ENG-1990 — Page 322

PUBLIC ORDER

have shown a keen interest in the scheme, and the commission is providing advice and assistance to them.

In preparation for the 1991 direct elections to the Legislative Council, steps have been taken by the commission, jointly with the government's Constitutional Affairs Branch, to improve the existing legislation governing electoral practices and related conduct. The department foresees that demand for additional manpower resources will inevitably arise, as allegations concerning the elections are expected by-products of Hong Kong's evolving political system.

The trend of corruption complaints, continued investigations into complex commercial corruption cases, and direct elections, indicate that there will be many challenges for the department in the year ahead.

Corruption Prevention

The responsibilities of the Corruption Prevention Department vary slightly with respect to government, public bodies and the private sector. But in all cases, the department re- views procedures and recommends changes where necessary to reduce the likelihood of corruption, abuse of position or other malpractices in the client organisations. The department also participates in a wide variety of consultative activities and working parties. Free and confidential advice is also available to private organisations and in- dividuals on request.

During the year, the department conducted 81 studies of specific activities within government departments and public bodies. These studies addressed problems of policy, law, procedures, management controls and staffing. The problems identified and the recommendations made ranged from minor supervisory improvements to significant law changes.

In general, the work of the department falls into two main categories: people-related problems and work-related ones. Examples in the first category include the consequences of the government decision to allow the limited and controlled importation of foreign labour into Hong Kong. The department worked closely with the Immigration Department and the Labour Department, who are jointly responsible for the effective implementation of the scheme, to ensure that the assessment procedures are fair and well understood and that workers subsequently brought into Hong Kong are protected from exploitation and deception.

At the conclusion of investigations into malpractices in the Post Office, the department conducted a series of studies in collaboration with them to review the procedures for the allocation and approval of overtime duty in processing letter mail, parcel mail and Speedpost. The recommendations made addressed a wide range of management problems which are inherent in an operation as labour intensive as that of the Post Office.

For some years now the department has been co-operating with the Attorney General, the Bar Association and Law Society with a view to eliminating touting. This has now been extended to the general problem of barristers and solicitors giving commissions in order to obtain work, particularly for conveyancing properties. It is hoped that this more generalised approach will help the regulatory bodies to bring about better discipline within the professions.

In the area of work-related studies, the control of land was again a source of major department activities. Nowadays this subject is closely aligned with control of

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