MONDAY, MAY 20, 1991
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JUDICIARY SEEKS FUNDS TO IMPROVE MAGISTRACIES' SERVICE
THE CHIEF JUSTICE, SIR TI LIANG YANG, TODAY (MONDAY) SAID THE JUDICIARY IS SEEKING FUNDS TO INSTALL A SOPHISTICATED COMPUTER SYSTEM TO IMPROVE THE MANAGEMENT OF SUMMONSES AND CHARGE CASES HANDLED BY THE MAGISTRACIES.
SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE EASTERN LAW COURTS, THE CHIEF JUSTICE SAID WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF CASEMAN, THE COMPUTER SYSTEM, THE QUALITY OF SERVICE OF THE MAGISTRATES COURTS WILL IMPROVE.
THE CENTRAL PROCESSING SUMMONS UNIT, WHICH IS AT THE CORE OF CASEMAN, WILL BE LOCATED IN THE EASTERN LAW COURTS.
THE SYSTEM WILL BE EXPENSIVE. ITS CAPITAL EXPENDITURE WILL BE $17 MILLION, WITH AN ANNUAL RECURRENT EXPENDITURE OF SOME $4 MILLION.
"HOWEVER, SUCH WILL BE THE SAVINGS IN STAFF AND TIME CAPITAL EXPENDITURE WILL BE RECOVERED IN FIVE YEARS AND THERE WILL BE MOUNTING CASH SAVINGS IN THE AREA OF THIS ACTIVITY, SIR TI LIANG STRESSED.
"
THAT THE THEREAFTER PARTICULAR
MORE IMPORTANT OF THE SYSTEM TO THE JUDICIARY THAN THE CASH SAVINGS ARE THE INTANGIBLE BENEFITS, ACCORDING TO THE CHIEF JUSTICE.
"OUR QUALITY OF SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC WILL IMPROVE. THE. HEARING OF CASES WILL BE BETTER SCHEDULED WHICH WILL RESULT IN THE BETTER UTILISATION OF THE MAGISTRATES COURTS.
"WE CAN ALSO TRACK DOWN MORE QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY THOSE PEOPLE WHO DO NOT PAY THEIR FINES, SIR TI LIANG SAID.
HE ADDED THAT EACH OF THE LARGER PROSECUTION DEPARTMENTS WILL HAVE DIRECT ACCESS TO THE COMPUTER AND CONSEQUENTLY, THE MANAGEMENT OF THEIR APPLICATIONS FOR SUMMONS WILL BE OF A MUCH HIGHER STANDARD.
WITH THE CASEMAN, THE SUMMONSES ISSUED WILL BE IN BETTER QUALITY THAN THOSE CURRENTLY USED AND THERE WILL BE A COMPLETE CHINESE TRANSLATION OF THE FORM AND THE CONTENTS OF THE SUMMONS.
"CASEMAN, LIKE THESE LAW COURTS WHICH ARE HIGH QUALITY AND SOPHISTICATED PROJECTS.
OPENING TODAY,
ARE
"THEY INDICATE, IN MY VIEW, THE COMMITMENT OF THE HONG KONG JUDICIARY TO THE PROVISION OF TOP QUALITY SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC OF HONG KONG AND WE HOPE THAT THE PUBLIC, IN RETURN, WILL BE ABLE ΤΟ RECOGNISE THIS COMMITMENT TO LAW AND ORDER AND THE RULE OF LAW, SIR TI LIANG SAID.
PRIOR TO HIS ADDRESS, THE CHIEF JUSTICE, ACCOMPANIED BY A CHIEF ARCHITECT OF THE ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, MR F. MINU; THE PROJECT ARCHITECT, MR MOK PAK-KEUNG; THE ACTING REGISTRAR OF SUPREME COURT, MR BRIAN SUTTILL; CHIEF MAGISTRATE, MR RICHARD HAWKES; AND THE PRINCIPAL MAGISTRATE OF THE EASTERN MAGISTRACY, MR IAN CANDY: MADE A 30-MINUTE VISIT OF THE EASTERN LAW COURTS.
/THE OPENING