependent territory, such as Hong Kong. We feel sure it was not
H.M.G.' intention in the Fugitive Offenders Act to frustrate the intention
of laws approved by H.M.G. in Hong Kong.
I have represented to the Secretary of State the strong feelings
on this subject here. This, of course, is not the only way to bring
back: Godber for trial, It remains only for one man to come forward and
give conclusive evidence of a corrupt transaction.
/Narcotics