The preparatory committee for a national conference on judicial reform will officially begin the second stage of reforms, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said yesterday, adding that compared with the first stage, the second will endeavor to incorporate more public opinion rather than being dominated by experts.
Tsai made the remarks at the preparatory committee, which held its first meeting yesterday at the Presidential Office Building.
Tsai said her intention was not to eliminate the contributions made by the judicial sector in first-stage reforms, but that public input on such reforms has never stopped and should be included.
Tsai said she wants to make three points clear.
First, she said the public and experts in various fields need to participate in the reforms for them to be successful. Judicial reform is a complicated process that spans multiple professions and deeply affects people’s rights; as such the reformation of the judiciary should not include only those educated in law, but the public at large and other professionals.
Second, the reforms aim to create a judiciary for the people, a new system that breaks down the walls precluding public participation, Tsai said, adding that the reforms ultimately seek to establish a judiciary that is professional, transparent, capable of protecting human rights and social justice and able to respond to the needs of the people.
The government is already pushing to make public the basic information of judges and their respective duties, and the inclusion of oral defenses when the Supreme Court is reviewing highly controversial cases, Tsai said.
Third, the preparatory committee was established to hear many opinions and invite greater public participation, Tsai said, adding that the government welcomes all opinions through any channel at all times.
The nation, 17 years ago, held its first national conference on judicial reform, during which legal experts decided the direction for the first stage of judicial reform, Tsai said.
This second national conference on judicial reform has only one goal: to promote second-stage reforms and include public opinion in the process, Tsai said.
The second national conference on judicial reform is to be held in May or June next year, Tsai said.
Kenting National Park service technician Yang Jien-fon (楊政峰) won a silver award in World Grand Prix Photography Awards Spring Season for his photograph of two male rat snakes intertwined in combat. Yang’s colleagues at Kenting National Park said he is a master of nature photography who has been held back by his job in civil service. The awards accept entries in all four seasons across six categories: architectural and urban photography, black-and-white and fine art photography, commercial and fashion photography, documentary and people photography, nature and experimental photography, and mobile photography. Awards are ranked according to scores and divided into platinum, gold and
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday said it opposes the introduction of migrant workers from India until a mechanism is in place to prevent workers from absconding. Minister of Labor Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) on Thursday told the Legislative Yuan that the first group of migrant workers from India could be introduced as early as this year, as part of a government program. The caucus’ opposition to the policy is based on the assessment that “the risk is too high,” KMT caucus secretary-general Lin Pei-hsiang (林沛祥) said. Taiwan has a serious and long-standing problem of migrant workers absconding from their contracts, indicating that
SPACE VETERAN: Kjell N. Lindgren, who helps lead NASA’s human spaceflight missions, has been on two expeditions on the ISS and has spent 311 days in space Taiwan-born US astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is to visit Taiwan to promote technological partnerships through one of the programs organized by the US for its 250th national anniversary. Lindgren would be in Taiwan from Tuesday to Saturday next week as part of the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ US Speaker Program, organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday. Lindgren plans to engage with key leaders across the nation “to advance cutting-edge technological partnerships and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,”
TRADE-OFF: Beijing seeks to trade a bowl of tempura for a Chinese delicacy, an official said, while another said its promises were attempts to interfere in the polls The government must carefully consider the national security implications of building a bridge connecting Kinmen County and Xiamen, China, the Public Construction Commission (PCC) said yesterday. PCC Commissioner Derek Chen (陳金德), who is also a minister without portfolio, made the remarks in a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee, after Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Hsu Fu-kuei (徐富癸) asked about China’s proposal of new infrastructure projects to further connect Kinmen and Lienchiang (Matsu) counties with Xiamen. China unveiled the bridge plan, along with nine other policies for Taiwan, on Sunday, the last day of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun’s (鄭麗文) visit
RSS