1
THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 1987
AMENDMENTS TO UPDATE PROTECTION OF WOMEN AND JUVENILE ORDINANCE
THE GOVERNMENT HAS PROPOSED LEGISLATIVE AND STREAMLINE THE EXISTING PROCEDURES AND ARRANGEMENTS
OF WOMEN CHILD
THE PROTECTION ABUSE CASES UNDER ORDINANCE.
AMENDMENTS
ΤΟ
AND
UPDATE
HANDLING
JUVENILES
(THURSDAY)
GROUP SET
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE HEALTH AND WELFARE BRANCH TODAY SAID THE LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENTS WERE PROPOSED BY A WORKING
THE INTEREST IN
KONK AND MEDIA UP LAST NOVEMBER FOLLOWING PUBLIC
PANEL ON BY THE OMELCO STANDING AH-NUI CASE AND WELFARE SERVICES.
RECOMMENDATIONS
"THE WORKING GROUP COMPRISING
REPRESENTATIVES
GENERAL'S
OF THE HEALTH THE MEDICAL AND NOTED CHAMBERS,
THAT
AND WELFARE BRANCH, THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT, HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND THE ATTORNEY THE PROTECTION OF WOMEN AND JUVENILES ORDINANCE HAD UNDERGONE VARIOUS 1951 AND HAD OVER THE PIECEMEAL AMENDMENTS SINCE ITS ENACTMENT IN
GIRLS FROM YEARS SHIFTED ITS FOCUS FROM THE PROTECTION OF WOMEN PROSTITUTION AND OTHER FORMS OF SEXUAL EXPLOITATION TO THE PROTECTION
AND OF CARE OF JUVENILES AND SPOKESMAN SAID.
CHILDREN
IN NEED
PROTECTION,
Н
THE
THE
THE WORKING GROUP FOUND THAT A NUMBER OF THE PROVISIONS OF
SELDOM USED AND THEREFORE ORDINANCE WERE OUTDATED AND OTHERS
REVIEWED, HAVING RECOMMENDED THAT THE ORDINANCE BE COMPREHENSIVELY REGARD TO THE CHANGE IN CIRCUMSTANCES AS WELL OTHER RELATED ORDINANCES.
AS THE
OF
PROVISIONS
COMPLETE,
"AS THE COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW WOULD TAKE SOME TIME TO THE WORKING GROUP CONSIDERED IT NECESSARY FOR BE ENACTED URGENTLY IN ORDER TO IMPROVE ARRANGEMENTS FOR HANDLING CHILD ABUSE CASES,
CERTAIN AMENDMENTS TO PROCEDURES AND THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
THE PRESENT
TT
IN
WOMEN AND ONE OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS IN THE PROTECTION OF
CARE PROCEEDINGS JUVENILES (AMENDMENT) BILL 1987 PROVIDES FOR RESPECT OF A CHILD UNDER THE AGE OF SEVEN TO PROCEED IN HIS ABSENCE, PROVIDED THAT ONE OF HIS PARENTS OR HIS GUARDIAN BEEN FORMALLY NOTIFIED OF THE COURT KNOWN.
HEARING
OR HAS
IS
PRESENT IS IF HIS WHEREABOUTS
COURT THE JUVENILE REQUIRE ANY CHILD OR JUVENILE CONCERNED COURT IF THIS IS CONSIDERED NECESSARY.
WILL
ALSO
BE
TO
THE DISCRETION GIVEN
BE BROUGHT BEFORE
TO
THE
EXISTING
ORDINANCE,
MADE ON DOES
A
THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT UNDER THE CHILD MUST BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE COURT BEFORE A DECISION WAS WHETHER HE WAS IN NEED OF CARE AND PROTECTION. "THIS REQUIREMENT
THE CHILD IS TOO YOUNG NOT APPEAR TO SERVE ANY USEFULL PURPOSE IF EITHER TO EXPRESS A VIEW OR FOR HIS VIEWS TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT BY THE COURT, IT MAY ALSO BE A TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE FOR A YOUNG CHILD THE CASE IS CONTESTED, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
IF
/HE POINTED