36
-
WEDNESDAY, JULY 11, 1990
ICAC OPERATIONS DEPT HANDLED 2,423 CASES IN 1989
* * * * *
THE OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT OF THE INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION INVESTIGATED 2,423 REPORTS ALLEGING CORRUPTION IN 1989, AN EIGHT PER CENT INCREASE ON 1988, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON CORRUPTION, DR THE HON DANIEL TSE, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
TABLING THE ICAC ANNUAL REPORT IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, DR TSE SAID THAT OF PARTICULAR SIGNIFICANCE WAS THAT 1,573 OF THESE REPORTS WERE CAPABLE OF INVESTIGATION -- THE HIGHEST NUMBER IN ONE YEAR SINCE THE COMMISSION WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1974.
ALTHOUGH ALLEGATIONS OF CORRUPTION INVOLVING THE PUBLIC SERVICES HAD DECREASED BY ONE PER CENT COMPARED WITH THOSE IN 1988, DR TSE SAID ALLEGATIONS IN RESPECT OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR HAD INCREASED BY 15 PER CENT TO 1,326, THE HIGHEST NUMBER RECORDED SINCE 1974.
HE SAID THAT AS A RESULT OF THE INCREASED NUMBER OF ALLEGATIONS CAPABLE OF INVESTIGATION, THE NUMBER OF PERSONS PROSECUTED AND CAUTIONED IN 1989 WAS 487, THE FOURTH HIGHEST SO FAR.
ACCORDING TO DR TSE, ONE CONSEQUENCE OF THE INCREASE IN ALLEGATIONS INVOLVING THE PRIVATE SECTOR HAD BEEN THAT THE CORRUPTION PREVENTION DEPARTMENT WAS RECEIVING AN INCREASING NUMBER OF REQUESTS FROM PRIVATE SECTOR ORGANISATIONS TO ADVISE ON MEASURES TO PREVENT CORRUPTION AND FRAUD.
"DURING 1989, THE DEPARTMENT SO ASSISTED 176 ORGANISATIONS, THE HIGHEST NUMBER SINCE THE DEPARTMENT'S PRIVATE SECTOR ADVISORY SERVICE WAS ESTABLISHED, HE SAID.
TT
HE SAID THAT ANOTHER REASON FOR THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF ALLEGATIONS CAPABLE OF INVESTIGATION WAS THE PUBLICITY THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN GIVING THROUGH DIRECT CONTACTS WITH THE PUBLIC AND THROUGH THE MASS MEDIA.
DR TSE NOTED THAT IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING THE MESSAGE ACROSS TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR, THE ICAC HAD HAD CONSIDERABLE HELP FROM COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL ORGANISATIONS.
HAD ALSO FOCUSSED PARTICULAR
YOUNG,
HE SAID THAT THE DEPARTMENT ATTENTION ON GETTING THE ANTI-CORRUPTION MESSAGE ACROSS TO THE AND THE RESPONSE WAS GENERALLY FAVOURABLE.
0
/37