XCC(71)17
or even later. However, if the personnel are available, some Boards and Committees with non-English speaking members could probably be provided with the service by the end of 1971 since portable equipment is available locally. This would be of limited value, however, unless all the necessary working papers could be translated,
11
It is impossible at this stage to evaluate meaningfully the full implications of Stage II of the Committee's recommendations relating to the translation of papers so as to enable non-English speaking persons to serve on Councils and Government Boards and Committees, since it would first be necessary to recruit simultaneous interpreters or have trans- lators of adequate quality and then to assess their effectiveness over a period of time. Moreover, the Interpreter/Translator grade (which already requires strengthening to meet existing commitments, particularly in the sphere of written official communications with the public) will not, in any case, be able to absorb in the near future, the vast and rapid translation needs that will be created. It is therefore proposed to accept the Report's recommendation that Stage II of the Committee's proposals in relation to the translation of papers for Councils, Boards and Committees should be reviewed after Stage I is in operation and the Interpreter/Translator Grade has been sufficiently strengthened to provide an adequate service in the sphere of written official communications with the public and in other spheres of bilingualism which should command higher priority. Such a review cannot usefully take place before the full implementation of Stage I and to be comprehensive will take some considerable time.
12
The Standing Committee of the Urban Council considered the Chinese Language Committee's Report at its meeting on 13th April. Members expressed the view that there should be no delay in permitting people who speak Cantonese only to be appointed or elected to the Urban Council. They appreciated that there would be difficulties in translating Committee papers, etc, into Chinese. However, they thought that Cantonese speaking people who wished to take part in public life should accept the task of making their own translations of papers in the first stage, and that Govern- ment should review the question of translating all papers into Chinese at a later stage. In practice, it is extremely doubtful whether Members of the Urban Council who do not speak English would be able to translate all the numerous papers which they are required to consider, sometimes at very short notice. However, the next Urban Council elections will not be until March 1973 and by this time it should be possible to form a more definite idea whether the suggestion made by the Unofficial Members of the Urban Council could be implemented.
13
(a)
Honourable Members will be asked to advise:
whether the recommendations in the First Report by the Chinese Language Committee should be accepted in principle; i, e, that:
(1)
simultaneous interpretation facilities should be made available in the Legis- lative and Urban Council Chambers and in Boards and Committees presently utilising the service of non-English speaking persons; and