Remarks by SJ at media session (with video)
Following are the remarks by the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, at a media session at the "Rule of Law: The Best Business Environment" under Hong Kong Legal Week 2024 today (November 8):
Reporter: How effective is incorporating a new mediation clause into government contracts? What additional resources are needed and how much time or money does it actually save? And what sort of government contracts will it benefit the most?
Secretary for Justice: It would be a general policy that in the future, all government contracts will contain a mediation clause. The fact is that in case any dispute arises, the Government will try to resolve those disputes by mediation first, and only if mediation fails may we resort to litigation, arbitration or other means of dispute resolution. I am very confident that if people are willing to use more mediation to resolve disputes, that will certainly save time and cost, because I am speaking from experience.
The importance of this policy is to show to people that the Government is willing to take the lead in the hope that we can cultivate the culture in society as a whole. So whenever people encounter disputes, the first thing that they would consider is not to go to court, but instead to try to resolve disputes by mediation, by a means which in our belief is more economical, more time-saving, and resulting in a more harmonious result. So I think that is my answer to your question.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the remarks.)
2025 Rural Representative Election voter registration campaign starts
The 2025 voter registration campaign for the Rural Representative Election (RRE) was launched today (April 8), with a view to encouraging eligible persons to register as electors and registered electors to update their registration particulars.
The Home Affairs Department (HAD) appeals to all eligible persons who have not registered as electors to sign up by June 16, so that their registration particulars can be included in the provisional register to be published in August this year. Registered electors are not required to register again, but those who need to update their registered particulars should also submit their applications for change of registration particulars by June 16.
There are three types of Rural Representatives, namely Indigenous Inhabitant Representatives (IIRs), Resident Representatives (ReRs) and Kaifong Representatives (KFRs). An IIR, returned by indigenous inhabitants, their spouses or surviving spouses of an Indigenous Village/Composite Indigenous Village, is to reflect views on the affairs of the village on behalf of its indigenous inhabitants, and to deal with affairs relating to the lawful traditional rights and interests and the traditional way of life of those indigenous inhabitants. An ReR, returned by residents (both indigenous and non-indigenous inhabitants) residing in an Existing Village, is to reflect views on the village affairs on behalf of its residents. A KFR, returned by residents residing in a Market Town (i.e. Cheung Chau and Peng Chau), is to reflect views on the affairs of the Market Town on behalf of its residents.
"As the eligibility requirements for registration as electors vary for these elections, applicants should ascertain whether they meet the relevant requirements before registration," an HAD spokesman said.
"Indigenous inhabitants, their spouses or surviving spouses, aged 18 or above and holding recognised identity documents, are eligible to be registered as electors in the IIR Election of an Indigenous Village/Composite Indigenous Village.
"For registration as an elector in the ReR Election and the KFR Election, one must be a Hong Kong permanent resident aged 18 or above and have been a resident of the Existing Village or Market Town for the three years immediately preceding the date of application for registration, and whose address in the Village or Market Town is his or her principal residential address. Principal residential address means the address of the dwelling place at which the person resides and which constitutes the person's sole or main home. For verification of their eligibility for registration, proof of address is required both for applicants seeking new registration and registered electors seeking to change the principal residential address. For applicants who fail to submit valid documentary proof of address, their applications will not be processed.
"Indigenous inhabitants, their spouses or surviving spouses who have been residing in an Existing Village or a Market Town for the three years immediately preceding the date of application for registration and meet the eligibility requirements for electors in the relevant election may register as electors for both the IIR Election and the ReR Election or the KFR Election through the submission of two separate applications for voter registration."
The spokesman stressed that registered electors of the ReR Election and the KFR Election are not eligible to remain so registered if they no longer reside in the Village/Market Town for which they are registered, or their residential addresses in the Village/Market Town concerned are no longer their principal residential addresses. The persons concerned will commit an offence if they vote at the relevant election.
Members of the public may visit the RRE Voter Registration Information Enquiry System through the RRE website (www.had.gov.hk/rre) to check their own registration particulars.
Application forms for new voter registration and change of registration particulars by an elector can be obtained from the HAD, Home Affairs Enquiry Centres and overseas offices of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, or downloaded from the RRE website.
Duly completed and signed forms should be submitted in person or by post to the HAD or any Home Affairs Enquiry Centre, by fax (fax number: 2591 6392) or email (rre@had.gov.hk), or via the E-submission Platform at the RRE website on or before the deadline specified above (Hong Kong time).
The HAD will roll out the voter registration campaign through the RRE website, posters, newspaper advertisements and more to encourage eligible persons to register as electors and remind registered electors to update their registration particulars by the deadline.
For enquiries, please call the RRE hotline at 2152 1521.
