(iii) Legislative Screening:
"Many Commissions are specifically charged with the task
of identifying any legislative provisions that they encounter in the course of their work that they think conflict with the Bill of Rights.'
(iv) Dispute Resolution:
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"For the man or woman in the street this may prove to be
the most important function of the Commission. The idea is to provide direct and easy access to the Commission for people who think that they have suffered a breach of their rights under the Bill or any other rights-related legislation ... The underlying philosophy is that for many matters a conciliation style of complaint
investigation is cheaper and more effective than court proceedings."
The author concluded by saying that: -
"There are many countries with wonderful Bills of Rights, but where
the gap between the promise and the reality is so great that the Bill can be regarded as a political fantasy. A Human Rights Commission for Hong Kong could turn the Bill of Rights into a living reality."
It is a persuasive article, and I hope that RIPA could assist in bringing Commonwealth, European and American expertise in these areas to the notice of the Working Group, so that it could push forward in the areas it decides are practically important for Hong Kong. Human Rights conciliation could be one of them. It is an idea which, if handled correctly, could even interest people in Beijing who hope to develop their own legal procedures in tune with modern world trends.
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