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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 1988
BE
CONSIDER
"THE BILL PROVIDES FOR A TRIAD RENUNCIATION TRIBUNAL TO ESTABLISHED TO OPERATE THE TRIAD RENUNCIATION SCHEME AND то APPLICATIONS FOR RENUNCIATION OF TRIAD MEMBERSHIP, HE SAID.
"THE PROCEEDINGS AND RECORDS OF THE TRIBUNALS WILL BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL AND RECORDS WILL ONLY BE RELEASED IN SPECIFIED CIRCUMSTANCES.
"THE TRIBUNAL WILL BE SERVED BY A SECRETARIAT OF GOVERNMENT OFFICERS, ALL OF WHOM WOULD BE SUJBECT TO STRICT SECRECY PROVISIONS."
SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS UNDER THE TRIAD RENUNCIATION SCHEME, WHETHER THEY BE FORMAL MEMBERS OF TRIAD SOCIETIES OR 'NON-TRIAD' RENOUNCERS, WOULD BE GRANTED A STAY OF PROSECUTION IN RESPECT OF SPECIFIED OFFENCES RELATING TO TRIAD MEMBERSHIP UNDER SECTIONS 19 TO 23 OF THE SOCIETIES ORDINANCE WHICH PRE-DATED THE RENUNCIATION AND WERE DISCLOSED IN THEIR APPLICATION.
AFTER FIVE YEARS, THE PROCEEDINGS FOR THESE OFFENCES WOULD LAPSE AND THE RENOUNCER WOULD BE LEFT WITH NEITHER A CONVICTION NOR ACQUITTAL BEING RECORDED.
IN
DURING PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON THE TRIAD DISCUSSION DOCUMENT 1986, PUBLIC REACTION TO THE PROPOSAL. FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF A SCHEME OF TRIAD RENUNCIATION HAD BEEN FAVOURABLE, HE POINTED OUT.
A SURVEY OF PRISON INMATES ALSO SHOWED THAT THE SCHEME WAS WIDELY SUPPORTED.
TURNING TO THE LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS THEMSELVES, MR BARNES SAID THAT CLAUSE 3 OF THE BILI, INTRODUCED 13 NEW SECTIONS TO THE SOCIETIES ORDINANCE.
HE SAID FORMAL APPLICATIONS FOR RENUNCIATION OF TRIAD MEMBERSHIP WOULD BE MADE ON A STANDARD FORM TO BE SPECIFIED BY THE TRIBUNAL.
APPLICATIONS WOULD BE CONSIDERED IN STRICT CONFIDENCE, AND ONLY THE RECORDS OF SUCCESSFUL RENOUNCERS WOULD BE KEPT. ALL RECORDS OF UNSUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS WOULD BE DESTROYED.
ALL PROCEEDINGS AND RECORDS WOULD BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL AND RECORDS WOULD ONLY BE RELEASED UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN TWO SECTIONS.
UNDER ONE SECTION, A COURT WHICH HAD CONVICTED A PERSON OF SPECIFIED OFFENCES RELATING TO TRIAD SOCIETIES WAS REQUIRED TO CALL FOR A CERTIFICATE FROM THE TRIBUNAL, BEFORE PASSING SENTENCE, AS TO WHETHER THE DEFENDANT IN THE PREVIOUS FIVE YEARS HAD RENOUNCED TRIAD MEMBERSHIP.
MR BARNES SAID THAT IN ORDER TO DISCOURAGE FALSE OR FRIVOLOUS APPLICATIONS, IT WOULD BE AN OFFENCE TO MAKE FALSE STATEMENTS
ΤΟ THE TRIBUNAL OR ΤΟ IMPERSONATE OTHERS BEFORE THE TRIBUNAL. THE RENUNCIATION OF ANY PERSON COMMITTING AN OFFENCE UNDER THE RELEVANT SECTION WOULD BE MADE VOID.
DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.
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