ENG-1988 — Page 290

PUBLIC ORDER

243

During the year the department conducted 75 detailed examinations of specific areas of activity in government departments and public bodies, covering policy, law, instructions, methods of operation and management. The total number of such studies since 1975 has been 1 289. Reviewing the effectiveness of previous studies and monitoring the implementa- tion of corruption prevention measures continued also to be an important aspect of the department's work.

The department was represented on 42 departmental and inter-departmental working groups and committees. The corruption prevention groups established at directorate level in government departments continued to provide a co-ordinated approach to corruption prevention studies.

The department organised training programmes for supervisors in the government, public bodies and the private sector. The programmes covered the concepts of supervisory accountability, management's role in preventing corruption, delegation of responsibility and authority, and general advice on other ways to discourage corruption.

The department's Advisory Services Group, which gives confidential and free advice to the private sector on corruption prevention measures, was in contact with 158 organisations. Advice, either written or oral, was designed to meet clients' specific needs. Since it started in 1985, the group has provided advice to 342 private sector organisations. To enable the group to serve the private sector better, a survey of the attitudes and needs of large business firms concerning corruption prevention was started in September.

The department continued to take part in management seminars organised by the Shenzhen University for managers and executives in China. At these seminars, the department used case studies demonstrating management weaknesses which could lead to corruption.

Community Relations

The Community Relations Department is responsible for educating the public on the evils of corruption, harnessing public support in the fight against corruption, and, in the long term, seeking to promote proper social values and a greater sense of civic responsibility in the community. The department operates through two divisions, the Liaison Division and the Media and Education Division.

The department carried out its direct liaison with all sectors of the community mainly through the eight ICAC Regional Offices and three sub-offices. During the year 16 044 liaison activities and 147 special programmes were held, involving a total of 335 079 citizens. The main thrust of this work was to explain the spirit and provisions of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance to people in the private and the public sectors, and to encourage them to take positive action against corruption.

The department accorded high priority to liaison with young people. To promote the positive aspects of life among them, it organised a territory-wide programme on the theme "Towards a Fuller Life'. A total of 26 600 people took part in various activities of the programme, which included a concert featuring international and local artists, a write-in and radio programme and a seminar camp for working women.

On the completion of a set of moral education teaching materials for primary schools entitled 'My Rights, My Responsibilities' and a set of radio plays entitled 'Between You and Me', the department held ten presentations to introduce the packages to 1400 headmasters and teachers.

To help schools make the best use of assemblies and home periods to promote moral education, the department created a package suitable for use in Form 1 to Form 7. In