HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 88 of 241
THE CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL, replied as follows:--
Since the motion on the adoption of simultaneous translation was referred back to the Standing Committee of the Whole Council, general discussion has taken place on the subject in the Standing Committee on 11th March, 1969 and at meetings of the Local Administration Select Committee on 12th April and 18th June, 1969.
Arising from these discussions there have also been talks with the Director of Broadcasting and the Colonial Secretariat, and further in the Local Administration Select Committee, on the possibility of introducing running commentaries in Cantonese on the Council's public proceedings. Members are, of course, aware that proposals on simultaneous translation, and on the use of languages other than English in Council proceedings, are covered in the Urban Council Report on the Reform of Local Government. I would add that in June last year a Committee Paper proposed that Members might wish to pre-record versions of their speeches in Cantonese, for subsequent re-broadcast. Only two Members responded to this paper.
However, the matter of bilingualism and a practical method of interpretation has just been actively raised again between the department and the Colonial Secretariat. The Council's views and proposals are under consideration by the Government.
MR. HU:- Mr. Chairman, thank you for your answer.
As far as I am concerned, it is a very old question for me - I raised it since August 1965 and raised it again and again, so that I have no supplementaries to ask. I only want to express my wish. From your paper, I would wish that from the third paragraph of your paper, I would like to ask that such Committee Paper be issued to the Members again, about Members wishing to pre-record versions of their speeches in Cantonese.
CHAIRMAN:- The answer to your supplementary, Mr. Hu, is yes.
MR. HU:- Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Another matter I would like to express my wish is the last paragraph of your answer, Mr. Chairman. Could the matter be expedited? Could we have some result as soon as possible, because it has been five years?
MR. BERNACCHI:- Another supplementary, arising out of Mr. Hu's supplementary. When will the expression of opinion by the Government on this Council's views be communicated to this Council?
CHAIRMAN: As soon as we have received it, Mr. BERNACCHI.
MR. BERNACCHI:- Have you any information as to when that would be?
CHAIRMAN: - I'm afraid not, no.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Mr. Chairman, in regard to the second paragraph of your reply. What has happened following the talks between the Director of Broadcasting and the Colonial Secretariat and the Local Administration Select Committee?
CHAIRMAN: - Mr. CHEONG-LEEN, my understanding of the discussions in the Select Committee were that they were somewhat far ranging and interesting, but possibly a little inconclusive. I don't think that as a matter of practical - I shouldn't say "Practical politics", should - as a matter of practicability, the Director of Broadcasting feels that the institution of running commentaries in Cantonese would work at present. It would require a considerable amount of reconstruction in this Council room for a start, and at a time when there is this possibility that there may be a fresh Council chamber, and in view of the practical difficulties for the Director of Broadcasting in finding a suitable commentator, or training one, I think the general agreement was that this could be postponed.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Mr. Chairman, now in regard to the last sentence of your reply, as far as you are aware, are the various proposals concerning bilingualism, etc. under slow consideration or shelved consideration by Government?
CHAIRMAN: - I'm pretty certain, Mr. CHEONG-LEEN, that they are not shelved. I am sure that the consideration they're getting is most active - but I'm in no position to say more than that.
(11) MR. SOLOMON RAFEEK asked the following question:
I understand that recently a senior official from the Information Services Department spent 10 days in Singapore studying its anti-spitting and anti-litter campaigns on behalf of the Urban Services Department. Will the Chairman say what this official has done in Singapore, when his report will be available, and what conclusions he has reached that could be applied to Urban Council efforts to keep Hong Kong clean and free from indiscriminate spitters?
DR. DENNY M. H. HUANG, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:
Mr. Chairman, at the suggestion and with the approval of the Health Education Select Committee and the Environ-