THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1986
26
LAW, ORDER AND SECURITY REMAIN VITAL
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LAW, ORDER AND SECURITY IS THE KEY TO STABILITY ON WHICH HONG KONG'S PROSPERITY DEPENDS, THE HON PETER C. WONG SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).
SPEAKING DURING THE SECOND DAY OF THE DEBATE ON THE GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS, MR WONG SAID THAT TO ENSURE THE CONTINUANCE OF HONG KONG'S SUCCESS, IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT +WE DID NOT NEGLECT THE MANY VITAL ISSUES IN THE FIELD OF LAW, ORDER AND SECURITY+.
ON VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, HE SAID THERE WERE REALISTICALLY ONLY TWO DURABLE SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM RESETTLEMENT IN THIRD COUNTRIES AND REPATRIATION TO VIETNAM.
ALTHOUGH THE FIRST SOLUTION WAS BECOMING INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT, THE GOVERNMENT MUST CONTINUE TO EXERT PRESSURE ON RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES, INCLUDING THE UNITED KINGDOM, TO BE MORE GENEROUS IN THEIR QUOTAS FOR REFUGEES REMAINING IN HONG KONG, MR WONG SAID.
AS TO THE SECOND SOLUTION, WHICH REQUIRED DELICATE AND COMPLICATED DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS, HE NOTED THAT IT MIGHT SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF THE INCREASING RESIDUE OF REFUGEES IN HONG KONG WHO, FOR WHATEVER REASON, COULD NOT BE RESETTLED IN THIRD COUNTRIES.
+ IN THE LONG RUN IT MIGHT ALSO PROVE A FAR GREATER DETERRENT TO NEW REFUGEES THAN ANY MEASURES WE COULD TAKE WITHIN HONG KONG, + MR WONG SAID.
IT WAS AN OPTION WHICH MUST BE SERIOUSLY EXPLORED AND PURSUED, HE ADDED.
TURNING TO LEGAL AID, MR WONG SAID IT WAS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR GOVERNMENT THROUGH ONE OF ITS DEPARTMENTS TO DECIDE WHO SHOULD RECEIVE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM PUBLIC FUNDS IN LEGAL AID CASES, OR TO PROVIDE ONE OF ITS LAWYERS TO REPRESENT THE DEFENDANT.
HE SAID THAT LEGAL AID SHOULD BE ADMINISTERED BY THE LAW SOCIETY WHICH WAS NOW A LARGE AND WELL-DISCIPLINED PROFESSION AND HAD PROVED ITSELF CAPABLE AND EFFICIENT IN ADMINISTERING THE DUTY LAWYER SCHEME AND THE LEGAL ADVICE SCHEME.
+ INFORMED OPINION IS OPPOSED TO TURNING THE LEGAL AID DEPARTMENT INTO AN INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AND FOR THE RIGHT REASONS; THE COMMISSION WOULD STILL BE UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE GOVERNOR, WHO IS THE HEAD OF THE EXECUTIVE ARM OF GOVERNMENT. + MR WONG SAID.
/ON REPURNING