HK CORRECTIONS CHIEF:
SERVICE OFTEN MISUNDERSTOOD
The correction services is a misunderstood profession, says Lam Kwok-leung, Hong Kong’s Commissioner of Correctional Services. Commissioner Lam and his team are part of the 37th Asian and Pacific Conference of Correctional Administrators (APCCA).
The big conference opens today at the Sofitel Fiji Resort and Spa on Denarau and is hosted by the Fiji Corrections Service. Commissioner Lam said the service they provide is different from policing or fire fighting for people to visualise the job.
“We’re always working at the back-end, providing long term protection for the society.”
Hong Kong was one of the founding members of APCCA alongside Singapore when it was established in the 1980s. Commissioner Lam said the conference would be rewarding as participating jurisdictions would come together to discuss the way forward.
He added there was a need to share ideas and form modern ways of what correctional services should be about in the future. Commissioner Lam said sharing ideas in an age where technology and prison design in rehabilitation has changed makes it a crucial element of correctional theories. Fiji Corrections Services Deputy Commissioner, Jo Kulinidilo said Fiji last hosted the conference in 1984.
They were privileged to be given the opportunity to host the conference after decades.
The conference opens today and ends on Thursday.