XN000022-1993-09-22 — Page 2

1

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1993

CORRUPTION MUST BE PREVENTED: GOVERNOR

(WEDNESDAY)

THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, TODAY SAID HE WAS DETERMINED TO DO EVERYTHING TO PREVENT CORRUPTION.

MR PATTEN WAS SPEAKING AT A LUNCHEON MEETING ORGANISED BY THE HONG KONG FOREIGN BANKS REPRESENTATIVES ASSOCIATION.

HE SAID AFTER YEARS OF DECLINE, CORRUPTION WAS INCREASING AGAIN IN HONG KONG.

COMPLAINTS TO THE INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION IN THE FIRST EIGHT MONTHS OF THIS YEAR ARE UP 44 PER CENT ON THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR. COMPLAINTS ARE UP IN BOTH THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS.

-

LEAST

WE

"'I AM DETERMINED THAT WHILE I AM GOVERNOR AT SHOULD DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PREVENT IT, THE GOVERNOR SAID.

"I

HE WARNED THAT A RETURN TO CORRUPTION,

CORRUPTION WOULD RUIN HONG KONG.

A NEW TOLERANCE OF

"I REGARD CORRUPTION AS ONE OF THE MOST SERIOUS THREATS TO HONG KONG'S FUTURE BEFORE AND AFTER THE TRANSFER OF SOVEREIGNTY."

KONG

--

THERE IS NOTHING INEVITABLE ABOUT CORRUPTION, MR PATTEN SAID.

I DO NOT ACCEPT FOR ONE MINUTE THE VIEW THAT JUST BECAUSE HONG IS DOING MORE BUSINESS WITH COMMUNITIES WHERE EVEN THEIR OWN AUTHORITIES ACKNOWLEDGE, THERE ARE FORMIDABLE PROBLEMS WITH CORRUPTION THAT IT FOLLOWS THAT CORRUPTION IN HONG KONG SHOULD INCREASE, HE

SAID.

"

HE SAID THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON WHY HONG KONG BUSINESSMEN AND WOMEN WORKING AND INVESTING OUTSIDE HONG KONG SHOULD AGREE TO ENGAGE IN CORRUPT PRACTICES.

ני

'INDEED, THEY WOULD BE VERY FOOLISH IF THEY DID, PARTICULARLY GIVEN THE TOUGH MEASURES BEING TAKEN ELSEWHERE TO DEAL WITH CORRUPTION, MR PATTEN SAID.

H

1

0

/2