ENG-1982 — Page 206

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PUBLIC ORDER

decline was offset by an increase in complaints alleging corruption in the private sector which totalled 831, representing a rise of 19 per cent. This marked a continuing upward trend since 1981.

The ICAC is headed by a commissioner who is responsible directly to the Governor. Its establishment is 1 171 with 704 posts in the Operations Department, 65 in the Corruption Prevention Department and 287 in the Community Relations Department. These three functional departments are supported by an Administration Branch, with an establishment of 115. At the end of 1982, 1 087 posts were filled.

The commission is guided by an Advisory Committee on Corruption, which includes unofficial members of the Executive and Legislative Councils, leading citizens and senior government officials. In the same way, each of the three departments of the commission has an advisory committee monitoring its work with members drawn from the community including public service. Any complaint made about the ICAC, particularly in its law enforcement function, is referred to a Complaints Committee made up of six unofficial members of the Executive and Legislative Councils and the Attorney General. During the year, 14 complaints were received and advice was given by the committee.

Operations

Investigations and prosecutions by the Operations Department continued at a high level in 1982. The department received a total of 2 349 corruption complaints which compares closely with the 2 344 received in 1981. Of these, 675 were made by members of the public in person, 930 by telephone and 519 by letter to the commission's 24-hour report centre in the Operations Department or to one of the 10 ICAC local offices, and 225 reports were referred by other government departments. About 60 per cent of the people who made complaints were prepared to identify themselves, whereas in 1974 – the first year of the commission's work - only about 35 per cent gave their personal particulars. The high proportion during 1982 is a good measure of increasing public-confidence in the commission.

The Operations Department is responsible for investigating reports of alleged or suspected offences under the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance, the ICAC Ordinance and the Corrupt and Illegal Practices Ordinance. During the year, 403 people were taken to court for corruption and related offences of which 316 prosecutions were completed with 239 convictions a conviction rate of 76 per cent on completed cases. At the end of the year, 94 cases were pending trial and 533 investigations were underway.

TITTY

On the advice of the Operations Review Committee, reports concerning 241 serving or former government officers were referred to the Civil Service Branch and their heads of departments for consideration of disciplinary or administrative action.

Corruption Prevention

The Corruption Prevention Department is responsible for advising on and securing the revision of practices and procedures conducive to corrupt practice within government departments and public bodies. It also responds to requests from the private sector for advice.

A significant development during the year was the establishment of a procedure whereby complaints made by members of the public, which did not warrant investigation by the Operations Department, were referred to the government departments concerned for internal investigation and report. Where such complaints indicated weaknesses in or deviations from established policies or procedures, appropriate studies were undertaken.