COMMENT
The determination of the Government of Hong Kong to eradicate corruption in the Hong Kong Police recently resulted in considerable publicity for the conviction of a senior police officer on charges of corruption. Another ex- officer, who turned Queen's evidende at the trial, stated later in a television
documentary that he had made £ million during his service in Hong Kong and
that a Chinese subordinate of his had made 14m.
officers of the Hong Kong Police took bribes.
gambling, drugs and vice including prostitution relevance to this report.
He also said that 95% of the
This corruption feeds on
it is therefore of fundamental
It is not suggested that Hong Kong is exceptional, or indeed unusual, in
this respect and it is likely that similar conditions in South East Asia and
Latin America will be the subject of future reports.
The reasons for the continuance and even growth of such conditions wherever
they may occur and for the secrecy in which they thrive are in the case of
the indigenous community habitual acceptance through fear, because experience
has taught them that, despite the law, the administration cannot or will not
protect those who expose corruption. The reasons, in the case of the
expatriate community, are the refusal of society to concern itself with the
victims and the reluctance of government to legislate in such a way that an
effective deterrent may be imposed.
JUNE 1975
Page 45Page 46
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