Legislative Council Panel on Constitutional Affairs
Progress of Year 2000 Compliance Work
Purpose
This paper reports on the latest Year 2000 (Y2K) compliance position of the mission-critical computer and embedded systems in the Constitutional Affairs Bureau (CAB) and the Registration and Electoral Office (REO), namely -
- the Burglar Alarm & Security System in CAB;
- the Electoral and Registration System (EARS) and the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) installed in REO.
Progress of Y2K Compliance Work
The Burglar Alarm & Security System
2. The Burglar Alarm & Security System is a security measure installed in the office of CAB to ensure that only authorised persons are allowed access into the office. It is confirmed that the system is Y2K compliant.
The EARS
3. The EARS is a computer database that stores the records of more than 2.83 million registered electors. Its major election-related functions include -
- storing and updating the electoral records of registered electors;
- printing poll cards, mailing labels, notifications and registers of electors;
- providing management information in support of the election functions; and
- providing on-line enquiry service to registered electors on the election day.
4. All rectification work and Y2K compliance tests for the EARS have been completed by ITSD in March 1999. The system is now Y2K compliant.
The IVRS
5. The IVRS provides a telephone/fax hotline service using interactive voice/fax response technology. The system is Y2K compliant.
6. Whilst the above systems are Y2K compliant, we have devised relevant contingency plans to ensure an undisrupted delivery of functions by the systems.
Constitutional Affairs Bureau
10 May 1999
