ICAC efforts to recruit a new batch of investigators have taken a further blow with news that a number of candidates have rejected job offers.
The snubs follow a funding botch which delayed the rookies' start date, but officials maintained the two were not linked.
'In my experience, people would be pleased if they could have more notice, rather than shorter notice. You can plan your own arrangements, maybe a vacation,' said Chan Kin-ming, chief staff officer (management and administration).
Mr Chan said there had been 'five or six' rejections.
'It's nothing extraordinary. In all our recent recruitment exercises there are cases where people reject our offers,' he said. 'They do not give a reason and we do not ask.' A total of 60 investigators were due to start on April 1, with a view to being fully operational in time for the 1998 district elections, a new responsibility for the Independent Commission Against Corruption. But a failure to secure funding for the new recruits meant the start date was put back a month until the intake was approved by the Legislative Council's Finance Committee.
This has now been done and the new start date has been set for May 6, according to Peter Graham, ICAC Director of Intelligence and Support.
