XN000022-1993-07-21 — Page 16

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 1993

LEGAL

WHICH

THE

THE DEPARTMENT IS DEFENDING THE CLIENTS DAILY AGAINST

INSTITUTED BY THE GOVERNMENT. ACTION

IN THERE ARE EVEN CASES

AID LEGAL

SUE HAS BEEN GRANTED BY THE DIRECTOR OF LEGAL AID TO LEGAL AID DEPARTMENT ITSELF, SIR DAVID SAID.

SEEKING

AGAINST

ON CONCERNS EXPRESSED BY SOME MEMBERS THAT A PERSON LEGAL AID FOR

HIMSELF SUING THE GOVERNMENT, OR DEFENDING CHARGES FILED BY THE GOVERNMENT, SHOULD NOT BE REPRESENTED LEGAL AID DEPARTMENT, SIR DAVID POINTED OUT THAT ACCORDING LEGAL AID DEPARTMENT'S RECENT SURVEY, NO LESS THAN 88% OF ITS ACTUALLY PREFERRED THE DEPARTMENT'S COUNSEL TO OUTSIDE LAWYERS TO TAKE UP THEIR CASES.

BY THE TO THE CLIENTS

ITS COMPETENCE

"THIS SHOWS THAT THERE IS NO LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE LEGAL AID DEPARTMENT AND

IN DEFENDING THE CLIENTS' INTERESTS, SAID SIR DAVID.

HE ALSO HIGHLIGHTED THE PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS IF THE LEGAL AID DEPARTMENT WERE TO BE DIS-ESTABLISHED.

ABOLISHING THE PROFESSIONAL AND DEPARTMENTAL POSTS IN THE LEGAL AID DEPARTMENT WOULD INVOLVE SIGNIFICANT COSTS. SUCH SUBSTANTIAL COSTS SHOULD

WAS A BE

PAID AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHER SERVICES IN HONG KONG QUESTION THAT NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED SERIOUSLY, HE SAID.

SIR

THERE DAVID ADDED THAT

WOULD BE A LEAD

IN DIS- TIME ESTABLISHING THE LEGAL AID DEPARTMENT AND IN ESTABLISHING A REPLACEMENT ORGANISATION THAT WOULD ENCOMPASS THE SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT AND THE SCHEMES OPERATED BY THE LEGAL PROFESSION.

"THERE WILL BE INEVITABLE DISRUPTION IN THESE SERVICES AND INCONVENIENCE TO USERS DURING THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD," HE SAID.

GOVT TAKES EVERY CHANCE TO EXPLAIN POLITICAL SYSTEM TO CHINA

* *

THE GOVERNMENT HAS AND WOULD CONTINUE TO TAKE EVERY AVAILABLE OPPORTUNITY, THROUGH BOTH FORMAL AND INFORMAL CHANNELS, TO EXPLAIN TO CHINESE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS THE OPERATION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND THE POLITICAL SYSTEM IN HONG KONG.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS, MR LEUNG CHIN-MAN, IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON LAM KUI-SHING, IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

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