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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1986
HE URGED THAT TRAINING OF BILINGUAL LEGAL PRACTITIONERS SHOULD BEGIN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
IN THIS CONNECTION, HE SAID HE WAS MOST ANXIOUS TO SEE THE NEWLY APPROVED LAW DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY POLYTECHNIC GIVE A HIGH PRIORITY TO BILINGUALISM.
ON CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM, MR TAI SAID THAT WHATEVER THE OUTCOME IT WAS VITAL THAT THE SOCIETY SHOULD NOT BE POLARISED BETWEEN THE RICH AND THE POOR.
+ IF HONG KONG IS TO MASTER ITS OWN DESTINY, IT MUST PUT ITS OWN HOUSE IN ORDER,+ HE SAID.
+MINIMUM+ PENALTY SUGGESTED FOR CERTAIN CRIMES
*****
THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN URGED TO CONSIDER STIPULATING A MINIMUM+ PENALTY FOR CERTAIN OFFENCES SO AS TO STRENGTHEN THE DETERRENT EFFECT OF THE LAW.
THE CALL CAME FROM THE HON CHEN SHOU-LUM IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (THURSDAY) DURING THE DEBATE ON THE GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS.
MR CHEN SAID THE GREATEST DETERRENT FOR A CRIMINAL WAS THE PROSPECT OF BEING CAUGHT AND SENTENCED TO A PUNISHMENT COMMENSURATE WITH HIS OFFENCE.
IN DETERMINING A SUITABLE LEVEL OF SANCTION, THE JUDICIARY SHOULD TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE COMMUNITY'S SENTIMENTS AND OTHER RELEVANT SOCIAL FACTORS, AS WELL AS THE NEED TO GENERATE A DETERRENT EFFECT TO SHOW THE DETERMINATION OF BOTH THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PUBLIC AT LARGE TO WEED OUT CRIMINAL ELEMENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY, HE SAID.
+HOWEVER, OVER THE YEARS THE COURTS HAVE BECOME MORE AND MORE CONCERNED WITH THE REHABILITATION OF OFFENDERS AND THUS SHOWED A GROWING RELUCTANCE TO IMPOSE A HIGH LEVEL OF SANCTION,+ HE SAID.
+AS A RESULT, THE MAXIMUM PENALTIES AGAINST DIFFERENT ACTS OF CRIME AS STIPULATED IN THE LAW WERE SELDOM, IF AT ALL, EXERCISED,+
/MR CHEN