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The Kadoorie Conundrum
Target 20th July 1988
JASON YUEN AND HIS SLIGHT
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The Independent Commission Against Com uption (ICAC) was established following confirmation that corruption was rife in Hongkong and that a separate and independent body was required to police the unbelievers.
There are a number of ways in which a person ntry be deemed to be corrupt.
The very famous British author, Somerset Maugʻiam, tells the story of the time in Antibes when he walked up to a very pretty American lady and said: "Madame, will you sleep with me for $US50,000?'
The answer, in the affirmative, was followed by Mr Maugham asking: "Well, how about $US1?'
An indignant 'What do you think I am?' brought the rebuttal: 'Madame, we have established what you are; the question is the price.'
In the case of Jason Yuen-- definitely not of Homeric origin -- establishment of his goals has yet to be ascertained, but the price may easily be adduced by the followin
Jason is presently the Chairman of the Antiquitie Advi- sory Board. He was until recently just another archi, and a fairly good one at that, or so TARGET is led to L lieve.
His elevation to the post of Chairman of the Aali quities Advisory Board was not brought about by Mr Soinerset Maugham, and TARGET bas no evidence to indicat:: hat he prostituted his art, his body or his mind.
But there are indications which are not exactly c ›mpli- toentary of the character of Mr Yuen.
In the Beginning There Was Just Lawrence
Some 20-odd years ago, Mr Jason Yuca, then a struggling university student in Israci, was able to obtain a scl.c1arship to complete a Master of Science Degree at the Israeli Institute of Technology.
The scholarship was called a Lawrence Kadoo; & Schol- arship.
It was, in this case, awarded to a student from 1gkong
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who agreed to return to Hongkong to give to his birthplace the benefits received from the one-year scholarship.
As a student, he proved to be outstanding and, in accor- dance with his promise, be returned to Hongkong and set up an architectural practice which today is called Jason Yuen and Associates.
To say that he owes a great deal to Mr Lawrence Kadoorie, now ennobled to the rank of The Lord Kadoorie
would not be an misstatement and it is doubtful that M-
Jason Yuen would try to deny this fact.
Indeed, why should he.
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But Mr Jason Yuen seems to be shy about his past! On November 14, 1987, a member of the Antiquities Ad visory Board raised a question about Mr Jason Yuen's pas benefits received from The Lord Kadoorie.
In a letter to Mr Jason Yuen, the following statemen appeared:
"You stated in item (2) -- a letter to Board Mem- bars -- that you had no conflict of interest what- soever in this matter (the matter of the negotia- tlons over the fate of the Synagogue In Robinson Road, Hongkong). However, at the Informal meeting of November 5 [1887] you mentioned vaguely some former benefit you received many years ago from Lord Kadoorie... I call upon you to declare your interest -l.e. any present or past association with or indebtedness to Lord Ka-
doorle. It is up to Board Members to determine whether there is a possible conflict of Interest... [emphasis added)"
The board member is still waiting for an answer to 1 letter, 7 months later.
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