6
Wednesday, May 23, 1973
The Board can increase the amount by up to double under certain
circumstances.
Compensation will not be paid where the loss of earnings is for
less than seven days, and in the case where the victim and the offender
live together as members of one family.
The other board is the Law Enforcement Injuries Compensation Board.
It will deal with claims for compensation arising from death or injury
caused by a law enforcement officer using a weapon in arrying out his duty.
Mr. Hobley said in this case the amount of compensation will be
that which would be awarded as damages at law. However, there is a proviso
that the award should not be less than the amount payable from the Community
Relief Trust Fund in respect of injury or death.
The two boards will be composed of members of the public and Mr.
Oswald Cheung has accepted the Governor's invitation to be chairman of both.
Mr. Hobley said that there has been for many years a limited provision
for the payment of compensation to anyone killed or injured in the execution
of a moral or legal duty to assist in preventing crime.
"The help which law enforcement officers have received from the
public in the past is reflected in the fact that this Council has made several
awards of compensation under that provision in recent years.
""The government recognises that the existing provision is too limited
since it does not authorise the payment of compensation either to a victim
of a violent crime or to a person who is killed or injured by a law enforcemont
officer in the execution of his duty. They or their dependants have only
their common law right of action for damages
from a criminal without means, tt he said.
——
which obviously cannot be recovered
Mr. Hobley