THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1993
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HOWEVER, HE WARNED: "BUT LIKE COMPOUND INTEREST ON A LARGE ᎠᎬᏴᎢ . THE COST OF FAILURE WILL ACCUMULATE OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, THROUGH FAILURE TO RESIST DOMESTIC POLITICAL PRESSURE FOR SPECIAL
FRUSTRATED TRADE, AND UNRESOLVED TRADE DISPUTES WITH PROTECTION, THE TRADE RETAILIATION AND COUNTER RETALIATION WHICH THAT INVOLVE.”
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HE APPEALED TO THE WORLD'S LEADERS TO MAKE THE URUGUAY ROUND SUCCESS AS THE BEST CHANCE THE WORLD HAD FOR ACHIEVING A STRONG INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY
AND RESTED IN A STRONG MULTILATERAL SYSTEM COMMITMENT TO FREE TRADE PRINCIPLES.
MEASURES TO HELP MENTALLY HANDICAPPED IN COURT
SIMPLE ADMINISTRATIVE MEASURES AIMED AT HELPING MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PEOPLE GIVE EVIDENCE IN COURT ARE EXPECTED TO BE PUT IN PLACE FAIRLY SOON.
THIS WAS DISCLOSED TODAY (THURSDAY) BY MR JUSTICE MICHAEL WONG KIN-CHOW, A HIGH COURT JUDGE AND CHAIRMAN OF THE SPECIAL WORKING GROUP TASKED TO EXAMINE WAYS AND MEANS BY WHICH MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PEOPLE GIVING EVIDENCE IN COURT MAY BE ASSISTED IN ORDER ΤΟ MINIMISE ANY TRAUMA THEY MAY SUFFER.
THE WORKING GROUP WAS APPOINTED BY THE CHIEF JUSTICE, SIR ΤΙ LIANG YANG, IN OCTOBER THIS YEAR. IT HAS MET TWICE SINCE.
"I AM RATHER ENCOURAGED THAT THERE IS A BROAD CONSENSUS AMONG MEMBERS OF THE WORKING GROUP ON THE SORT OF PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENT MEASURES THAT SHOULD, AND COULD, BE INTRODUCED WITHIN THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE COURT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, MR JUSTICE WONG SAID.
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**THESE MEASURES DO NOT INVOLVE ANY LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENTS OR ENTAIL SUBSTANTIAL EXPENDITURE. THEY SHOULD THEREFORE BE EASIER AND QUICKER TO IMPLEMENT.
"THE WORKING GROUP WILL CONSIDER THESE PROPOSALS FURTHER AT ITS NEXT MEETING SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER 21. AN INTERIM REPORT WILL THEN BE SUBMITTED TO THE CHIEF JUSTICE, HE ADDED.
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MR JUSTICE WONG NOTED THAT FOLLOWING THE COMPLETION OF THE INTERIM REPORT, THE WORKING GROUP WOULD FOCUS ON MORE COMPLEX AND LONG-TERM MEASURES.
HE WAS SPEAKING AT A MEETING THIS MORNING WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF SEVEN CONCERNED BODIES, MAINLY PARENTS' ASSOCIATIONS, TO HEAR THEIR VIEWS ON HOW THE INTERESTS OF MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PEOPLE COULD BEST BE PROTECTED WHEN GIVING EVIDENCE IN COURT,
MR JUSTICE WONG DESCRIBED THE SESSION AS A "MOST USEFUL EXERCISE WHICH PROVIDES A VALUABLE INPUT TO THE DELIBERATIONS OF THE WORKING GROUP".
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