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WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 1987
THE COMMITTEE, WITH THE SUPPORT OF AN INDEPENDENT SECRETARIAT, WAS ABLE TO MONITOR THE PROCESSING BY THE CAPO OF EACH AND EVERY COMPLAINT CASE MADE BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AGAINST THE POLICE, HE NOTED.
IN THE COURSE OF EXAMINING THE COMPLAINT CASES DURING THE YEAR, THE COMMITTEE HAD ALSO PROPOSED A NUMBER OF CHANGES TO POLICE PRACTICES, PROCEDURES AND INSTRUCTIONS WITH A VIEW TO IMPROVING THE OVERALL EFFECTIVENESS OF THE COMPLAINTS SYSTEM AND ASSISTING THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE IN MINIMISING PUBLIC COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE POLICE, MR CHEN SAID.
THE REPORT ALSO NOTES THAT A TOTAL OF 4 544 NEW CASES WERE REGISTERED BY THE CAPO IN 1986, WHICH SHOWED AN INCREASE OF 4.8 PER CENT OVER THE FIGURE (4 333) FOR 1985.
THE POLICE COMPLAINTS COMMITTEE HAS A CHAIRMAN AND TWO VICE-CHA IRMEN, DRAWN FROM THE OMELCO, AND EIGHT MEMBERS WHO ARE ALL ACTIVE JUSTICES OF THE PEACE. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS THE ONLY OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVE ON THE COMMITTEE.
INTERNAL DISCUSSION ON COURT OF FINAL APPEAL BEGUN
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ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A COURT OF FINAL APPEAL IN HONG KONG, IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO CONSULT THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES, SAID THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON MICHAEL THOMAS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON LEE YU-TAI, MR THOMAS SAID SINCE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A COURT OF FINAL APPEAL WOULD CONSTITUTE STEPS TOWARDS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROVISIONS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION RELATING TO THE VESTING OF POWER OF FINAL ADJUDICATION
IN THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION, THE CHINESE AUTHOR ITIES SHOULD BE CONSULTED.
+CONSULTATION WITH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES WOULD SERVE TO ENSURE THAT ANY COURT OF FINAL APPEAL ESTABLISHED BEFORE 1997 WAS CAPABLE OF SURVIVING 1997 WITH A MINIMUM OF CHANGE TO ITS ESSENTIAL STRUCTURE AND PROCEDURES,+ HE SAID.
MR THOMAS ADDED THAT THE CHIEF JUSTICE AND HIS COLLEAGUES HAD BEGUN TO SET OUT IDEAS ON THE FORM WHICH A COURT OF FINAL APPEAL MIGHT TAKE.
+THESE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED ON A PRELIMINARY BASIS WITHIN THE ADMINISTRATION, AND WE HAVE SOUGHT ADVICE FROM LONDON ON THE CONSTITUTIONAL IMPLICATIONS.+
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