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The following is the speech (English only) by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Donald Tsang, at the Fifth Anniversary Reception of the Legal Aid Services Council today (January 22):
Chairman and members of the Legal Aid Services Council,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is my great pleasure to join you here today, to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Legal Aid Services Council.
The rule of law is the cornerstone of our society. It protects the rights of individuals and provides a level playing field for all. In upholding the rule of law, we need to facilitate the community's access to our justice system. Here, our legal aid services play a crucial role. Through the provision of publicly funded legal aid services, the Government seeks to ensure that no one with reasonable grounds for taking legal action in Hong Kong is prevented from seeking justice because of a lack of means.
The establishment of the Legal Aid Services Council in 1996 is an important milestone in the history of Hong Kong's legal aid services. It leads to greater and more direct public participation in the provision of legal aid services, and enhances the independence of our legal aid administration. Members of the Council come from different sectors of the community. Each has generously contributed his/her valuable time and efforts to the work of the Council.
Indeed, since its establishment, the Council has been very active. On legal aid policy, the Council has provided the Government with invaluable advice on issues covered in the Legal Aid Policy Review, and has proposed measures to enhance the independence and role of the Council. On the administration of legal aid services, the Council has made constructive and pragmatic suggestions on ways to improve our application and processing procedures, the system of assigning cases to private lawyers, the monitoring of assigned out cases, the appeal procedures against legal aid refusal and the information system strategy of the Legal Aid Department. It has also conducted a great deal of outreach activities to promote public awareness of legal aid. For example, they held a seminar with the District Councils. This is part of the outreaching activities which are so valuable in preaching what we are having in Hong Kong.
The Government will continue to look to the Council for advice and suggestions on service enhancements. In this context, we are finalising a scheme with the Council to assist legal aid applicants who have passed the means test but are refused legal aid to appeal to the Court of Final Appeal. Under the proposed scheme, we may provide funds to these applicants to obtain a counsel's certificate for lodging an appeal against legal aid refusal. With the support from the legal profession, and co-operation from the Council, we hope that the scheme could be implemented in the first half of this year.
Ladies and gentlemen, throughout the past five years of the Council's operation, it has proven itself to be a truly independent body, one which discharges its statutory functions in a most conscientious and committed manner. Let me take this opportunity to pay tribute to the Chairman and members of this Council for their contributions, dedication and wise counsel. I look forward to an even closer tripartite cooperation among the Council, the legal profession and the Government to further improve our legal aid system and services.
I wish the Council every success in the future. Thank you.
End/Tuesday, January 22, 2002
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