XN000022-1984-03-29 — Page 14

THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 198k

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SHE NOTED THAT IN RECENT YEARS ATTENTION HAD BEEN DRAWN TO A DROP IN THE STANDARD OF BOTH LANGUAGES IN SCHOOLS AND REMEDIAL MEASURES HAD BEEN TAKEN BY THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT RESULTING IN THE PROVISION OF IN-SERVICE TRAINING OFFERED TO TEACHERS, AS WELL AS THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE EMPLOYMENT OF NATIVE SPEAKERS IN SCHOOLS.

HOWEVER, SHE FELT THAT NOT ENOUGH ATTENTION WAS BEING PAID TO THE BROADCASTING MEDIA, WHICH HAD MUCH INFLUENCE OVER ITS AUDIENCE IN LANGUAGE MATTERS.

+NOW THAT THE BROADCASTING REVIEW IS UNDERWAY, IT MIGHT BE WORTHWHILE FOR ITS MEMBERS TO EXAMINE WHETHER OUR EXTREMELY INFLUENTIAL RADIO AND TELEVISION PROGRAMMES MAINTAIN AN ACCEPTABLE STANDARD OF THE LANGUAGE IN WHICH THEY ARE PRODUCED AND BROADCAST, SHE SUGGESTED.

MRS CHOW ALSO SAID THAT THE CHIEF SECRETARY'S STATEMENT ON LOCAL ADMINISTRATION HAD CLEARLY INDICATED THAT, WITH THE EXPANSION OF THE ELECTED ELEMENT IN DISTRICT BOARDS AND THE FORMATION OF ANOTHER REGIONAL COUNCIL IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, THERE WOULD BE A RAPID INCREASE IN OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWING POLITICIAL ASPIRATIONS.

THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD ALSO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT ELECTIONS, NOT AS AN END IN ITSELF, BUT AS A MEANS TO THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF DEMOCRACY, SHE SAID.

+UP TILL NOW IT APPEARS THAT GOVERNMENT IS A LITTLE TOO CONCERNED WITH PROJECTING A GLAMOROUS IMAGE OF ELECTIONS, WITHOUT FULLY EXPLAINING TO THE PUBLIC THE EXISTING SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT WE HAVE, WHAT WE HOPE TO ACHIEVE BY EXPANDING THE REPRESENTATIVE ELEMENT IN THE SYSTEM AND WHAT ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY THAT REPRESENTATIVE ELEMENT IS TO ASSUME, + SHE SAID.

SHE ADDED THAT THE TRANSITION FROM AN APATHETIC APPROACH TO POLITICS AND CIVIC MATTERS TO THE PRESENT AWAKENING TO A NEED TO ASSUME THE RESPONSBILITY OF ADMINISTERING OURSELVES AS A SIGNIFICANT STEP+.

SHE WARNED THAT IF HANDLED CARELESSLY OR TAKEN ABRUPTLY WITHOUT FULL UNDERSTANDING OF ALL THE IMPLICATIONS AND COMPLEXITIES INVOLVED, IT WOULD NOT ONLY CAUSE UNCERTAINTY AND CONFUSION IN THE SHORT TERM, BUT JEOPARDISE THE STABILITY WHICH WAS ABSOLUTELY VITAL TO OUR CONTINUING SUCCESS IN THE LONG TERM.

+1 CALL UPON GOVERNMENT TO COME UP WITH A PLAN TO PROMOTE UNDERSTANDING OF THE TRUE MEANING OF DEMOCRACY AND HOW IT CAN WORK IN THE HONG KONG CONTEXT.

+SIMULTANEOUSLY THERE MUST BE A CONSCIOUS EFFORT MADE TO EXPLAIN HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS, SHE ADDED.

/SHE CONGRATULATED