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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
are the only body with any elected element. Yet this less than 1% of the people are limited in their choice to the very small minority of those whose English is good enough to permit them to communicate publicly in English. Even those members, if they are Chinese, could no doubt say what they have to say more effectively and fluently in their own language. What element of representation of the people can exist with all these limitations on the electorate and on the candidates?
Sir, to limit the representation of the people on this Council by means of language is ludicrous, and an insult to the intelligence of the local population.
I therefore support the Motion.
MR. SOLOMON RAFEEK: Mr. Chairman, I rise to support the Motion, because I feel that it should be recognized that Chinese Members of the Council could translate their thoughts better in the language to which they were borne than in the English language. It is also useful to recognize that Chinese visitors to the proceedings of this Council in this chamber would better appreciate our contribution to life in Hong Kong if they understood everything they heard. I am aware that simultaneous translation facilities must be provided and perfected before the Chinese language can be used in this Council. I do not believe that the difficulties are insuperable, nor do I think they can be solved overnight. I am not a believer in expecting fixed dates from officialdom, because I am aware of the trouble attached to the making of decisions by Government. So I do not think that simultaneous translation must be introduced immediately without adequate preparation. I would welcome a statement that more Chinese will be used in the official business of this Council.
The Council and the Urban Services Department have already to their credit made use of Chinese extensively. But it is obvious that more remains to be done. The nature of our work in all the fields open to us, from cemeteries to resettlement, puts us in touch daily with issues of considerable importance to the masses, most of whom know no other language than Chinese. If the Government seriously means what it says, when it talks of its desire to bridge the gap between the Government and the people, they should concede the principle of the use of more Chinese in official business. And a good beginning which, I am sure will be widely applauded as an earnest of its intention, is to announce the amending of the Urban Council Ordinance so that the proceedings in this Council will not be ruled out of order if a Chinese Member of the Council elects to use Chinese when he gets up to talk. Sir, with these words I support the Motion.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
DR. DENNY M. H. HUANG: Mr. Chairman, after listening to my colleagues' remarks, there is actually very little left for me to say, but I only want to reiterate that if Chinese is also used in this Council, people in Hong Kong and a great deal of them know little or no English—will be able to serve on this Council, and I think by so doing, they not only can be elected but appointed on this Council. They can link unity between the Government and the people, and also I think through this the apathetic attitude of the public towards Urban Council and Urban Council elections can be changed to an extent. As to the technical side, I do not think this is difficult. I learned that the United Nations had accomplished five official languages in 1946, and it only took them one year to have a successful simultaneous translation for five different languages, so although it certainly will cost money—but money is not a business we have to worry about—I think if we can decide to make Chinese an official, I mean as we would like it here on the Council as well—there should be no difficulty technically. With these remarks I support the Motion.
MR. PETER C. K. CHAN: Sir, I rise to support this Motion. Amending Section 45 of the Urban Council Ordinance should not be difficult at all. Assuming that it will be amended, we must start to recruit and then train interpreters without delay.
Getting the equipment is no problem. This Council has already got the equipment which we have been using in the City Hall for conferences. I just borrowed this (MR. C. K. CHAN tabled a receiver and earphones) from the Manager of the City Hall. What we need is a small room for the interpreter within this compound. If this is not feasible, perhaps we can even have our public meetings in the City Hall to save money, where we can use this equipment effectively. I don't think we are so poor that we cannot afford another set of equipment and a few highly qualified instructors.
Before I joined this Council, there had been an experiment in simultaneous translation on the proceedings of this Council, which, my learned colleague, Mr. Hu, has referred to as the mock meeting, which, in his opinion, was not a failure. Why don't we have another experiment? Perhaps this time we could even conduct it in public. Eventually, and before long, I believe it will be proved to be workable to have this Council turned into a bi-lingual, or even multi-lingual institution. I support the Motion.
MR. A. de O. SALES: Will the Official Members speak on this Motion before the Appointed Members do?
CHAIRMAN: I would like anyone else who is speaking in support of the Motion to do so now.
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