TNAG-0409-FCO40-455-Allegations-of-bribery-and-corruption-in-the-Hong-Kong-polic-1973 — Page 88

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MIS RECORD AS A POLICEMAN IS ONE OF UNBROKEN SUCCESS IN MANY DIFFERENT SITUATIONS, AND HE HAS THE ADVANTAGE OF EXPERIENCE OF HONG KONG BETWEEN 1960 AND 1966 AS DIRECTOR SPECIAL BRANCH. THE SECOND IS MR FRANK WILLIAMSON, WHO HAS RECENTLY BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH MEASURES TO ERADICATE CORRUPTION IN PROVINCIAL POLICE FORCES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. THESE ARE BOTH MEN OF THE HIGHEST DISTINCTION.

THE IMPLICATIONS OF THESE THREE APPOINTMENTS WILL IMMEDIATELY BE APPARENT THE GOVERNMENT MEANS BUSINESS.

THE CALIBRE AND EXPERIENCE OF THESE MEN PROVIDES ASSURANCE THAT THIS IS SO. NONE ARE BETTER QUALIFIED TO FIND OUT THE TRUTH, AND SET ABOUT CARFEFULLY BUT INEXORABLY ERADICATING THIS ENDEMIC DISEASE. I HAVE NO ILLUSIONS THAT THIS WILL BE ANYTHING BUT A SLOW, LONG, UPHILL PROCESS: BUT EVERYTHING THAT ENERGY, DEVOTION AND OFFICIAL BACKING CAN DO TO ACHIEVE RESULTS WILL BE DONE.

I WOULD LIKE TO ADD A FEW MORE WORDS ON THIS SUBJECT, WE HERE IN HONG KONG KNOW THE STRENGTHS AS WELL AS THE WEAKNESSES OF OUR COMMUNITY, OUR GOVERNMENT AND OUR PUBLIC SERVICES. WHEN WE CRITICISE FAULTS HERE, WE DO SO TO AN AUDIENCE WELL AWARE ALSO OF THE STRENGTHS AND ACHIEVEMENTS THAT MAKE UP THE FULL PICTURE OF HONG KONG. BUT THIS IS NOT SO OVERSEAS. AS THIS MATTER IS DEVELOPING, THE PEOPLE OF MANY COUNTRIES WILL SOON BELIEVE THAT THE ONLY THING NOTABLE ABOUT HONG KONG IS ITS CORRUPTION,

WE KNOW THAT HONG KONG IS NOT ALONE IN THE WORLD IN FACING

A PROBLEM OF CORRUPTION. WE KNOW OF MANY CITIES AND COUNTRIES MUCH WORSE AND MANY NO BETTER IN EUROPE, AMERICA, AND ASIA, AND WHICH HAVE NOT KNOWN THE PRESSURES UNDER WHICH WE HERE HAVE EXISTED. I WONDER WHAT THE RESULT WOULD BE IF MANY GOVERNMENTS WHETHER NATIONAL OR MUNICIPAL, OPENED THEIR MOST CONFIDENTIAL FIELSDS TO IMPARTIAL AND EXPERT SCRUTINY AND PUBLISHED THE RESULTS? WE HAVE DONE THIS, BECAUSE WE REALISE THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO STOP PEOPLE CALLING HONG KONG CORRUPT, AND THAT IS TO ERADICATE CORRUPTION FROM OUR SOCIETY. THIS WE ARE DETERMINED TO DO.

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