XN000022-1986-07-23 — Page 9

7

WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 1986

HE SUGGESTED THAT CANTONESE COLLOQUIAL TERMS SHOULD NOT BE BARRED COMPLETELY FROM TRANSLATIONS, STRESSING THAT THE CANTONESE DIALECT WAS THE SPOKEN CHINESE USED TOGETHER WITH ENGLISH IN LOCAL COURTS.

+CANTONESE DIALECT IS A LIVING DIALECT AND IT HAS ABSORBED QUITE A LOT OF FOREIGN TERMS WHICH ARE EASILY UNDERSTOOD,+ HE ADDED.

MR CHAN SAID IT WAS IMPORTANT TO KEEP MATTERS CONCERNING THE LAW AND THE JUDICIARY SYSTEM DIFFERENT FROM THOSE IN CHINA IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN CONFIDENCE AND PROSPERITY IN THE TERRITORY.

LEGAL SYSTEM SHOULD BECOME FULLY BILINGUAL

*****

THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE POSITIVE STEPS TO ENCOURAGE THE INTRODUCTION OF A COMPLETELY BILINGUAL LEGAL SYSTEM, THE HON CHEUNG YAN-LUNG SAID DURING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE DISCUSSION PAPER ON LAWS IN CHINESE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

NOTING THAT LEGISLATION IN CHINESE WAS ONLY ONE ASPECT OF A BILINGUAL LEGAL SYSTEM, MR CHEUNG SAID ITS INTRODUCTION SHOULD BE CO-ORDINATED SO THAT THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM AND THE PRIVATE LEGAL PRACTICE COULD FUNCTION IN BOTH CHINESE ANE ENGLISH.

IN OTHER WORDS, HE EXPLAINED, IT WAS NECESSARY TO INTRODUCE TRIALS IN CHINESE AND LEGAL PRACTITIONERS WOULD HAVE TO PRODUCE LEGAL DOCUMENTS SUCH AS CONTRACTS, AGREEMENTS AND COVENANTS IN CHINESE.

HE SAID THAT IN THIS RESPECT TRAINING REMAINED A MATTER OF CONCERN, AND IT WAS NOW TIME TO REVIEW THE OVERALL MANPOWER REQUIREMENT TO AVOID DELAYS IN ACHIEVING THE OBJECTIVES.

MR CHEUNG EMPHASISED THE IMPORTANCE OF BILINGUAL LEGISLATION TO HONG KONG'S FUTURE, SAYING THIS WOULD ENSURE THAT THE SPIRIT AND PRACTICES OF THE COMMON LAW SYSTEM WOULD BE PRESERVED.

+1 BELIEVE THAT BY SETTING UP A BILINGUAL LEGAL SYSTEM AND THROUGH PROMULGATING IT BY THE MOTHER LANGUAGE, OUR CITIZENS WILL UNDERSTAND BETTER THE AMBIT OF THE LAW AND THEIR OBSERVATION AND RESPECT FOR THE LAW WILL BE FURTHER IMPROVED, THUS CONTRIBUTING GREATLY TO THE STABILITY OF OUR SOCIETY, HE SAID.

MR CHEUNG WAS DISAPPOINTED THAT THE DISCUSSION PAPER DID NOT HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATION AS TO WHEN A COMPLETE SET OF CHINESE STATUTE LAW WOULD BE AVAILABLE.

/+ONLY WITH