TNAG-0749-FCO40-953-Visits-of-officials-from-Hong-Kong-to-UK-1978 — Page 51

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RECORD OF A CONVERS)

RETL

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS AND THE INDEPENDENT

COMMISSIONER AGAINST CORRUPTION IN HONG KONG, HELD AT THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE AT 11.00 AM ON TUESDAY 18 JULY

1.

Those present:

The Rt. Hon. Lord Goronwy-Roberts

of Caernarvon and of Ogwen

Mr J Thompson

Mr J Cater CBE

Lord Goronwy-Roberts offered his congratulations to

Mr Cater on his appointment as Chief Secretary of Hong Kong and his thanks for his past achievements as Independent Commissioner against Corruption. He accepted that there was considerable progress to be made in eradicating corruption but felt strongly that under Mr Cater, the Commission had done a great deal. Mr Cater thanked Lord Goronwy-Roberts and accepted that con-

siderable progress had been made. He confirmed that he was still of the opinion that no major corruption syndicate was in existence

in the police, which a few years ago would not have been thought possible. He did believe, however, that there were perhaps eight small groups, which were already under investigation. The most worrying feature of these new groups was that they were beginning to turn to direct involvement in crime and in particular in the running of vice establishments. Mr Cater felt strongly that this development was because ICAC had not yet really touched on the

CID section of the Hong Kong Police Force.

2. ICAC had made its first moves against CID officers in the

middle of 1977 and Mr Cater felt it to have been significant that one of those concerned in that investigation became the leader of the disaffected rank and file officers during the near mutiny

of November. He confirmed his regret that the Governor had been forced to give an amnesty at the time of the near mutiny but emphasised that in his view, there was no alternative. It had always been his advice that, once the police and the public in Hong Kong were aware of the Government's determination to root out corruption, an amnesty should be offered but he had hoped that it would have been from a position of strength.

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