XN000022-1994-11-30 — Page 52

31

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1994

(VI)

A

APPOINTING THREE TEMPORARY MAGISTRATES TO THE PRESSURE ON THE MAGISTRATE'S COURTS AND COPE WITH THE INCREASING CASELOAD.

EASE то

TIMES AT DIFFERENT FOR EXAMPLE,

AS

RESULT, THE COURT WAITING LEVELS HAVE REDUCED CONSIDERABLY. WHEREAS IN 1993 IT TOOK AN AVERAGE OF SEVEN MONTHS FOR A CRIMINAL CASE TO COME TO TRIAL IN THE HIGH COURT WAITING FROM THE FILING OF AN INDICTMENT, THE AVERAGE TIME HAS NOW DROPPED TO SLIGHTLY OVER FIVE MONTHS. INDEED, FOR CASES ON THE CRIMINAL RUNNING LIST, THE WAITING TIME IS ONLY DOWN TO SLIGHTLY OVER TWO MONTHS,

TIME FOR AS REGARDS THE DISTRICT COURT, THE WAITING CIVIL

HIGH CASES FELL SIGNIFICANTLY FROM AN ALL-TIME OF 420 DAYS IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR TO 177 DAYS IN

BY CONTINUING EFFORTS ARE BEING MADE OCTOBER. JUDICIARY ON ALL FRONTS TO KEEP COURT WAITING WITHIN REASONABLE LIMITS.

THE

TIMES

RECOGNITION OF TERTIARY INSTITUTION DEGREES

FOLLOWING IS A QUESTION BY THE HON HENRY TANG YING-YEN AND A WRITTEN REPLY BY THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR LAM WOON-KWONG, IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY):

QUESTION: IN VIEW OF THE CONCERN EXPRESSED BY THE PUBLIC OVER THE RECOGNITION OF DEGREES AWARDED BY THE 560 ACCREDITED TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN MAINLAND CHINA, WILL THE GOVERNMENT INFORM THIS COUNCIL, WHETHER :

(A) CONSIDERATION WILL BE GIVEN TO ALTERING THE CURRENT CONSULTATIVE ROLE OF THE HONG KONG COUNCIL FOR ACADEMIC ACCREDITATION, WHICH IS LIMITED TO THE EXCHANGE OF VIEWS WITH OVERSEAS ACCREDITATION ORGANISATIONS ONLY, BY EXTENDING ITS ACCREDITATION AUTHORITY TO COVER OVERSEAS TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS (INCLUDING THOSE IN MAINLAND CHINA AND TAIWAN); IF SO, IN WHAT WAY THIS WILL BE DONE; IF NOT, WHAT THE REASONS ARE, AND WHAT ARRANGEMENTS THE GOVERNMENT WILL ADOPT- TO ASSESS THE

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS OBTAINED FROM THESE INSTITUTIONS; AND

(B)

STANDARD

OF

ANY GRADUATES FROM TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS RECOGNISED IN MAINLAND CHINA HAVE APPLIED FOR CIVIL SERVICE POSTS AND TEACHING POSTS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR IN THE TERRITORY IN THE PAST THREE YEARS; IF SO, WHAT IS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF APPLICANTS AND HOW MANY ARE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR APPLICATIONS, AND WHAT ARE THE CRITERIA ADOPTED BY THE CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH AND THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON TEACHER EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS IN ASSESSING THEIR QUALIFICATIONS; IF NOT, WHAT ARE THE REASONS FOR REJECTING THESE APPLICATIONS?

J

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