XN000022-1985-10-30 — Page 29

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1985

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CCB LAUNCHING BIG OFFENSIVE

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A STRENGTHENED COMMERCIAL CRIME BUREAU IS SPEARHEADING AN ASSAULT ON COMMERCIAL CRIME, AND SOME 30 PER CENT OF THE ICAC'S OPERATIONS ARE NOW DIRECTED TO INVESTIGATIONS IN THIS FIELD.

TALKING ABOUT LAW AND ORDER IN HIS ANNUAL ADDRESS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY), THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, REPORTED A NOTICEABLE RISE IN COMMERCIAL CRIME IN RECENT YEARS AND THE CONTINUATION OF THE TREND IN LARGE SCALE FRAUDS FACILITATED BY CORRUPTION WHICH HE REFERRED TO LAST YEAR.

+CRIME OF THIS NATURE DAMAGES THE COMMUNITY AND BESMIRCHES HONG KONG'S REPUTATION INTERNATIONALLY, HE SAID, ADDING THAT AN ASSAULT HAS BEEN LAUNCHED BY THE COMMERCIAL CRIME BUREAU,

REGARDING THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON COMPLEX COMMERCIAL CRIME, SIR EDWARD SAID HE WOULD INVITE THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER THE CONTINUATION OF THE WORK BY REAPPOINTMENT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE FOR THE COMING SESSION.

ON VIOLENT CRIME, THE GOVERNOR SAID AN AGGRESSIVE CRIME PREVENTION CAMPAIGN CONTINUED UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE.

+I HAVE ASKED THE COMMITTEE TO GIVE HIGH PRIORITY TO FURTHER MEASURES TO COMBAT THE INSIDIOUS MENANCE OF TRIADS, HE SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THAT 1985 WOULD PROBABLY SHOW A SLIGHT INCREASE OVER 1984 IN RECORDED CRIME, DUE LARGELY TO AN INCREASE IN BURGLARY AND SHOPLIFTING.

+BY CONTRAST, THE DECREASE IN VIOLENT CRIME RECORDED IN 1984 HAS CONTINUED IN 1985, WITH A FURTHER REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF ROBBERIES AND CASES INVOLVING FIREARMS, HE SAID.

TURNING TO CORRUPTION, SIR EDWARD SAID REPORTS RECEIVED BY THE ICAC HAD IN TOTAL SHOWN AN INCREASE OF SEVEN PER CENT SO FAR THIS YEAR, WITH A MORE MARKED INCREASE OF 16 PER CENT IN REPORTS RELATING TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

+AS PART OF THE CONTINUING EFFORT AGAINST CORRUPTION IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, THE COMMISSIONER HAS RECENTLY FORMED A CORRUPTION PREVENTION ADVISORY SERVICES GROUP WHICH, ON REQUEST, ADVISES PRIVATE BUSINESSES AND COMPANIES ON WAYS IN WHICH THE RISK OF CORRUPT PRACTICES MAY BE MINIMISED.

+THIS SERVICE HAS BEEN DRAWN TO THE ATTENTION OF GOVERNMENT- LISTED CONTRACTORS AND SUBVENTED ORGANISATIONS, AND IS AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS OF PROFESSIONAL AND BUSINESS SOCIETIES AND ASSOCIATIONS,✦ HE SAID.

/ON THE