WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1976
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I.C.A.C. HAS MARKED SUCCESS, SAYS GOVERNOR
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THE INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION HAS MADE A VERY CONSIDERABLE IMPACT BOTH IN CHECKING CORRUPTION AND IN RE-ESTABLISHING THE GOOD NAME OF HONG KONG OVERSEAS, THE GOVERNOR SAID TODAY.
IN HIS ADDRESS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE SAID, HOWEVER, THAT THE ATTACK ON CORRUPTION WOULD CONTINUE INEXORABLY.
+THERE WILL BE NO RELAXATION, NO LET UP, UNTIL THIS PROBLEM IS BEHIND US, AND I KNOW THAT NO ONE HERE WOULD HAVE IT OTHERWISE,+ SAID THE GOVERNOR.
HE SAID THE OPERATIONS BRANCH HAD REACHED FULL ESTABLISHMENT AND BECOME A POTENT DETERRENT.
+MOREOVER, IT IS NOW ABLE NOT ONLY TO REACT TO COMPLAINTS, BUT INCREASINGLY TO TAKE THE OFFENSIVE AGAINST THOSE INVOLVED IN THE DEEP-SEATED ORGANISED CORRUPTION WHICH HAS HITHERTO ESCAPED THE LAW, HE ADDED.
SIR MURRAY POINTED OUT THAT THE PROCESS OF DETECTION AND PUNISHMENT MUST BE ACCOMPANIED INCREASINGLY BY PREVENTION AND EDUCATION AND THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S DETERMINATION TO STAMP OUT CORRUPTION WAS SO AMPLY PROVED THERE WAS A MUCH BETTER PROSPECT OF ACHIEVING RESULTS IN THESE PREVENTIVE FIELDS.
+THUS MR. CATER WILL NOW PLACE INCREASING EMPHASIS ON THE WORK OF HIS OTHER TWO DEPARTMENTS FOR COMMUNITY RELATIONS AND CORRUPTION PREVENTION,+
ON CRITICISM THAT THE ICAC SHOULD BE CONCERNED WITH THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE RATHER THAN THE PAST EXCEPT IN MAJOR CASES- THAT IT SHOULD BE CONCERNED WITH MAJOR OFFENCES RATHER THAN MINOR ONES AND WITH THE PUBLIC RATHER THAN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, THE GOVERNOR SAID THESE WERE PRECISELY WHAT ICAC'S PRIORITIES WERE.
+BUT THE LAW LEAVES THE COMMISSIONER LITTLE DISCRETION.
+HE MUST INVESTIGATE COMPLAINTS BROUGHT, AND WHEN SATISFIED THAT A CASE EXISTS, SUBMIT IT TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. +
THE GOVERNOR SAID IT WAS UP TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND HIS OFFICE TO DECIDE WHAT FURTHER ACTION IS APPROPRIATE.
SIR MURRAY ALSO PAID TRIBUTE TO MR. PRENDERGAST WHO HE SAID, +RAS FULFILLED HIS UNDERTAKING GIVEN TO ME NEARLY THREE AND A HALF YEARS AGO, TO CREATE AN OPERATIONS UNIT CAPABLE OF DETECTING CORRUPTION IN HONG KONG AND OF BRINGING IT TO JUSTICE.+
+WHEN HE RETIRES NEXT JANUARY HE WILL HAVE ROUNDED OFF A CAREER OF GREAT DISTINCTION WITH AN EXCEPTIONALLY DIFFICULT ASSIGMENT EXCEPTIONALLY WELL DONE, SIR MURRAY SAID.
SUMMING UP HIS REMARKS ON ICAC, THE GOVERNOR SAID, THE INDEPENDENT COMMISSION IS HAVING MARKED SUCCESS, IT COMMANDS THE SUPPORT OF THE POPULATION, AND ALL OF US, I AM SURE, DEVOUTLY WISH IT QUICK SUCCESS SO THAT WE CAN PUT THE PAST BEHIND US.+
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