Chief Executive Edmund Ho reiterated that the SAR Government respects judicial independence and praised the efforts of judicial personnel in putting it into practice.

Edmund Ho today (29 Oct) presided over the opening ceremony of the 2002-2003 judicial year where he expressed the SAR government's recognition of the performance of the comparatively young personnel in the SAR's judiciary.

Following the lead of the President of the Court of Final Appeal and the Prosecutor General, the young judicial personnel of the SAR had, with positive and efficient performance, ensured the proper function of the judiciary and effectively implemented the SAR's independent judicial power, including the power of final adjudication, said Edmund Ho.

He also said that the independent exercises of judicial and prosecution authorities independence was a basic characteristic of a society under the rule of law, as well as an important insurance to the residents' freedom and rights.

Edmund Ho emphasized that ethic/; responsibility and enthusiasm were as vital to judicial personnel and legal professionals as legal knowledge because all these are directly relevant to the efficiency and the quality of the judiciary.

At the same occasion, President Sam Hou Fai of the Court of Final Appeal stressed that all the court and the judges were subjected to the rightful demand for a judgment within reasonable time, saying that "a late justice is as good as a lack of justice".

Complicated procedures and long wait in vain would weaken the public's trust in the judicial system, and would damage the image of the courts as well as the judges themselves, said Sam Hou Fai, adding that he hope that all judges and assisting personnel would understand and be responsible to the public's demand.

Prosecutor General Ho Chio Meng said that the Public Prosecution Office would allocate resources reasonably in order to enhance the efficacy of prosecution and would strengthen international and regional cooperation.

End

29/10/2002