XN000022-1991-09-30 — Page 3

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1991

2

LEGAL AND JUDICIAL SYSTEM PROVIDES ESSENTIAL CERTAINTY TO HK'S FREEDOM

* *

GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, TODAY (MONDAY) SAID IT IS HONG

FIRMLY WEDDED TO

TO THE KONG'S LEGAL AND JUDICIAL SYSTEM, WHICH IS PRINCIPLE OF THE RULE OF LAW, THAT PROVIDES THE ESSENTIAL CERTAINTY ON WHICH THE TERRITORY'S FREEDOM TO BE SUCCESSFUL, DEPENDS.

"THE

SYSTEM IS CHALLENGE FOR HONG KONG IS TO ENSURE THAT THE

WHICH THIS RAPIDLY SUFFICIENTLY ROBUST TO WITHSTAND THE PRESSURES

IN 1997, DEVELOPING SOCIETY, AND HONG KONG'S CHANGE OF SOVEREIGNTY

SAID WHEN

THE PLACE

THE GOVERNOR UPON

IT,"

BIENNIAL INTERNATIONAL BAR ASSOCIATION'S SECTION ON BUSINESS LAW 10TH CONFERENCE.

WILL

ADDRESSING

THE

OUTLINING THE ARRANGEMENTS UNDER THE JOINT DECLARATION AND

ON BASIC LAW, SIR DAVID SAID THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP HAD JUST AGREED

KONG AND THE EARLY ESTABLISHMENT OF A COURT OF FINAL APPEAL IN HONG THE COMPOSITION OF THE COURT.

IT WILL BE Å "WE HOPE THAT WE WILL HAVE THIS IN PLACE BY 1993. SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT IN ESTABLISHING FOR THE FUTURE HONG KONG'S OWN LEGAL SYSTEM, HE SAID.

THE WORK.

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SIR DAVID POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS DETERMINED ARRANGEMENTS UNDER THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE BASIC LAW

THAT WOULD

H

HE SAID

ADDING

"BUT TO DO SO THEY MUST BE FIRMLY ROOTED HERE, THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS TRANSLATING THE LAWS INTO CHINESE.

"BUT IT WILL TAKE MORE THAN THAT.

"WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE VALUE OF IMPARTIAL JUSTICE; LOCAL PARTICIPATION IN THE JUDICIAL PROCESS," HE SAID.

A COMMUNITY

BROADER, DEEPER AND WE NEED GREATER

AT

THE MOMENT THE

WERE EXPATRIATES, MAGISTRATES ENCOURAGE LOCALISATION.

MAJORITY

OF

JUDGES KONG'S HONG CONSIDERABLE DESPITE

EFFORTS

AND ΤΟ

ONE REASON FOR THIS WAS ALMOST CERTAINLY THAT, BECAUSE OF THE AND BARRISTERS IN PRIVATE EARNED FEES

SOLICITORS BY SUCCESSFUL PRACTICE IN HONG KONG, APPOINTMENT TO THE BENCH MEANT A DROP IN INCOME SIR THAT THE PUBLIC SERVICE COULD NOT HOPE TO COMPENSATE FINANCIALLY, DAVID POINTED OUT.

"WE NEED TO DEVELOP FURTHER THE TRADITION OF HIGH PUBLIC STATUS MEANS ΤΟ WHICH ATTACHES TO THE BENCH IN SOME WESTERN COUNTRIES AS A PROMOTE LOCALISATION," HE ADDED.

SIR DAVID NOTED THAT HONG KONG'S STRONG TRADITION OF PUBLIC SERVICE, WHICH HAD IN THE PAST TENDED TO BE CHANNELLED INTO CHARITABLE WORKS, WAS TAKING ON NEW FORMS.

/"MOVES TOWARDS