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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1993
THE GOVERNOR POINTED OUT THAT THE ICAC WOULD START ITS THIRD DECADE OPERATIONS IN 1994 AND ITS FIRST PRIORITY WOULD CONTINUE TO BE TO ENSURE THAT THE CIVIL SERVICE WOULD CONTINUE TO SET A CONSPICUOUS EXAMPLE TO THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY OF FREEDOM FROM MALPRACTICES OF ANY KIND.
DESPITE PAST SUCCESSES, THE GOVERNOR NOTED, HONG KONG HAD BECOME INCREASINGLY ALARMED ABOUT CORRUPTION OVER THE LAST YEAR.
IN THE FIRST EIGHT MONTHS OF 1993, THE ICAC RECORDED A 44 PER CENT RISE IN COMPLAINTS ABOUT CORRUPTION RECEIVED FROM THE PUBLIC OVER THE SAME PERIOD IN 1992.
THE INCREASE AFFECTED THE PRIVATE AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC SECTOR, HE SAID.
POINTING OUT THAT THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION WOULD BE A NEW CHALLENGE, THE GOVERNOR SAID: "IF WE ARE TO MAINTAIN HONG KONG'S REPUTATION AS A CITY IN WHICH PEOPLE CAN LIVE, WORK AND CARRY ON THEIR BUSINESS FREE FROM INTIMIDATION AND EXTORTION, WE HAVE TO DEAL RUTHLESSLY WITH CORRUPTION.
"THE VERY LOW LEVEL OF CORRUPTION THAT HONG KONG HAS ACHIEVED OVER THE LAST TWO DECADES HAS BEEN A MAJOR ASSET IN OUR DEVELOPMENT AS AN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CENTRE."
PRESS FOR BETTER NATIONALITY DEAL FOR ETHNIC MINORITY
AND EX-SERVICEMEN'S WIVES AND WIDOWS
*
TO
THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, WILL CONTINUE PRESS THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT AS STRONGLY AS HE CAN FOR A BETTER DEAL FOR HONG KONG'S ETHNIC MINORITIES AND FOR THE WIVES AND WIDOWS OF EX- SERVICEMEN ON THE NATIONALITY ISSUE.
THE ASSURANCE WAS MADE BY THE GOVERNOR IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) WHEN HE DELIVERED HIS SECOND POLICY ADDRESS.
MR PATTEN NOTED THAT THE RESPONSE SO FAR FROM THE UK HAD NOT GONE AS FAR AS HONG KONG WOULD WANT.
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