WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 1985
9
*PUBLIC OPINION WINS IN CONTROVERSY OVER BILL'
******
PUBLIC OPINION HAS WON THE DAY IN THE CONTROVERSY OVER THE TRIAL OF COMMERCIAL CRIMES BILL, THE HON PETER C. WONG SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
+AND THIS IS AS IT SHOULD BE, HE SAID.
ME WONG WAS SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF A MOTION PRESENTED BY THE SENIOR MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, SIR ROGER LOBO PROPOSING THE SETTING UP OF A SELECT COMMITTEE TO STUDY THE
ISSUE.
HOWEVER, MR WONG SAID, THAT DID NOT MEAN GOVERNMENT WAS NECESSARILY AT FAULT.
+FAR FROM IT, CREDIT SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE ADMINISTRATION FOR TACKLING A PROBLEM WHICH ALL AGREE EXISTS AND SHOULD BE SOLVED AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS POSSIBLE, HE SAID.
SINCE THE PUBLICATION OF THE TRIAL OF COMMERCIAL CRIMES BILL ON FEBRUARY 15, MR WONG SAID THAT THE AD HOC GROUP HAD RECEIVED 23 WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS FROM GROUPS AS WELL AS INDIVIDUALS FROM A WIDE CROSS SECTION OF THE COMMUNITY.
THE GROUP HAD HELD SEVERAL MEETINGS AND HEARD SEPARATE REPRESENTATIONS FROM THE HONG KONG BAR ASSOCIATION, MR HENRY LITTON QC, THE HONG KONG BRANCH OF JUSTICE, THE HONG KONG LAW SOCIETY AND MR FRANK FRAME, LEGAL ADVISER AND DIRECTOR OF THE HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI BANKING CORPORATION,
IN ADDITION, IT HAD TAKEN CAREFUL NOTE OF WHAT WAS REPORTED IN THE PRESS AND HAD HELD USEFUL DISCUSSIONS WITH THE ADMINISTRATION.
MEANWHILE, THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS HAD DISCUSSED THE MATTER ON AT LEAST FIVE OCCASIONS WHILE KEEPING UMELCO FULLY INFORMED OF DEVELOPMENTS.
A FINAL DECISION WAS TAKEN AT AN IN-HOUSE MEETING OF THE UNOFFICIALS ON APRIL 24.
MR WONG HOPED THAT THE 80-PAGE REPORT COMPILED BY THE AD HOC GROUP, TOGETHER WITH TWO OTHER VOLUMES CONTAINING THE WRITTEN REPRESENTATIONS AND PRESS CUTTINGS, WOULD SERVE AS USEFUL INFORMATION SHOULD THE MOTION BE CARRIED AND A SELECT COMMITTEE BE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR.
ANALYSING THE REPRESENTATIONS, MR WONG SAID THEY ALL RECOGNISED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE EXISTING SYSTEM OF TRIAL OF COMPLEX COMMERCIAL CRIMES, BUT THE MAJORITY WERE AGAINST THE PROPOSED SOLUTION OF TRIAL BY JUDGE AND ADJUDICATORS.
/NEARLY ALL