From David Mudd, M.P.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
LONDON SWIA 0AA
HKD
۱۳ را سیه کا سر پس از
Grateful for advice.
19
Lord Glenarthur,
Minister of State,
Foreign & Commonwealth Office,
London SW 1
HKB 373/1
V1
DY
13 FEB 1989
21 January 1989
New Simon
Action Taken
Ps
Ps/hord Orenarthur Sir A. Watts, Legal
Adviser
Mr Gillmore
w McLaren
fobert lout
(As/Lord Olharthur)
I write, as patron of the Court Interpreters' Association of Hong Kong to express my profound concern that industrial relations between the Association and the Judiciary have reached so low an ebb that the Association, having petitioned the Chief Secretary and now the Governor, have a mandate to commence industrial action.
I enclose copies of the respective Petitions in the hope that the F&CO can assist avert what would be a most embarrassing and unhelpful
241
problem in a key sector being closely scrutinised by the Peoples' Republic of China.
The problem evolves around the facts that the Court Interpreters' Association (CIA) enjoys a less attractive career structure than do Chinese Language Officers (CLOs).
The disparity of career prospects is that advancement potential to chief rank within the CIA is 1:156, compared with 1:29 amongst the CLOS. At a lesser grade, the chances of getting to senior rank is 1:4.6 and 1:29, respectively.
At present the CLO establishment comprises 17 chief officers and 106 seniors as against 1 chief court interpreter and six senior officers in the CIA.
Against a protracted and complex workload coming before the Courts, the CIA estimate that they need a further 20 interpreters, together with the introduction of controller's rank to oversee the future expansion, development and career advancement of the CIA. Clearly the imbalance in favour of the CLOS attacks morale, frustrates ambition and denudes recruitment to the CIA.
-
leaving
The acknowledged shortfall entails interpreters working long hours them physically and mentally exhausted creates a system where an unprepared interpreter might have to take over unexpectedly in an intricate case involving commercial or financial terminology; inhibits leave, increases