XN000022-1986-06-04 — Page 13

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 1986

+THIS AMENDMENT IS REQUIRED BECAUSE THE COMMITTEE HAS RECEIVED A FEW APPLICATIONS WHERE NO LEGAL PROCEEDINGS HAVE BEEN ISSUED AND WHERE PROCEEDINGS ARE NOW STATUTE BARRED. THE SCHEME WAS INTENDED TO COVER THESE CASES.

MR JACOBS SAID THE PROVISIONS IN RELATION TO RIGHTS OF SUBROGATION CONFERRED UPON THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE WOULD ALSU BE CLARIFIED.

HE ALSO SAID THAT THE APPLICATION PERIOD FOR THE SUBMISSION OF CLAIMS WAS TO BE EXTENDED BY ONE MONTH.

UPON THE EXPIRY OF THE PERIOD FOR SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS ON APRIL 4, A TOTAL OF 426 APPLICATIONS HAD BEEN RECEIVED.

MR JACOBS SAID +ALTHOUGH IT IS PROBABLE THAT THE MAJORITY OF THOSE ELIGIBLE HAVE APPLIED, THE COMMITTEE BELIEVES THAT THERE AY STILL BE SOME WHO ARE NOT AWARE OF THE SCHEME. I HOPE THAT NO FURTHER EXTENSION OF THE TIME LIMIT WILL BE REQUIRED.

+ON THE INFORMATION NOW BEFORE US IT APPEARS THAT THE PROPOSED EXTENSION WILL NOT RESULT IN ANY INCREASE IN THE OVERALL FINANCIAL COMMITMENT OF UP TO $100 MILLION NOTED BY THIS COUNCIL LAST NOVEMBER.

+THE COMMITTEE EXPECTS THAT ALL APPLICATIONS WILL BE PROCESSED BY SEPTEMBER 1986 AND THE EXTENSION WILL NOT DELAY THE FINAL PAYOUT TO THE VICTIMS.+

POSITIVE STEPS TO PROMOTE CHINESE LANGUAGE

*****

PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE IN PROMOTING THE WIDER USE OF CHINESE IN OFFICIAL BUSINESS AND FOR EDUCATION, AND THE PROCESS WILL CONTINUE IN THE YEARS TO COME, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE HON SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON LEE YU-TA, SIR DAVID SAID POSITIVE STEPS HAD BEEN TAKEN TO PROMOTE THE WIDER USE OF CHINESE IN OFFICIAL BUSINESS SINCE 1974 WHEN CHINESE WAS DECLARED AN OFFICIAL LANGUAGE.

MR LEE HAD ASKED WHAT HAD BEEN DONE TO PROMOTE THE POLICY, HOW IT HAD BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN EDUCATION AND IN CIVIL SERVICE RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING, AND THE DEGREE OF SUCCESS.

SIR DAVID SAID PUBLIC NOTICES, OFFICIAL FORMS AND DOCUMENTS WERE NOW PROVIDED IN BOTH ENGLISH AND CHINESE, AND REPLIES TO COMMUNICATIONS IN CHINESE FROM THE PUBLIC WERE MADE IN CHINESE.

/+PAPERS FOR