Even the most passionate advocates of Macau's smooth handover to Chinese rule in just 65 days now tend to admit that localisation of the Judiciary has become the Achilles' heel of the transition period.
Under-Secretary for Justice Jorge Silveira, the enclave's head of judicial affairs, ruffled a few feathers last week when he insisted the mainland's 'refusal' to reach a pre-handover agreement on Macau's future Basic Judicial Organisation Law was prejudicial to the transition process and contrary to the wording and spirit of the Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration.
Mr Silveira, known for his carefully worded statements, lamented the fact that the Sino-Portuguese Joint Liaison Group had not been able to reach a consensus on the law, passed by the Portuguese parliament in 1991, thereby 'completely thwarting all legitimate expectations' that Macau's new judicial system could be 'tested' before the handover.
The mainland's top negotiator, Han Zhaokang, quickly dismissed the Under-Secretary's statement as incorrect, urging the Portuguese side to cling to 'amicable pragmatism' during the final transition days.
The Macau Special Administrative Region's 100-member Preparatory Committee created a fait accompli in July when it passed a decision on the post-handover judicial system that will comprise about 50 judges and public prosecutors.
Macau will have the dubious honour of having one of the world's youngest and least experienced teams of judges after the handover.
