THE man widely tipped to be Hongkong's next Director of Public Prosecutions has backed calls for a local to be promoted to the top job.
After yesterday's formal ceremony to mark his call to the Inner Bar, Mr Clive Grossman, a prosecutor in the Attorney-General's chambers, said he believed it was right for a local Chinese to fill Mr John Wood's shoes. Whoever succeeds Mr Wood has to wait a year, as his three-year contract has been extended until mid-1994.
Mr Grossman, who heads the Commercial Crime Unit and holds the rank of Deputy Crown Prosecutor, was one of six new Queen's Counsels to take silks yesterday.
The others were Ms Audrey Eu, Mr Gary Alderdice, Mr Gary Plowman, Mr Geoffrey Ma and Mr Kenneth Kwok, bringing the number of silks in Hongkong to 42.
The Attorney-General Mr Jeremy Mathews, judges and leading legal figures attended the ceremony, along with families and friends of the new silks.
Mr Grossman, who is known to be interested in going to private bar or higher bench, says he will consider the job if offered it, but says it is only one option.
