XN000022-1974-05-08 — Page 2

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UZDILESDAY, MAY 8, 1974.

1,500 REPORTS FOR ICAC IN THREE MONTHS

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THE INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION HAS RECEIVED 1,499 REPORTS SINCE ITS INCEPTION ALMUST THREE MONTHS AGO, THE ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY, THE HON. MICHAEL CLINTON, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS AFTERNOON.

ANSWERING A QUESTION BY THE HON. LI FOOK-VO, MR. CLINTON SAID ONLY 929 OF THESE CASES, THOUGH THIS IS A LARGE NUMBER, CONTAINED SPECIFIC ALLEGATIONS OF CORRUPTION.

THE REMAINDER BEING CONCERNED WITH VERY GENERALISED OR VAGUE ALLEGATIONS OF CORRUPTION OR MISCELLANEOUS ALLEGATIONS NOT INVOLVING CORRUPTION.

+IT IS NOT POSSIBLE AS YET TO SAY HOW MANY OF THE COMPLAINTS WHICH CONTAINED SPECIFIC ALLEGATIONS OF CORRUPTION HAVE SUFFICIENT MATERIAL TO ENABLE AN INVESTIGATION TO BE MOUNTED BUT THE COMMISSION'S EXPERIENCE SO FAR INDICATES THAT ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF THESE COMPLAINTS, THAT IS ABOUT 600 DURING THE LAST THREE MONTHS, PROVIDE SUFFICIENT MATERIAL FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION.

+IN ADDITION, THE COMMISSION HAS INHERITED ABOUT 220-CASES FROM THE ANTI-CORRUPTION OFFICE OF THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE AND THESE ARE ALSO UNDER INVESTIGATION, + HE SAID.

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COMMENTING ON THE STAFFING SITUATION OF THE COMMISSION'S OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT, MR. CLINTON SAID THE PRESENT OPERATIONAL ESTABLISHMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT WAS 160 OFFICERS BUT ITS STRENGTH IS 149.

+IN A PAPER WHICH IS TO BE CONSIDERED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OF THIS COUNCIL LATER TUDAY, THE COMMISSIONER PROPOSES TO INCREASE THE OPERATIONAL STRENGTH OF THE OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT OF THE COMMISSION TO 210, AN INCREASE OVER THE PRESENT OPERATIONAL ESTABLISHMENT OF 30 OFFICERS.+

IN VIEW OF THIS, HE SAID THE EXISTING STAFF OF THE DEPART- MENT COULD NOT AT PRESENT KEEP PACE WITH THE CURRENT INVESTIGAT- IGN CASE LOAD.

HOWEVER, IF THE ADDITIONAL POSTS REQUESTED VERE APPROVED, AND PROVIDED THAT RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING CONTINUES SATISFACTOR- ILY, THE COMMISSIONER WOULD HOPE TO BE IN A POSITION TO DEAL WITH ALL CASES REQUIRING INVESTIGATION. IF NOT, I AM SURE, HE WILL SIMPLY ASK FOR MORE RESOURCES,+ MR. CLINTON ADDED.

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