Dili – On Tuesday (26/9), the Executive Director of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) Francis Sham arrived at the President Nocolau Lobato Dili international airport for a five-day official visit to Timor-Leste.
The purpose of the official visit to the Comissão Anti Corrupção (CAC) was to hear directly a comprehensive explanation from Senior Management of CAC Timor-Leste on prevention and criminal investigation that had been running for seven years.
“My commissioner asked me to come here on the invitation of CAC Commissioner to learn from you colleagues, of how you work in anti-corruption here in the country. To see whether there is anything that we can explore, to work together, that we can share with you or other things that you can share with us to tackle corruption in Timor-Leste,” Francis Sham told senior official of CAC in an official meeting in Dili.
Francis Sham also observed and noticed how CAC as an institution has become more professional and has identified the need to develop future human resources.
“After my visit, I had to submit my report to my commissioner as to what was the result of my visit and to see what ICAC can do to help CAC in the future! But we cannot guarantee anything,” Francis Sham added.
CAC Commissioner Aderito Pinto Tilman expressed his high appreciation for Francis Sham’s visit and hopes that the cooperation between ICAC Hong Kong and CAC Timor-Leste will be better in the future.
“Thank you for your visit and I greatly appreciate your visit to Timor-Leste, especially to the CAC office. Hopefully, your visit will bring benefits to CAC Timor Leste and ICAC Hong Kong institutions in the future. Please, kindly convey my warmest wishes to the ICAC Commissioner in Hong Kong” the CAC Commissioner said.
During his five-day visit, Francis Sham explained the core tasks, functions and work of ICAC Hong Kong to CAC TL staff. Francis also heard an explanation from the Senior Management CAC and the directors about CAC institutions on prevention and investigation tasks in accordance with Law Number 8/2009, June 15.
Following this five-day working visit sharing information with CAC leaders in Timor-Leste, Francis Sham will report the results of his visit to ICAC commissioner to identify the possibility of training to the anti-corruption specialists (EAK).
Hong Kong is now one of the least corrupt governments in the world due to the tireless and hard work of the ICAC Hong Kong staff during past four decades. Being one of the most successful anti-corruption institutions in the world, CAC Timor-Leste is committed to working together and learning from ICAC Hong Kong’s experience on how to educate its people and civil servants who were previously very corrupt back in 1960’s. (*)