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Majesty in Council, so that effectively the Judicial
Committee of the Privy Council, sitting in London, is
the final court of appeal.
8.
The Chief Justice and other judges of the Supreme
Court are appointed by the Governor on instructions from
the Crown through a Secretary of State, ie from HMG. HMG
approve appointments of District Court judges and other
senior judicial appointments made by the Governor, who
is advised by a local Judicial Service Commission.
g.
The administration of justice is conducted on the
English pattern and care is taken to ensure the independence
and impartiality of the courts. Many of the senior
judges and many of the magistrates are expatriates; while
a substantial number of local appointments have been made,
not enough suitably-qualified local persons are willing to
accept judicial appointments on present salaries to staff
the courts completely. The proceedings of the courts are
normally conducted in English, with the assistance of
interpreters. Since the courts administer the common law
and statutes of an English type (written in English), the
judges are required to possess qualifications as barristers
or solicitors obtained in the United Kingdom or in other
parts of the Commonwealth, or since 1972 from Hong Kong
University.
10.
Confidence in the courts reposes in their independence,
impartiality, uncorruptibility and considerable expertise
in commercial law.
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