FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 1994
GOVERNOR CONGRATULATES RESCUERS ON FINDING MISSING SOLDIERS
THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, TODAY (FRIDAY) WELCOMED THE NEWS THAT FIVE HONG KONG AND BRITISH SOLDIERS MISSING POR A MONTH HAVE BEEN FOUND ALIVE ON MOUNT KINABALU.
"THIS IS VERY GOOD NEWS INDEED. I AM DELIGHTED FOR THE FAMILIES OF THE FIVE SOLDIERS.
**I CONGRATULATE EVERYONE INVOLVED IN WHAT HAS BEEN AN EXTRAORDINARILY DIFFICULT RESCUE OPERATION, ESPECIALLY THE MEMBERS OF THE MALAYSIAN ARMED FORCES WHO HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO RESCUE MISSING SOLDIERS."
THE
0
FINAL REPORT OF WORKING PARTY ON
MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PEOPLE GIVING EVIDENCE IN COURT
LEGISLATION SHOULD BE INTRODUCED TO ENABLE HANDICAPPED WITNESS TO GIVE EVIDENCE BY VIDEO LINK AND STATEMENT BY A MENTALLY HANDICAPPED WITNESS TO A POLICE SOCIAL WORKER TO BE ADMISSIBLE IN EVIDENCE.
THE
A MENTALLY A VIDEOTAPED
OFFICER AND
REPORT OF
THESE ARE SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE FINAL WORKING PARTY ON MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PEOPLE GIVING EVIDENCE IN COURT, CHAIRED BY MR JUSTICE MICHAEL WONG KIN-CHOW, A HIGH COURT
JUDGE.
RELEASING THE
FINDINGS OF THE FINAL REPORT, MR JUSTICE WONG SAID TODAY (FRIDAY) THAT UNLIKE ENGLAND WHERE THERE WAS A LAW ON GIVING EVIDENCE BY WAY OF VIDEO LINK, HONG KONG DID NOT HAVE A PROVISION OF THIS NATURE.
HOWEVER, HE POINTED OUT THAT THE COMMITTEE ON THE EVIDENCE OF CHILDREN IN CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS CHAIRED BY DEPUTY CROWN PROSECUTOR, GRENVILLE CROSS, HAD MADE A FIRM RECOMMENDATION THAT LEGISLATION SHOULD BE INTRODUCED TO ALLOW CHILD VICTIMS AND WITNESSES ΤΟ GIVE EVIDENCE IN COURTS THROUGH A LIVE TELEVISION LINK.
"WE ENDORSE THAT RECOMMENDATION AND IT WOULD BE A SIMPLE MATTER TO EXTEND IT TO WITNESSES WHO ARE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED,' HE SAID.
ON VIDEO RECORDINGS OF THE TESTIMONY OF MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS, MR JUSTICE WONG SAID: "TO BE ABLE TO RECORD AN EARLY COMPREHENSIVE INTERVIEW AND USE IT IN THE TRIAL WOULD NOT ONLY ENABLE THE JUDGE AND THE JURY TO HAVE THE BENEFIT OF THE EVIDENCE OF THE WITNESS GIVEN SHORTLY AFTER THE OFFENCE, BUT IT WOULD REDUCE TRAUMA OF GIVING EVIDENCE LIMITING THE TIME SPENT IN THE WITNESS TO CROSS-EXAMINATIONS AND ANY RE-EXAMINATION."
THE
BOX
/"TO GIVE