XN000022-1994-04-13 — Page 7

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 1994

WE HAVE ISSUED TWO STATEMENTS ON THIS OPERATION; ONE AT A PRESS CONFERENCE ON APRIL 7, AND THE OTHER YESTERDAY. WE BELIEVED THESE STATEMENTS TO BE CORRECT AT THE TIME THEY WERE MADE. HOWEVER, DOUBTS WERE EXPRESSED ABOUT THE ACCURACY OF OUR FIGURES AND THE COMMISSIONER OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES IMMEDIATELY CARRIED OUT A REVIEW,

WERE

THERE HAS BEEN NO COVER UP; ON THE CONTRARY, WHEN DOUBTS EXPRESSED, WE

IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE INITIATIVE ΤΟ СНЕСК WITH THE BRITISH RED CROSS WHO PROVIDED MOST OF THE DATA. THIS REVIEW REVEALED THAT, CONTRARY TO OUR ASSUMPTION, PEOPLE CONTINUED TO REPORT INJURIES то THE BRITISH RED CROSS IN THE DAYS FOLLOWING THE OPERATION; OUR ASSUMPTION THAT THEY WOULD REPORT IMMEDIATELY WAS, THEREFORE, INCORRECT.

WE NOW KNOW THAT 16 WERE TREATED AT WHITEHEAD BEFORE THEY WERE MOVED TO HIGH ISLAND OF WHOM ONE WAS ADMITTED TO HOSPITAL FROM WHITEHEAD; SIX, WHO WERE TRANSFERRED TO CHI MA WAN, SOUGHT TREATMENT THERE. AS OF THIS MORNING, A TOTAL OF 213 PEOPLE HAD SOUGHT MEDICAL TREATMENT FROM THE BRITISH RED CROSS AT HIGH ISLAND, OF WHOM TWO WERE DETAINED IN HOSPITAL. A HANDFUL OF THESE PEOPLE SOUGHT TREATMENT ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. TODAY, ONLY TWO REMAIN IN HOSPITAL.

THERE HAVE BEEN SIX COMPLAINTS OF ASSAULT, WHICH ARE BEING INVESTIGATED BY THE POLICE. TODAY, THE BRITISH RED CROSS INFORMED US THAT 10 OF THE 213 TREATED BY THEM AT HIGH ISLAND HAVE ALSO COMPLAINED OF ASSAULT: THESE WILL ALSO BE REFERRED TO THE POLICE FOR INVESTIGATION.

WE ACCEPT THAT OUR SYSTEM FOR COLLECTING THIS INFORMATION WAS DEFICIENT. WE HAVE TAKEN IMMEDIATE STEPS TO RECTIFY IT.

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HIGH COURT AND DISTRICT JUDGES APPOINTED

* * *

THE JUDICIARY ANNOUNCED TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT A DISTRICT JUDGE, MR YAM YEE-KWAN, DAVID, HAD BEEN APPOINTED A HIGH COURT JUDGE, AND A PRINCIPAL MAGISTRATE, MR DAVID MICHAEL BLANCHARD GILL, HAD BEEN APPOINTED A DISTRICT JUDGE.

BOTH APPOINTMENTS TOOK EFFECT TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

AT

JUDGE YAM WAS BORN IN CANTON IN OCTOBER 1948. THE NEW METHOD COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG WHERE OBTAINED A BSC IN 1971 AND AN LLB IN 1975.

HE WAS

EDUCATED

HE

AFTER FURTHER STUDY AT THE COUNCIL OF LEGAL EDUCATION, HE WAS CALLED TO THE BAR BY MIDDLE TEMPLE IN ENGLAND IN 1976. THE FOLLOWING YEAR HE WAS CALLED TO THE HONG KONG BAR AND IN 1986 ADMITTED AS A SOLICITOR AND BARRISTER IN VICTORIA.

JUDGE YAM THEN ENTERED PRIVATE PRACTICE IN HONG KONG WHERE HE REMAINED UNTIL HIS APPOINTMENT AS DISTRICT JUDGE IN OCTOBER 1987. JUDGE YAM HAD SAT AS A DEPUTY HIGH COURT JUDGE FOR LONG PERIODS SINCE JANUARY LAST YEAR.

/HE IS