The following is the address by the Secretary for Justice, Ms Teresa Cheng, SC, at the Ceremony for the Admission of the New Senior Counsel today (June 9):
 
Chief Justice, members of the Judiciary, Chairman of the Bar, President of the Law Society, fellow members of the legal profession, ladies and gentlemen,
 
     My Lord, this is a day of joy, pride and solemnity. It is a privilege for us all here to witness our distinguished members of the Bar be admitted as senior counsel.
 
     It is a day of joy for each of the four senior counsel as the call to the Inner Bar is a recognition of their ability, integrity and professionalism. No doubt their families, friends and chamber mates all join in sharing their happiness, as evidenced by the enthusiasm of their participation in this ceremony here.
 
     It is a day of pride for the legal profession to have them added to the list of silks, strengthening the legal fraternity thereby reinforcing our legal system. We are proud to see you reach the peak of your legal profession – maybe not quite the peak yet, as you will no doubt aspire to be elevated to the bench one day.
 
     Importantly it is a day of solemnity for Hong Kong. Having taken silk, the legal profession and indeed Hong Kong expects that you will continue to discharge your duty of upholding the rule of law without fear or favour, and to do so with added determination, professionalism and dedication. When you embarked upon the study of law, I am sure like most, you hoped that you are part of a system that sees that justice be done – not by your own or anyone's standards, but by the laws. Today, with the two letters, SC, after your names you have the increased burden to partake in this important mission as leaders of the legal profession, setting examples for the juniors and where necessary to come forth and defend against arbitrary and baseless accusations and attacks on our legal system and judiciary and, as the Chief Justice said, to help properly inform the public the law and how the law operates. Apart from discharging your duties as officers of the court, in pronouncing the proper analysis of the law and the fair and objective application of the facts, I hope that you will also be ready and willing to serve the community using your legal skills and assume roles that will contribute to the advancement of the society of Hong Kong.
 
     As tradition would have it, I will say a few words about each of our new silks. But before that, I must express gratitude to all those who have relentlessly given them the support and guidance, without which they would not have achieved their goals and status here today.
 
     Most will suspect that I have no direct knowledge about the criminal silks – and to be honest, you are right. But I have reliable hearsay evidence. This is the beauty of working in DoJ (Department of Justice) – it has a good and wide source for information and a corporate memory. Hence I can assure you that whilst it may be hearsay, you can properly afford adequate weight to it.
 
Ms Maggie Wong Pui-kei

     Let me start with Ms Maggie Wong.

     She was pupil to Mr Justice Andrew Macrae when she first joined his Chambers. At that time Andrew did not know much about her. He told Maggie to take a look at two of his briefs when he left for an overseas trip. On his return, Andrew found the two briefs lying tidily at their original position, so he thought Maggie had not read them at all. But when he looked at the papers, he found in each of them Maggie's notes on the law, the legal issues involved and detailed analysis of the case. Since then he took her as his junior in every case, including the one in Brunei which lasted for several years.
 
     I can summon my colleague Mr David Leung, SC, DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions) to testify if so directed by your Lordships. But he told me this.About 10 years ago when Mr Justice Macrae was still in private practice and Maggie was his junior, there was an appeal in which David was acting for the respondent. Shortly before the hearing of appeal, the appellant decided to abandon the appeal. Apart from ringing up David informing him of the intended abandonment, Maggie took the time and trouble to deliver, in person, the notice of abandonment to the office of David and he was impressed by Maggie’s dedication and meticulousness in seeing the proper discharge of her professional duties.
 
Mr Edwin Choy Wai-bond
 
     The second new silk, Mr Edwin Choy was identified at a very early stage to be one of great potential. In 2004, he argued a case before the Appeal Committee for leave (FAMC 56/2004). There were only 2 paragraphs in the judgment. The first sentence reads:
 
     "This application has been argued by Mr Edwin Choy with great ability…"
 
The last sentence reads:
 
     "….With an expression of our indebtedness to Mr Choy for his able arguments, we refuse leave to appeal"
 
     These short paragraphs have succinctly spelt out Edwin's high competence in advocacy even in his early days.
 
Mr Pao Jin-long
 
     Coming to our third new silk, Mr Pao is one of the youngest and brightest practising barristers being called to the inner Bar.
 
     As a law student, Jin took up the habit of winning scholarships. I would not list them out here as he has an unbeatable record of receiving as many as 21 scholarships and prizes. Having been called to the Bar in 2002, Jin, in one of his very first cases, acted for an environmental organisation in its successful challenge against intended harbour reclamation works in Wan Chai. This case, as I understand it, is one which Jin has found to be most memorable, as it was his first judicial review in the growing important area of environmental protection which went all the way to the Court of Final Appeal.
 
     Jin is well-known for his quick thinking and wittiness, as demonstrated by his superb advocacy skills which have gained him points at all levels of courts. I also hasten to add that his mahjong skills are just as stunning which have earned him a second place in the World Series of Mahjong 2010.
 
Mr Derek Chan Ching-lung
 
     The next new silk was a very hotly sought-after junior, so much so that criminal trials has to be fixed because Mr Derek Chan, as opposed to the leading counsel, is fully engaged professionally until around six months thereafter.
 
     Derek has appeared as junior counsel in a number of high profile criminal cases including the trial of the ex-Chief Executive of the HKSAR, the murder trial of Nancy Kissel, the criminal prosecution arising out of the consent scheme sale of flats in a residential development in Tuen Mun and in one of the earliest criminal proceedings brought in the District Court under the Securities and Futures Ordinance against defendants accused of large-scale market manipulation.
 
     I wonder if some of the SCs might have invited your lordships to defer Derek's appointment as senior counsel so that they would not lose such a good junior.
 
     My Lords and My Ladies, the institution of silk has a long history in the common law system. The tradition began when the title of Queen’s Counsel was first conferred on Sir Francis Bacon more than four centuries ago, giving him precedence in the bar. It gives me the distinct pleasure to witness our new silks carrying forward this fine heritage.
 
     On this note, it remains for me to warmly welcome the four of you to the rank of silks on this auspicious and joyful day, and wish you all continuing success in a new chapter of your life.
 
     Thank you.

     The Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah, today (June 9) expressed deep sorrow over the passing of Professor Liu Yi-chang and extended his deepest condolences to Professor Liu’s family.

     Mr Lau said, "Professor Liu, a master of Chinese literature, had a lifelong devotion in promoting Hong Kong literature. Generations of local writers have benefitted from Professor Liu's contributions. His passing was a great loss to the cultural sector. He will be remembered fondly."

The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary:
 
     The following is the full text of an address by the Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal, Mr Geoffrey Ma Tao-li, at the Ceremony for the Admission of the New Senior Counsel today (June 9):
 
Secretary for Justice, Chairman of the Bar, President of the Law Society, fellow judges, ladies and gentlemen,
 
     I extend a warm welcome to you on the occasion of the admission to the rank of Senior Counsel of Ms Maggie Wong, Mr Edwin Choy, Mr Jin Pao and Mr Derek Chan. Today is a day of personal triumph for them and the happiness of the occasion is made all the more so by the presence of family and friends. I extend to them in particular a warm welcome and congratulations as well. You know more than most the dedication, industry, sacrifice and sometimes even disappointment and heartache that have been experienced by the four newest members of the Inner Bar to get to this important day in their lives.
 
     However, it is the new chapter in their professional lives that we also celebrate on this occasion of their taking silk. My own silk gown, which I wear today, was first worn almost exactly 25 years ago when I, together with four others, including the Head of Chambers where Ms Wong and Mr Chan practise, took silk. The practice of law has perhaps changed little. Neither has the tradition of public service and devotion to the public interest.
 
     The context of Hong Kong and the public perception of the role of the law, and the greater awareness of issues relating to the rule of law, have however dramatically changed. There can be little doubt that particularly since 1997, there has been a considerably much deeper understanding of how the law affects everyone’s daily lives and, more important, everyone's future. As members of the community increasingly grasp the concept of fundamental rights – the constant, almost daily, references to the Basic Law and the Bill of Rights demonstrate this – there must inevitably be clashes of rights and opinions. I have often spoken of the phenomenon of apparently reasonable points of view – in legal terms, the engagement of different rights or even facets of the same right – pulling in diametrically opposite directions. The important word here is "reasonable". It is the task of the courts to adjudicate on these different points of view and they do so in accordance with the law, legal principle and the spirit of the law. This responsibility of the courts, to decide legal disputes before them in accordance with the law, is simple enough to state, and to all of you in this Court, it may seem obvious. However, particularly in recent years, it would appear that some members of the community lose sight of this. This often happens when cases come before the courts having their origins in controversial political, economic or social events. These are the types of situation where most people will have strong views and the way they view the law will be synonymous with the result of the particular matter before the court. Their perception and even confidence in the legal system become largely, if not wholly, dependent on the result. One will then in these circumstances quite easily lose sight of the fundamental point that courts deal only with the law. One completely forgets also that only two qualities are stated in the Basic Law for the appointment of judges: judicial and professional qualities. Their views, political or otherwise, or any other aspect, do not enter into it.
 
     I have just returned from a speaking tour of Australia, where one of the topics of the talks I gave was the criticism of judges. Within this theme was the necessity of properly informing the public of how the law operates. It is critical to the viability of any legal system that it truly enjoys the confidence of the community. Without this confidence, the system – however good it is and however lauded it is by others – will have failed.
 
     It is in the above context that the role of the leaders of the legal profession comes into play. By leaders I include leaders of both barristers and solicitors. Leading Counsel all play a critical part in promoting the system of law in Hong Kong; this is also a recognition of the responsibility to understand and promote the rule of law itself. The Inner Bar now number over 100, not including the Senior Counsel in the Department of Justice. They are leaders of the Bar not just in the cases that they take up for their clients, but also in providing leadership to enable the community to understand the operation of the law. I cannot emphasise enough the importance of this latter aspect. In a talk I gave in London two years ago at the 2016 Presidential Address of the Bentham Association I referred to the Bar as an "Old, Honourable and Distinguished Friend". It is precisely that.
 
     I return to the main event of this morning. We are here primarily to congratulate the success of Ms Wong, Mr Choy, Mr Pao and Mr Chan. Maggie Wong, Edwin Choy and Derek Chan are all criminal practitioners of the very highest standing, reputation and ability. Jin Pao is a civil practitioner, with an emphasis in recent years on public law. He too, like the others, enjoys a formidable reputation. You will hear more about them presently, but I make a brief mention of Ms Wong. Not only is she the product of Sacred Heart Canossian College, she also numbers 100 on the list of Senior Counsel in Hong Kong.
 
     Once again, I congratulate the four new Senior Counsel and their family and friends, and wish you every success and happiness in all your future endeavours.

     Five gifted sixth-form secondary school students in the United Kingdom have each won a chance to study at a Hong Kong university this summer, through a competition organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, London (London ETO).

     Hong Kong has a successful and diverse higher education system, with a number of outstanding universities that rank prominently in world league tables. Through the "Hong Kong: the best destination for start-up entrepreneurs!" competition, UK students are encouraged to pursue tertiary education in Hong Kong. Each of the five winners of the competition will be sponsored to study at one of the summer courses at a Hong Kong university to experience a taste of the city's world-class university life, as well as Hong Kong's cosmopolitan lifestyle and unique culture. The winners can also explore their areas of interest and develop their strengths and potential before starting at university. Sponsored by Cathay Pacific Airways and supported by the British Council, the Hong Kong Society and Invest Hong Kong, the competition has the participation of three key universities in Hong Kong.

     To enter, students were invited to compare Hong Kong and a UK city in terms of their situation, development, respective policies and measures to support start-ups. They were also asked to give suggestions on how to further promote and develop Hong Kong as the best destination for start-ups.

     Entries received were in many different forms including presentations, essays, websites, blog entries and YouTube videos, and were judged based on content, creativity and presentation. The panel of judges were the Director-General of the London ETO, Ms Priscilla To; the Marketing & Digital Sales Manager of Cathay Pacific, Mr Paul Cruttenden; Project Manager, International Education Programme, British Council, Mr Siôn James; the Chairman of the Hong Kong Society, Mr Nigel Johnson-Hill; and the Deputy Head of  Investment Promotion, London ETO, Ms Jessica Kam.

     The five winning entrants are:

Bertram Lyhne-Gold
North Bridge House School, Canonbury, London
His entry was an essay (available on the London ETO website at
www.hketolondon.gov.hk/student_competition/winners2018/Bertram_Lyhne_Gold.doc)
He will study at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Thibau Grumett
Invicta Grammar School, Maidstone
His entry was a presentation (available on the London ETO website at
www.hketolondon.gov.hk/student_competition/winners2018/Thibau_Grumett_1.pdf
www.hketolondon.gov.hk/student_competition/winners2018/Thibau_Grumett_2.pdf)
He will study at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Tomas Utting
King’s College School, Wimbledon
His entry was a blog (available at www.hongkongforstartups.wordpress.com)
He will study at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Trinity Hooper
Benenden School, Kent
Her entry was an essay (available on the London ETO website at www.hketolondon.gov.hk/student_competition/winners2018/Trinity_Hooper.docx)
She will study at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
 
Uma Baron
St Paul's Girls' School, Hammersmith
Her entry was an essay (available on the London ETO website at
www.hketolondon.gov.hk/student_competition/winners2018/Uma_Baron.docx)
She will study at the University of Hong Kong.

     At a prize presentation ceremony at the London ETO on June 6 (London time), Ms To said the London ETO launched the competition in 2012 to encourage more students from the UK to go to Hong Kong to further their university education. She said, "I would like to congratulate all the winners. All the entries were of very high quality, which made it quite a challenge for the judges, having to decide between them all, based on content, creativity and presentation.

     "I am sure that this summer you will have a great and genuine taste of campus life in the best universities in Hong Kong. When you come back to the UK, I hope that you will be proud ambassadors for Hong Kong as a great place to study and share your experiences with your friends and fellow students.

     "The reason we chose this theme of start-up entrepreneurs is simply this: the start-up scene in Hong Kong is flourishing. It is among the world's five fastest-growing start-up centres and one of the world's top 25 start-up hubs. Substantial resources have been allocated in the past few years to support the development of innovation and technology or I&T, with a focus on four critical areas of healthcare technology, artificial intelligence and robotics, smart city and Fintech."

     Mr Cruttenden said, "Congratulations to all the winners and indeed all those who submitted entries. The effort and hard work invested was exceptional. Connecting people is at the core of what Cathay Pacific do – connecting ambitious, inquisitive and enthusiastic students to new educational, social and cultural experiences is why we are delighted to continue supporting this very worthwhile competition."

     Mr James said, "I'd like to extend my congratulations to the competition's winners  the number of high quality applications received made the judging process extremely challenging. Your time in Hong Kong will provide you with a rich variety of new experiences in a different culture, and having seen the amount of creativity, skill and commitment demonstrated in the applications, it's well deserved."

     Mr Johnson-Hill, said, "I was really impressed by the quality and presentation of the winners' essays. And I'm particularly grateful to the London ETO for arranging such an inspiring competition."

     Ms Kam said, "I am impressed by both the quantity and quality of the entries for this year's competition. The number of entries we received clearly reflects UK secondary school students' keen interest in Hong Kong. The students' works are of exceptionally high standard which made it very difficult for the judging panel to make the decision. Their level of understanding about the start-up scene and business environment in Hong Kong also impressed me. I wish all the winners a memorable experience and a pleasant journey in Hong Kong."

      

     Police advise motorists that special traffic arrangements will be implemented in Sha Tin to facilitate the race meeting tomorrow (June 10).

     The arrangements will come into effect two hours before the start of the first race and will last until the crowds have dispersed after the race meeting.

     Appropriate traffic signs will be put up and police will be on hand to guide motorists.

     The Police also appeal to people going to Sha Tin Racecourse for the race meeting and to Happy Valley Racecourse for cross betting to make maximum use of public transport.

     Parking spaces at the two racecourses are available only to holders of appropriate permits issued by Hong Kong Jockey Club and any vehicles illegally parked will be towed away.