SUNDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1993
A STRONG LEGAL SYSTEM NEEDS COMMUNITY SUPPORT
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OUR LAW SHOULD DRAW ITS STRENGTH NOT ONLY FROM JUDGES AND LAWYERS, BUT ALSO FROM THE COMMUNITY IT SERVED, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, MR JEREMY MATHEWS, SAID TODAY (SUNDAY).
MR MATHEWS BELIEVES A COMMUNITY WHICH UNDERSTANDS AND APPRECIATES THE VALUES OF THE LAW AND THE LEGAL SYSTEM WILL ABIDE BY THE LAW AND CAN DEFEND THAT LAW AND ITS INSTITUTIONS.
SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF LAW WEEK'
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TRIBUTE TO THE LAW SOCIETY FOR ORGANISING SUCH A VALUABLE' EVENT TO HEIGHTEN PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE TO SOCIETY.
MR MATHEWS PAID 'MEANINGFUL AND BENEFITS OF LAW
"IT ENABLES ALL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, THROUGH THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE ACTIVITIES ORGANISED BY LAW WEEK, TO DEVELOP A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE LAW, THE LEGAL PROFESSION AND THE LEGAL SYSTEM.
"THIS WILL, IN TURN, STRENGTHEN THE LEGAL SYSTEM AND HELP то ENTRENCH THE RULE OF LAW, HE SAID.
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MR MATHEWS SAID HE WAS PROUD OF THE FACT THAT THE RULE OF LAW WAS WELL ESTABLISHED IN HONG KONG; THE JUDICIARY WAS INDEPENDENT AND FAIR.
THAT PEOPLE SEEKING JUSTICE HAVE ACCESS TO LEGAL ASSISTANCE AND TO THE COURTS AND THE LEGAL PROFESSION PROVIDES QUALITY AND EFFICIENT SERVICES IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE LAW.
FOR THE CONTINUANCE OF THE LEGAL SYSTEM AFTER 1997, THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE BASIC LAW CONTAIN MANY SPECIFIC GUARANTEES, AND THESE GUARANTEES PROVIDE A SOUND BASIS FOR CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE LEGAL SYSTEM IN HONG KONG.
TO MAKE THE LEGAL SYSTEM AND LAWS MORE ACCESSIBLE AND LESS DAUNTING TO THE COMMUNITY, MR MATHEWS SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS DOING ITS PART BY PRODUCING CHINESE TEXTS FOR ALL THE LAWS OF HONG KONG.
AND THE JUDICIARY IS CONSIDERING WAYS IN WHICH GREATER USE MAY BE MADE OF THE CHINESE LANGUAGE IN PROCEEDINGS IN ALL COURTS.
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