Gulf News, July 17, 2013

Dubai Courts targetting 10,000 suggestions in Smart Court campaign

Campaign aimed at improving, developing services and procedures via smartphone appilcations

By Bassam Za’za’, Legal and Court Correspondent

Published: 18:48 July 16, 2013

Dubai: Dubai Courts Department (DCD) is seeking to improve its public services after setting a target to reach 10,000 suggestions or ideas pertaining its ‘Smart Court’ campaign. “DCD is seeking to improve and develop its services and procedures via smartphone applications through opening a public tender to collect nearly 10,000 ideas or suggestions,” according to Dr Ahmad Saeed Bin Hazeem, the director general of DCD. This will be achieved through the ‘Smart Court’ campaign, which was launched in June, under the slogan ‘Your Suggestions Make the Future’, he added. The campaign is intended to assist in DCD’s objective to support Dubai to host the Expo 2020, stressed the Director General. “A team of the department’s employees has visited a number of relevant bodies such as Dubai International Financial Centre’s Courts, Dubai Judicial Institute, and Dubai Public Prosecution, and distributed ‘Smart Court’ brochures to introduce organisations to the campaign, its objectives and purpose. The team will continue to attract the largest possible number of suggestions and ideas. This will enable Dubai Courts to select the best and most feasible ideas which will help to improve services and procedures via smartphone applications,” added Dr Bin Hazeem. The campaign primarily targets those working in the judiciary and legal field in Dubai, as well as the staff from Dubai Government, lawyers, experts, students of law schools, and those who have skills that would particularly benefit the campaign. Bin Hazeem said the campaign has been launched to achieve the vision of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, regarding the launch of the ‘Smart Government’ programme. Mohammad Al Obaidli, DCD’s director of cases service department said: “Valuable awards will be given to those who suggest the best creative ideas. The awards will be divided into several categories, namely: Gold idea, including best Imaginative idea for the development and improvement of services and procedures via smartphones applications, Ideas of smartphone applications, Ideas of e-services, and student ideas.”