Recipient of Sir Edward Youde Memorial Scholarships for Undergraduate Students in 1987/88
尤德爵士紀念基金本科生獎學金1987/88年得獎者
Corruption was once a major social problem in Hong Kong, especially after the Second World War. In the 1960s, Hong Kong was in a state of massive economic growth, but corruption was still serious in all parts of the city and was particularly rampant in the public sector. An infamous bribery scandal among the Royal Hong Kong Police Force involving a chief superintendent led to a government decision in setting up the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) to eradicate bribery and corruption from the city. The recipient of the 1987/1988 Sir Edward Youde Scholarship for Undergraduate Students, Director of Public Relations of the ICAC, Mr. Ho Wai Chi, has a strong passion to combat corruption through his work，hopes to raise awareness and create a corruption-free city through public education.
His career path is one of less than ordinary. After graduating from secondary school, Mr. Ho followed his interest at that moment and applied to study, and eventually got two offers, from the film studies at the Hong Kong Baptist College and social work studies at the Hong Kong Polytechnic. After a few serious thoughts, he eventually chose the latter and successfully became a social worker after graduating. After two years of working in the front line as a social worker, he went back to the Polytechnic again to further his Bachelor’s studies in social work, during which he was awarded the Sir Edward Youde Scholarship. Two years after his graduation, he left the city to study a master’s degree in Social and Political Thought at the University of Sussex in the UK.
After returning to Hong Kong, Mr. Ho worked briefly for a social welfare organization doing research work. Yet his interest in serving on courses that could bring social change remained strong. It was at this juncture that he found his next mission. Greenpeace was planning to set up its first Asia office in Hong Kong. Mr. Ho was referred by his friend to Greenpeace and eventually became the executive director of the organization. During his tenure, he consolidated the organisation’s presence in Hong Kong and expanded its influence into Mainland China. After more than seven years of service, he left the environmental group and continued to serve in various NGOs. He served as the director of a private charity fund, managing the distribution and use of fund resources and worked as a director of Oxfam to coordinate and execute different projects. He finds his work in NGOs meaningful, dynamic and innovative.
After more than 25 years of service in the non-government sector, he ventured into a completely different area. Purely by chance, Mr. Ho spotted, in a newspaper, that the Commission was looking for an assistant director. After reading the job description, he found that it quite matched with his experience and he thought it no harm to try it out. It turned out that his experience in community service was just right to fulfill the expectation of the Commission. They just hit it off right from the start.
Mr. Ho recalled the most memorable moment in ICAC was producing the TV series–ICAC investigators. In particular, the ICAC investigators 2014, which broadcast to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the ICAC, was enlisted in the Hong Kong International Film Festival. In fact, in addition to promoting cleanliness, these series of dramas are based on actual cases, which reveal part of the history of anti-corruption. A fun fact to know is that Mr. Ho was once struggling with choosing a bachelor’s degree in social science or in film production. Hence, this series of dramas serve both to educate the populace against corrupt practices and to give him an opportunity to have a glimpse of the film industry.
Mr. Ho was awarded the Sir Edward Youde Memorial Scholarships for Undergraduate Students back in 1987/88, when he was studying for his bachelor’s degree. He was the only student nominated by his faculty to compete for this award. With all the stress and anticipation, Mr. Ho still managed to get the scholarship. He spent some of the scholarship to entertain all of his schoolmates at a banquet as a token of thanks for their support. Meanwhile, he also put a great part of the scholarship in buying academic publications to enrich himself.
Throughout his career, Mr. Ho has represented the ICAC to attend many international conferences. The accomplishment of ICAC was widely recognised in the international community.. In fact, it is rare internationally to have an organisation to put law enforcement, prevention and education under one roof like the ICAC. Compared to the mere law enforcement and litigation approach in many other countries, the ICAC performs a more comprehensive way to fight against corruption. Hence, Hong Kong outcompetes other nations and becomes one of the cleanest places in the world. Although Hong Kong is in an unsettling political environment, Mr. Ho affirmed that the Commission’s intention to fight against corruption has never changed. For those who wish to join the organisation, Mr. Ho said that they must have a passion for upholding the rectitude and integrity of Hong Kong. Only with enthusiasm to work can they stand up against the abhorrent corruption and the constant criticism from the general public.
在百多年的殖民地歷史中，貪污問題一直嚴重。這種情況沒有因為六七十年代的香港經濟騰飛而有所改善，而且這股歪風更在在公共服務機構中蔓延。在一名外籍總警司的貪污案後，當時的政府決心成立廉政公署，打擊貪污。尤德爵士紀念基金本科生獎學金1987/88年得獎者，廉政公署社區關係處處長何渭枝先生，在機緣巧合下投身反貪工作，透過教育培養大眾反貪的意識，保持香港的清廉守信形象。
何先生在中學畢業時基於興趣，同時申請了香港浸會學院傳理系攻讀電影和香港理工學院社工課程。因為助人為樂的性格，他最終選擇了攻讀理工學院的社工文憑。畢業後他成為了一名社工，在工作兩年後重返理工學院修讀社工學位課程，並在期間獲得尤德爵士紀念基金。其後，他更到英國修讀社會及政治思想的碩士課程。
回港後，何先生在一家社福機構短暫進行研究工作。由於他一向較有興趣能推動社會改變的工作，在他朋友介紹下知道綠色和平正考慮開設香港分部，他亦因此投身於環保事業，首先成為一名項目主任，一年後被任命為香港分部的總幹事，並在五年間，把綠色和平的環保工作推廣至內地。在環保工作了好幾年後，他到了不同的機構服務，例如他出任一家私人的慈善基金會的執行董事，負責管理該基金的捐款發放；和樂施會香港的總監，統籌和執行不同的項目。總括而言，他認為在非政府組織的工作非常有意義、充滿活力和創意，同時又能服務弱勢社群。
在非政府組織工作了二十多年後，何先生在因緣際會下加入廉政公署。當時，何先生在報紙中看到公署在公開招聘一名助理處長，細閱職位的要求後發覺與自己的經驗頗為脗合，因此就本著一試無妨的精神申請，最後獲得公署的聘請。
何先生回憶廉政公署最難忘的時刻，是在公署40周年時與香港國際電影節合作。當時，香港電影節中有一個特輯，介紹40年以來的多部廉政行動。何先生表示，廉政行動除了是一齣宣揚廉潔的電視劇集，劇中的個案都是真實個案改編，反映著香港社會在過去40年的一些發展里程。有趣的是，當年為了幫助別人的道路而放棄電影夢的何先生，現在可以以署長的身份一嘗電影製作的滋味。
何先生於就讀社工學位的時候獲得第一屆尤德爵士紀念基金本科生獎學金。當時，他是理工學院社會科學系的唯一推薦學生，所以他背負著學系的期望。獲頒獎學金，他頗感意外，其實在學習過程中，同學們都有給予很多協助及啟發，所以他用了部分獎金宴請了他的全班社工同學，以感謝同學們的支持和鼓勵。另外，自小家境貧困但手不釋卷的何先生亦善用獎學金買入一些學術書籍，豐富自己的閱歷。
代表廉政公署出席眾多國際的會議，何先生經常受到各國代表的稱頌，希望可以仿傚香港的做法。他指出，其他國家如廉政公署般擁有如此執法權力和獨立性較為罕見。另一方面，相比起其他國家單純的進行執法工作，廉政公署以執法丶防貪及教育「三管齊下」的方式從多方面打擊貪污，使香港能成為全球最廉潔的地方之一。他寄語香港人，即使社會及政治環境有所轉變，公署打貪防貪之心亦從來未變。對於有志加入公署的有志之士，何先生指他們必須懷著一顆維護廉潔的心。近幾年，社會對公署的批評之聲不絕于耳，如果只是抱著謀生的心態，而缺乏工作熱誠，將會難以持久。