XN000022-1993-09-14 — Page 7

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1993

6

UPHOLD RULE OF LAW: MRS PATTEN

*

IDEALS ARE

IT IS PEOPLE WHO GIVE LIFE AND

TO CONSTITUTIONAL MEANING FRAMEWORKS AND IT IS THROUGH PEOPLE THAT CONSTITUTIONAL IMPLEMENTED, MRS PATTEN SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

WOULD

AND

SHE SAID ANY SYSTEM, NO MATTER HOW WELL IT WAS DESIGNED,

WAS

ABUSED CONSTANTLY FAIL

WOULD AND

FALL INTO DISUSE IF IT NEGLECTED BY THE PEOPLE WHO USED IT.

MRS PATTEN WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF LAW OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG.

ITS THAT THE

SHE SAID FOR HONG KONG TO CONTINUE TO PROSPER AND TO PLAY CENTRAL PART IN THE WORLD ECONOMIC SCENE, IT WAS ESSENTIAL LEGAL AND JUDICIAL SYSTEMS BE MAINTAINED.

THIS HAD BEEN PROVIDED FOR IN THE JOINT DECLARATION BASIC LAW.

AND THE

BUT SHE WAS QUICK TO ADD THAT THE PRESERVATION OF THE RULE LAW IN ANY COMMUNITY REQUIRED MORE THAN WORDS IN A CONSTITUTION.

OF

"IT ALSO DEPENDS ON A POPULATION THAT UNDERSTANDS AND VALUES THE RULE OF LAW.

WILLING "BUT ABOVE ALL IT DEPENDS ON LAWYERS AND JUDGES WHO ARE

MOST DIFFICULT ΤΟ DEFEND AND UPHOLD THE RULE OF LAW EVEN UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES."

HAD THE

MRS PATTEN ALSO SAID IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT HONG KONG ABILITY TO UPHOLD THE RULE OF LAW AND ENSURE THE CONTINUED HEALTH VIGOUR OF THE LEGAL AND JUDICIAL SYSTEMS.

AND

AT HEART, SHE SAID.

"TO ALL OF US WHO HAVE THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG THAT IS A MESSAGE WHICH CANNOT BE REPEATED TOO OFTEN,

||

SHE ALSO HOPED THAT THE MESSAGE WOULD INSPIRE THE LAW TO TACKLE WORK WITH ENERGY AND PRIDE.

"FOR

IN A

RATHER SPECIAL, DOWN-TO-EARTH WAY, FUTURE OF HONG KONG IN YOUR HANDS, MRS PATTEN ADDED.

STUDENTS

YOU HOLD

THE

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