Opinion | Hong Kong’s broken court system is in urgent need of repair as Covid-19 exposes cracks

In November, President Xi Jinping reiterated his call for “staying on the path of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics” and that all members of China’s legal community must “ensure loyalty to the party, the country, the people and the law”.

These comments further fuelled debate in Hong Kong about the integrity of its judicial independence. Yet Hong Kong’s extensive legal community is watching how the situation evolves while totally ignoring the elephant in the courtroom.

Our court system resembles a much-admired vintage Rolls-Royce which still leads with its iconic lady, the rule of law. But, unfortunately, the leather is shabby, the paintwork hasn’t been touched up for decades, the engine needs a complete overhaul and the electronics are sub-par, to say the least.

On top of all this, the courts are chronically ill-equipped to cope with Covid-19. The closure of Hong Kong courts from February-April during the first wave of infection affected nearly 20 per cent of the annual caseload, an estimated 90,000 cases.

The courts resumed but with intermittent restrictions until this fourth wave. The courts remain open but with enhanced social-distancing measures, which will once again reduce the number of hearings and tribunals.