XN000022-1995-06-07 — Page 22

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For the future:

A fully integrated information technology system, now being installed, will greatly enhance the ability to capture information to aid in the operation of the Prosecutions Division.

The significant increase in the strength of the Division - long over-due- will enable the Director to beef-up various units within the Division. This will help to improve the service provided to law enforcement agencies and other government departments in terms of the quality of advice given.

Greater use of Chinese in courts will be facilitated by assisting in the production of bilingual indictments and charge sheets, and by improving the ability of prosecutors to conduct cases in Cantonese.

Specialist training will be provided to Crown Counsel dealing with vulnerable witnesses so as to facilitate the implementation of the proposal to allow videotaping of evidence in such cases and for the better handling of trials involving vulnerable witnesses.

"It is against this background of steady improvements that I welcome the review proposed in the Honourable Mrs Elsie Tu's motion," Mr Mathews said.

"I say this for a number of reasons. Firstly such a review would tie-in with the process of improvements already started by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

"Secondly, the Prosecutions Division had grown in size over the years and will expand further. At the same time, the criminal law and procedures have grown in terms of specialisation and complexity. Both factors suggest that there is a need to review the way in which decisions are made.

"Thirdly, it is vital that the decision-making process should be one which commands public respect and confidence, for the prosecution process is of such vital importance to the maintenance of the rule of law in Hong Kong. We must ensure that the proper checks and balances are in place," he said.

"The Director is anxious to press ahead with the review, with a view to producing to this Council a public report before the end of the year," he added.

Turning to the first amendment to the motion proposed by the Hon Emily Lau, Mr Mathews noted that at present, the spending of the Legal department was grouped under five programme areas. Under each programme area, a breakdown was kept for costs incurred for each category of activity.