XN000022-1993-07-15 — Page 14

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THURSDAY, JULY 15, 1993

GOVERNOR: THE HONOURABLE MEMBER IS BOTH RIGHT AND NOT QUITE RIGHT. RIGHT TOTALLY IN THE PRIORITY WHICH SHE ACCORDS TO THIS SUBJECT, RIGHT IN SAYING THAT THERE HAS BEEN A PERCEPTIBLE INCREASE IN THE PROBLEM, A 30 PER CENT INCREASE IN REPORTS OF CORRUPTION OVER THE FIRST HALF OF THIS YEAR. NOT WHOLLY RIGHT IN THE DISTINCTION WHICH SHE DRAWS BETWEEN PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTORS BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE INCREASE IT HAS IN REPORTING, IT'S BEEN PRETTY MUCH THE SAME FOR BUSINESS AS BEEN FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR THOUGH THE ABSOLUTE FIGURES MAY BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT. I THINK THAT FIRST OF ALL WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THE ICAC IS PROPERLY RESOURCED. THAT DOESN'T MEAN ANYMORE THAN IT DOES FOR THE POLICE THAT ONE CAN THROW OUT OF THE WINDOW ANY OF THE NORMAL TECHNIQUES AND PRACTICES OF GOOD MANAGEMENT AND PRUDENT FINANCING THAN ONE WOULD APPLY ANYWHERE ELSE BUT IT DOES MEAN THAT THE IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS OF THE ICAC SHOULDN'T BE LIMITED BY LACK OF RESOURCING. SECONDLY IT MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THE PREVENTIVE WORK UNDERTAKEN BY THE ICAC AND THE EDUCATIONAL ROLE THAT IT CARRIES OUT IN THE COMMUNITY ARE BOTH PURSUED DILIGENTLY. THIRDLY, WE HAVE TO TRY TO

THAT ENSURE

WE'RE ABLE NOT ONLY TO INVESTIGATE BUT TO PROSECUTE AS FREQUENTLY AS POSSIBLE. WE ALSO IN MY VIEW HAVE TO IMPROVE OUR COMMUNICATIONS WITH CHINA. I'M PLEASED THAT THE ICAC HAVE DEVELOPED A GOOD INSTITUTIONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PROCURATURE IN CHINA. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT BOTH FOR CHINA AND FOR US. FIGHTING CORRUPTION IS A JOINT CHALLENGE TO CHINA AND HONG KONG AND I THINK WE COULD BOTH DO OURSELVES SOME GOOD BY TACKLING IT JOINTLY. FINALLY, AS I INDICATED EARLIER, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY OR FOR LEADERS OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY TO GIVE A LEAD IN UNDERLINING THAT CORRUPTION WHEREVER IT COMES FROM IS UNACCEPTABLE. THE HOME BASE OF A COMPANY, THE CONTACTS WHICH A COMPANY OR INDIVIDUAL MAY HAVE, NONE OF THOSE THINGS SHOULD MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE WHEN IT COMES

TO RIGOROUSLY ROUTING OUT CORRUPTION, PREVENTING IT SEEPING IN TO HONG KONG AND DOING THE SORT OF DAMAGE WHICH WE ALL WANT

ΤΟ AVOID IF AT ALL

POSSIBLE.

MRS PEGGY LAM: THANK YOU MR PRESIDENT. I'D LIKE TO ASK MR GOVERNOR THIS QUESTION, AND IT HAS TO DO WITH LAW AND ORDER. RECENTLY, IT SEEMS THAT VIOLENT CRIMES IN HONG KONG HAVE BEEN ON THE INCREASE. I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHETHER THE GOVERNOR IS GOING TO STUDY WHY ARE THEY ON THE INCREASE. FOR INSTANCE, RECENTLY THERE HAVE BEEN TWO MURDERS AND THEY WERE NOT ONLY SIMPLY MURDERS, BUT THE BODIES WERE BEING VERY BRUTALLY HANDLED, AND SO I THINK WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO THINK OF WAYS TO STOP SUCH BRUTAL CRIMES, AND WHAT DETERRENT MEASURES WILL BE THOUGHT OF BY THE GOVERNMENT. FOR EXAMPLE, WHETHER CAPITAL PUNISHMENT WOULD BE CONSIDERED?

GOVERNOR: CAN I FIRST OF ALL, REFERRING BACK TO AN ANSWER I GAVE EARLIER, SAY THAT I MAY HAVE, SO I'M ADVISED BY ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES, ALONG THE WIRES, I MAY HAVE SAID THAT EXPENDITURE ON THE POLICE THIS YEAR WAS SEVEN BILLION DOLLARS MORE THAN LAST YEAR. IF I DID, I SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID THAT. RECURRENT EXPENDITURE ON THE POLICE THIS YEAR, LEAVING OUT CAPITAL, IS SEVEN BILLION DOLLARS WHICH HAS, AMONG OTHER THINGS, SECURED AN INCREASE OF ABOUT 350 IN THE NUMBER OF POLICE OFFICERS ON THE BEAT. IF I SUGGESTED OTHER THAN THAT EARLIER, THEN I AM HAPPY TO BE CORRECTED BY NAMELESS BUT BLESSED SUPPORTERS.

IF, ON THE OTHER HAND, I GOT IT RIGHT EARLIER AND THEY ARE WRONG, I'LL HAVE A WORD WITH THEM AFTERWARDS.

/VIOLENT CRIME