Tsang all ears (note 1) for swansong (note 2)

Tsang all ears (note 1) for swansong (note 2)
Tuesday, August 02, 2011 page 5

The outgoing chief executive's last policy address (施政報告) is expected to focus on housing, retirement planning (退休計畫) and services for the elderly (安老計畫), as well as the wealth gap (note 3).

Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, who started canvassing views (收集意見) on the address yesterday, said the people have clearly voiced (note 4) their concerns. In a video clip (錄像片段) on the government website, he spoke of being aware of public concerns over soaring property prices, a widening wealth gap, the need for more comprehensive retirement protection and care for the elderly.

"I share these concerns and I am examining (研究) these issues closely," he said. Tsang also used the opportunity to defend (抗辯) his record on governance. "Political appointees and civil servants have been working as a team for the overall interests of Hong Kong," he said.
"We will try our best to devise (制定) practical short, medium and long-term measures to address these concerns." Though his decisions will only be unveiled on October 12, Tsang said he is confident of delivering (note 5) on all the major pledges before he leaves office (離任).

Unlike earlier years, Tsang said his "consultation (諮詢) exercises" for the policy address and the budget will be combined this year to "ensure resources are allocated more efficiently and effectively (note 6) to meet policy objectives."

Views can be submitted on the government website, which is at www.policyaddress.gov.hk. The site also provides updated figures on government expenditure and fiscal reserves. Tsang and Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah met local delegates to the National People's Congress (人大代表) yesterday to hear their views.

Further discussions with political parties and civil groups will be held later in the month. Democratic Party chairman Albert Ho Chun-yan expressed hope that Tsang will remain pragmatic (note 7) and not "aim too high" in drafting his last policy address.

From good to better English:

(note 1) all ears=專心傾聽 (Eager to hear something, listening attentively)。Victor’s suggestion on program reform has fallen on deaf ears=Victor對課程改革的建議不被理睬，不受注意。Keep an ear to the ground=注意輿論等的動向，留心可能發生的事情。turn a deaf ear to=裝聽不見[置若罔聞]。up to the ears=深陷(債務等)。 Walls have ears=隔牆有耳。

(note 2) swansong= 退休前最後一次演講 (a farewell appearance or final act or pronouncement)

(note 3) the wealth gap=貧富差距問題。Gap=分歧；隔閡。generation gap=代溝。bridge [close, fill] a gap=填補空白，彌補缺陷。

(note 4) voiced=講出。voice opinions= 發表意見。 Voice one's discontent= 發牢騷，鳴不平。Voice (名詞)= 嗓音；呼聲。A deep voice=深沈有力的嗓音。At the top of one's voice=用最大的嗓門。With one voice，all teachers voted to make Victor the department head=老師們異口同聲，全場一致推舉Victor做系主任。

(note 5) deliver the pledges=履行諾言；不負所望。deliver Mo Mo from danger=從危險中救出Mo Mo。Deliver的同義辭有extricate from danger or confinement，rescue, save，come to the rescue of。

(note 6) efficiently and effectively: efficient (效率高的)。Effective=有效力的，實質上的。become effective=法令等生效。

(note 7) pragmatic=重實效的；實際的，實用主義的。

Victor’s View: Kudos to Donald Tsang for spending time to canvass public opinions on issues that matter the most to the people: housing, retirement etc. It makes sense to combine the collection of views on the policy speech and budget speech at one go as both focus on the management of the public purse.

(Victor Fung Keung, director of HK Baptist University’s M.A. in international journalism program, has published 4 books on English-enhancement [the latest, titled <<學會演說、改變你的人生>>, was published on July 18] and plans to write 6 more by the end of 2012. Write to him: deanfungenglish@gmail.com)