WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1985
DR HO SAID HE HAD NO INTENTION TO INTERFERE WITH THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE JUDICIARY BUT WAS MERELY VOICING THE VIEWS AND WISHES OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT MEMBERS OF THE JUDICIARY WOULD DULY REFLECT PUBLIC SENTIMENTS AND THE GRAVITY OF THE CRIME COMMITTED IN THEIR ADMINISTRATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
AS FOR LEGISLATION, DR HO SAID IT HAD BEEN SUGGESTED THAT MORE INVESTIGATORY POWERS BE GIVEN TO POLICE OFFICERS, IN ORDER TO ENABLE THEM TO GAIN ACCESS TO CERTAIN INFORMATION CONCERNING THOSE ENGAGED IN SERIOUS CRIMES.
+ IN ADDITION, MORE STRINGENT LAWS SUCH AS THOSE ON CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY, ON CONSORTING, AND ON FORFEITURE OF ILL-GOTTEN GAINS FROM ILLICIT ACTIVITIES, MAY BE ENACTED,+ HE SAID.
HE SAID THE PROTAGONISTS OF CIVIC RIGHTS MIGHT BE CRITICAL OF THESE NEW POWERS AND LAWS. BUT HE APPEALED TO THEM THAT THEY MUST WEIGH THE SACRIFICE OF SOME INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM AGAINST THE EFFECTS THESE LEGISLATIVE MEASURES MIGHT HAVE IN CONTRIBUTING TO AN IMPROVED SOCIAL ORDER.
HE ALSO SUGGESTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD MAKE AN EFFORT TO PROPERLY AND ADEQUATELY INFORM ALL SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY OF THE FULL EXTENT OF ORGANISED CRIME AND ITS OVERALL ANTI-TRIAD STRATEGIES, IN PARTICULAR, THOSE PARTS WHERE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND CO-OPERATION WERE TO BE ENLISTED.
+ IF THE FEARS OF HUMAN LIBERTIES BEING UNDULY ERODED ARE STILL HIGH IN SPITE OF ALL PUBLICITY EFFORTS, I SUGGEST THAT THESE NEW STATUTES MIGHT BE ENACTED WITH A LIFE OF SAY, FIVE YEARS.
+WHEN LAW AND ORDER RETURNS, THESE STATUTES WILL NOT BE EXTENDED TO A FURTHER PERIOD, DR HO SAID.
HK NEEDS TO FIND RIGHT POLITICAL FRAMEWORK
*****
POLITICALLY HONG KONG NEEDS TO FIND AND DEVELOP AN INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK WHICH WILL HAVE THE BEST PROSPECTS OF SURVIVING THE PROGRESSION TOWARDS THE ULTIMATE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, THE HON STEPHEN CHEONG SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
*THIS IS NO EASY TASK, FOR THAT STRUCTURE HAS TO BE SEEN TO BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE A SMOOTH TRANSITION TO THE ARRANGEMENTS ENVISAGED FOR 1997, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME PROVIDE A MEANINGFUL EASE FOR FOSTERING OUR FUTURE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY.
/+PATIENCE,