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8. ON THE EVENING OF 5 NOVEMBER 1977, FOLLOWING THE
GOVERNORS SECURITY COMMITTEE MEETING, GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED THAT THE ICAC WOULD NOT NORMALLY ACT ON COMPLAINTS OR EVIDENCE RELATING TO OFFENCES INVOLVING CORRUPTION COMMITTED BEFORE JANUARY 1977 (WITH SOME EXCEPTIONS) AND THAT A COMMITTEE, UNDER THE CHAIRMAN-
SHIP OF THE SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE
COUNCIL, WOULD MONITOR COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE ICAC. THE IMMEDIATE
REACTION BY THE THREE POLICE STAFF ASSOCIATIONS AND RANKU AND FILE WAS ONE OF JUBILATION. HOWEVER, THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE FOR THE
JUNIOR POLICE OFFICERS STAFF ASSOCIATION LATER EXPRESSED
DISSATISFACTION WITH THE TERMS OF THE ''AMNESTY'' AND SOUGHT
CLARIFICATION OF CERTAIN LEGAL TERMS. VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE
OTHER STAFF ASSOCIATIONS WERE GENERALLY MODERATE ALTHOUGH THEY
TOO SOUGHT CLARIFICATION ON THE INTERPRETATION OF SOME ASPECTS OF
THE PARTIAL AMNESTY.
9. ON THE MORNING OF 6 NOVEMBER THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE MET THE
COMMITTEES OF ALL POLICE ASSOCIATIONS AND THE JUNIOR OFFICERS
ASSOCIATION PREPARATORY COMMITTEE. HE EXPLAINED THE DECLARED
GOVERNMENT POLICY AND STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS DECISION
BEING RECEIVED WITH GOOD GRACE AND IN A DISCIPLINED MANNER. REACTION
BY THE JUNIOR OFFICERS REPRESENTATIVES WAS AGGRESSIVE: THAT OF
THE OTHER ASSOCIATIONS WAS MODERATE.
10. LATER ON 6 NOVEMBER THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE MADE PUBLIC THEIR
INTENTION TO PRESS FOR AN UNCONDITIONAL AMNESTY FOR ALL
CORRUPTION OFFENCES UP TO DATE AND THAT NO ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN
ON ANY COMPLAINT RECEIVED BY ICAC BEFORE 8 NOVEMBER 1977. THEY ALSO
ANNOUNCED THEIR INTENTION TO PRESS THEIR DEMANDS BY FURTHER
PUBLIC ACTION.
11. THE PUBLIC REACTION TO THESE DEMANDS WAS UNIFORMLY HOSTILE TO
THE AGITATORS. THIS HAD A SUBSTANTIAL EFFECT UPON A MEETING
HELD ON THE FOLLOWING DAY (7 NOVEMBER) WHEN REPRESENTATIVES
OF ALL POLICE ASSOCIATIONS, INCLUDING THE PROPOSED JUNIOR OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, MET THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF POLICE. AT
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