ENG-1978 — Page 185

PUBLIC ORDER

Corruption Prevention

133

The Corruption Prevention Department is responsible for examining the procedures and practices of government departments and public bodies and recommending changes in work methods that may provide opportunities for corruption. It is also required to advise and help members of the public who seek advice on how to eliminate corrupt practices.

The Corruption Prevention Advisory Committee advises the Commissioner on the work of the department, including the degree of priority that should be accorded to areas awaiting examination. During the year, 60 studies were completed and the reports forwarded to relevant organisations for consideration. Of these studies, 49 related to government departments. At the end of the year, 28 studies were under preparation and 229 areas of activity were awaiting study.

One of the most important studies completed during the year was a lengthy and complex assignment on supervisory accountability in the Civil Service. This study deals with responsibility for effective supervision of staff, examines the concept of leadership and the requirements for control and organisation of staff. At the end of the year, the report was being studied in detail by the government.

Since the department's inception, it has completed 201 studies. It is giving increasing attention to the process of monitoring the implementation by clients of recommenda- tions made in the department's reports. Another area receiving attention is the production of staff training programmes on corruption prevention methods, specially tailored to the requirements of individual government departments and aimed at supervisory and managerial staff.

Community Relations

―

The Community Relations Department is responsible for educating the public on the evils of corruption and enlisting their support in the fight against it. The ultimate aim of the department is to instil a greater sense of civic responsibility and higher social ethics in the community. The department's work is guided by the Citizens' Advisory Committee, whose members are drawn from a wide cross-section of society.

To achieve its goal in public information and education, the department works through the mass media and through personal contact with the public, either indivi- dually or in groups. The department's seven local offices, situated in densely-populated areas, are open at times convenient to the public to receive reports about corruption, to deal with enquiries and to maintain contact with the public.

Liaison staff of the department established contact with different sectors of the community through 7,148 meetings and visits during 1978. As a result of these liaison programmes, many community organisations have taken the initiative in organising activities to enhance the community's awareness of the commission's objectives and to promote civic responsibility and higher social values.

During the year, work with educational institutions and the teaching profession continued. Five teaching kits and a series of story books on honesty were produced. The department also stepped up its efforts to disseminate information through the media, including the press, radio and television, and through other graphic and written materials. The commission's second television drama series, ICAC, was