XN000022-1973-05-23 — Page 7

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Wednesday, May 23, 1973

The Board can increase the amount by up to double under certain

circumstances.

Compensation will not be paid where the loss of earnings is for

less than seven days, and in the case where the victim and the offender

live together as members of one family.

The other board is the Law Enforcement Injuries Compensation Board.

It will deal with claims for compensation arising from death or injury

caused by a law enforcement officer using a weapon in arrying out his duty.

Mr. Hobley said in this case the amount of compensation will be

that which would be awarded as damages at law. However, there is a proviso

that the award should not be less than the amount payable from the Community

Relief Trust Fund in respect of injury or death.

The two boards will be composed of members of the public and Mr.

Oswald Cheung has accepted the Governor's invitation to be chairman of both.

Mr. Hobley said that there has been for many years a limited provision

for the payment of compensation to anyone killed or injured in the execution

of a moral or legal duty to assist in preventing crime.

"The help which law enforcement officers have received from the

public in the past is reflected in the fact that this Council has made several

awards of compensation under that provision in recent years.

""The government recognises that the existing provision is too limited

since it does not authorise the payment of compensation either to a victim

of a violent crime or to a person who is killed or injured by a law enforcemont

officer in the execution of his duty. They or their dependants have only

their common law right of action for damages

from a criminal without means, tt he said.

——

which obviously cannot be recovered

Mr. Hobley