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MONDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1993
WORKING GROUP ON MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PEOPLE GIVING EVIDENCE IN COURT
REFERENCE CHIEF
THE JUDICIARY TODAY (MONDAY) ANNOUNCED THE TERMS OF AND MEMBERSHIP OF THE SPECIAL WORKING GROUP APPOINTED BY THE JUSTICE, SIR TI LIANG YANG, TO LOOK INTO THE QUESTION OF MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PEOPLE GIVING EVIDENCE IN COURT.
CHAIRED BY MR JUSTICE MICHAEL WONG KIN-CHOW, A HIGH COURT JUDGE, THE TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE SPECIAL WORKING GROUP ARE:
"TO EXAMINE THE WAYS AND MEANS BY WHICH MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PEOPLE GIVING EVIDENCE IN COURT MAY BE ASSISTED IN ORDER TO MINIMISE ANY TRAUMA THEY MAY SUFFER THEREBY,'
THE WORKING GROUP COMPRISES SEVEN MEMBERS.
OF THE
THEY ARE MR JOHN WOOD, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CHAMBERS; MR ALLAN CHOW, COMMISSIONER FOR REHABILITATION; MR ANTHONY CHAN, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE (YOUTH & REHABILITATION); DR SYLVIA CHEN, A PSYCHIATRIST IN PRIVATE PRACTICE; MR FRED LI WAH-MING, A MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL; AS WELL AS A BARRISTER AND A SOLICITOR, EACH TO BE RECOMMENDED RESPECTIVELY BY THE BAR ASSOCIATION AND LAW SOCIETY.
THE CHIEF JUSTICE, SIR TI LIANG YANG SAID:
"THE WORKING GROUP IS MEANT TO BE A SMALL GROUP OF EXPERTS AND PROFESSIONALS. ITS TASK IS TO IDENTIFY AND DEVISE SOME IMMEDIATE AND PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS TO REDUCE ANY POSSIBLE TRAUMA THAT THE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED MAY UNDERGO WHEN GIVING EVIDENCE IN CRIMINAL TRIALS."
"I EXPECT THE WORKING GROUP TO COME UP WITH ITS FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS IN A FEW MONTHS' TIME SO THAT ANY IMPROVEMENT MEASURES THAT PROVE PRACTICABLE WITHIN THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE COURTS COULD BE PUT IN PLACE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE IN THIS EXERCISE.
H
SIR TI LIANG INDICATED THAT DURING THE COURSE OF ITS DELIBERATIONS, THE WORKING GROUP WOULD CONSULT THE VARIOUS CONCERNED GROUPS AND ASSOCIATIONS AND WOULD CAREFULLY CONSIDER THEIR VIEWS.
"
"WE WILL ALSO TAKE FULL ACCOUNT OF ALL PUBLIC COMMENTS MATTER, HE ADDED.
ON THE
THE WORKING GROUP IS EXPECTED TO HOLD ITS FIRST MEETING
SHORTLY.
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