XN000022-1974-04-10 — Page 11

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 1974

1.C.A.C. OPERATIONS TARGET COMMITTEE

GETS DOWN TO WORK XXXXXXXX

THE OPERATIONS TARGET COMMITTEE OF THE INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION HELD ITS FIRST MEETING THIS MORNING.

SITTING UN THIS ADVISORY BODY ARE THE HON. JOYCE SYMONS, SIR RONALD HOLMES, DR. RAYSON HUANG, THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE OR HIS REPRESENTATIVE, A PRINCIPAL CROWN COUNSEL REPRESENTING THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, MR. JACK CATER AS WELL AS MR. JOHN PRENDER GAST.

THE

SPEAKING IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON. WOO PAK-CHUEN IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THE ACTING CULONIAL SECRETARY, THE HON. MICHAEL CLINTON SAID THERE WOULD BE NO POINT IN SETTING UP THE OTHER TUO ADVISORY BODIES OF THE COMMISSION CORRUPTION PREVENTION COMMITTEE AND THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON COMMUNITY RELATIONS-- UNTIL THE STAFF TO SERVICE THEM HAD BEEN RECRUITED AND TRAINED.

HE POINTED OUT THAT PRIORITY FOR THE STAFFING OF THE COMMISSIJN MUST BE GIVEN TO THE OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT.

HOWEVER, RECRUITMENT AND STAFFING OF THE CORRUPTION PREVENTION DEPARTMENT AND OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS DEPARTMENT IS PROCEEDING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE BUT IS UNLIKELY TO BE COMPLETED UNTIL ABOUT SEPTEMBER WHEN NEW OFFICE ACCOMMODATION FOR THE COMMISSION WILL BECOME AVAILABLE.

ALTHOUGH STAFF TO SERVE THE TWO ADVISORY COMMITTEES WILL NOT BE FULLY OPERATIVE UNTIL ABOUT SEPTEMBER, +PLANNING FOR THESE COMMITTEES, INCLUDING MEMBERSHIP, IS UNDER WAY AND IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE TO ANNOUNCE DETAILS SUME TIME IN JUNE,+ MR. CLINTUN SAID.

HE ADDED THAT IT WOULD BE UNWISE AT THIS STAGE TO OVERBURDEN THE COMMISSION WITH FURTHER ADVISORY BODIES, NOT, AT LEAST, UNTIL THE THREE DEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEES HAVE BEEN FULLY ESTABLISHED.

+CUNSEQUENTLY, THE NEED FOR FURTHER UNOFFICIAL ASSOCIATION WITH THE WORK OF THE COMMISSION IN THE FORM OF AN ADVISORY COUNCIL WILL BE CONSIDERED ONCE THESE THREE COMMITTEES HAVE FOUND THEIR FEET AND HAVE BEEN IN OPERATION FOR SOME TIME, HE SAID..

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