TNAG-0353-FCO40-389-Reform-of-local-government-in-Hong-Kong-1972 — Page 42

A

B

For discussion

on 11th May 1971

ANNEX ATO XCR(72) Hť

XCC(71)17

Copy No..

of 26

MEMORANDUM FOR EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

THE FIRST REPORT OF THE CHINESE LANGUAGE COMMITTEE

Honourable Members will recall that they received a sten- cilled copy of the Chinese Language Committee's First Report under cover of the Deputy Clerk of Council's Note (XCC/LCC(71)2 at Annex A), A printed copy of the Report now accompanies this paper (Annex B).

2

The Report made seventeen recommendations which are summarised in paragraph 38 thereof. These recommendations were based, in part, upon representations made by members of the public to the Com- mittee, and expert advice given by a simultaneous interpretation consultant, whose report is at Appendix D of the Committee's Report. Honourable Members will also note from paragraph 10 - 14 of the Report that unofficial members of the two Councils, who were consulted by the Committee, felt that, in principle, simultaneous interpretation facilities should be provided in their Councils and that, in future, translation facilities should additionally be provided to enable non-English speaking persons to be appointed or elected. These views are reflected in the Committee's recommendations.

3

It is assumed in this paper that Honourable Members will agree in principle that bilingualism should be introduced into the Legislative and Urban Councils and the following paragraphs go on to examine the detailed recommendations in the Committee's Report and the steps that will be necessary to implement them.

4

In broad terms, the Committee proposes that bilingualism should be introduced into the Legislative and Urban Councils in two stages namely:

(a)

(b)

Stage 1, in which simultaneous interpretation from English to Cantonese and vice versa, should be provided at open sessions of the two Councils for the benefit of the public and those Unofficial Members who, though capable of participating in closed proceedings conducted in English, may wish to speak in Cantonese at open sessions. For this phase, the Committee also recommends that a proposal be put forward to the Legislative Council for:

(1) its own Standing Order No 2 to be amended;

and

(ii)

the amendment of section 45 of the Urban Council Ordinance;

Stage II, in which non-English speaking members of the community would be eligible for appointment or election, as the case may be, to these two Councils.