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WEDNESDAY. C ER 26, 1983
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DEATH SENTENCE RITUAL A MOCKERY': DUNN
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THE RECENT DEBATE ON CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT HAS BEEN A GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT, SAID MISS LYDIA DUNN IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
MISS DUNN CALLED FOR THE REMOVAL OF THE DEATH SENTENCE IN THE STATUTE BOOK.
GIVEN THAT THERE IS NO LIKELIHOOD OF THE DEATH SENTENCE BEING CARRIED OUT, SHE SAID, IT IS A MOCKERY OF OUR SYSTEM OF JUSTICE FOR JUDGES TO GO THROUGH THE RITUAL OF PRONOUNCING THE DEATH SENTENCE, WHEN EVERYONE KNOWS THAT IT WILL NOT BE CARRIED OUT. +
+THE DEATH SENTENCE SHOULD BE FORMALLY ABOLISHED AND REPLACED BY A LIFE SENTENCE AND IN HONG KONG THAT SHOULD MEAN IMPRISONMENT FOR LIFE,+ SHE SAID.
EARLIER MISS DUNN SPOKE ABOUT THE DETERIORATION IN LAW AND ORDER. SHE SAID THAT THERE WERE TWO REQUIREMENTS TO REDUCE THE CRIME RATE THE DETERRENT FEAR OF BEING CAUGHT PLUS THE DETERRENT FEAR OF SEVERE PUNISHMENT FOR THOSE WHO ARE CAUGHT.
IT WAS UNFAIR AND UNREASONABLE TO BLAME THE POLICE FORCE
FOR A SITUATION THAT IT DID NOT BRING ABOUT BUT MUST TRY TO REMEDY.
+NO POLICE FORCE IN A FREE SOCIETY CAN BE EFFECTIVE WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE PUBLIC. THAT SUPPORT HAS OFTEN BEEN CONSPICUOUSLY LACKING, SHE SAID.
THE MAIN THEME OF MISS DUNN'S SPEECH WAS ON GOVERNMENT PROCEDURES AND ORGANISATION.
SHE SAID THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE TO REVIEW AND UPDATE OLD ESTABLISHED PROCEDURES, A LACK OF INTELLIGENT ANTICIPATION AND A LACK OF URGENCY ABOUT PURSUING NECESSARY PROPOSALS.+
SHE CITED AS EXAMPLES THE +LYEMUN NON-BRIDGE+ AND THE TRAGIC AND UNNECESSARY+ DEATHS OF TWO CHILDREN IN THE PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL.
ON THE LYEMUN BRIDGE, SHE SAID THAT THE WHOLE IDEA WAS PIGEON-HOLED UNTIL 1980, LONG AFTER THE TREND OF INCREASING TRAFFIC HAD RESUMED, AND EVEN THEN ONLY A STUDY OF OPTIONS WAS COMMISSIONED AND THE STUDY TOOK TWO YEARS TO COMPLETE.
+AND NOW WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE LYEMUN BRIDGE WAS ALWAYS A NON-STARTER SO THAT ALL WE CAN DO IS INVESTIGATE OTHER OPTIONS, WHICH WILL NO DOUBT TAKE ANOTHER COUPLE OF YEARS. MEANWHILE CROSS-HARBOUR TRAFFIC CONGESTION HAS ALREADY REACHED INTOLERABLE LEVELS, SHE SAID.
ON THE DEATHS OF THE CHILDREN, SHE NOTED THAT CONDITIONS IN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS HAD BEEN THE SUBJECT OF COMPLAINTS BY STAFF, DOCTORS AND PATIENTS ALIKE FOR MANY YEARS.
/+YET APPARENTLY