Welsh Firms fear language policy costs

[Harold F. Schiffman]

>>From BBC News:

Firms fear language policy costs

Business leaders in Wales say a new Welsh Language Act would create a huge
burden on private sector companies.  David Rosser, director of CBI Wales,
said many companies were seriously concerned about the costs involved.
Speaking on BBC Wales' Maniffesto programme on S4C, he said there was
little demand from customers for increased Welsh language services. His
comments came as protesters calling for a new Welsh Language Act vowed to
step up a campaign of direct action.

The Welsh Language Society, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, has demanded new
legislation, giving Welsh equal status with English in the private sector.
Currently, all public bodies must provide a bilingual service, but some
campaigners want to see the same rules extended to include private
companies. Mr Rosser argued that it should be for customers and companies
to decide which language they wanted to use - not government.

"Some of the larger companies have looked at the Welsh language schemes
they operate now, on a voluntary basis, compared them to the kind of
language scheme that the public sector operates, and calculated costs
would increase 10-fold increase," he said. "If there is a big enough
demand from consumers in Wales, they can make that demand known and the
companies can respond or not. "In a competitive market, individual
companies and their customers should decide the language in which they
want to interact - not government.


Mr Rosser had warned that companies may be put off setting up operations
in Wales if they saw it would mean increased costs. Many businesses in
Wales were using Welsh far more than they used to, and they were doing so
in a spirit of goodwill with the support and encouragement of the Welsh
Language Board, he added. Owen Evans, head of policy and communications
for Wales for BT, said too few people were making use of existing Welsh
language services.

"What we find difficult is to get people to use the Welsh services we
offer," he said. "It is essential that people use these services. If we
find we are spending big money - and it is big money - and people don't
use it, businesses are going to start asking, 'Why are we doing this kind
of thing?'." On Saturday, around 200 demonstrators rallied in Cardiff,
demanding much stronger legislation to protect the language.

The event, led by the Welsh Language Society, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg,
took place outside Welsh Assembly Government buildings in Cathays Park.
Speakers included Caernarfon MP Hywel Williams, historian Hywel Teifi
Edwards, and poet Mererid Hopwood. Catrin Dafydd, chair of Cymdeithas yr
Iaith's Language Act campaign said:  "There is by now over a decade since
the old language act was passed and it's powers do not do enough to
protect the rights of Welsh speakers in a world that is changing rapidly."


The society recently launched a new drive for action. The slogan "Deddf
Iaith - Dyma'r Cyfle" (Language Act - the only chance) was painted on the
walls of the Welsh Assembly Government headquarters in Cathays Park,
Cardiff. The group announced that direct action would continue in the
weeks leading up to Christmas. First Minister Rhodri Morgan told
protesters back in August that he would not be influenced by their
actions.

He said that, despite the planned abolition of the Welsh Language Board,
he believed the language was far better served by goodwill rather than
complusion. Hywel Williams MP said he would be raising the matter in the
House of Commons. "This is a basic question of social justice, and
certainly one that requires a change in the law," he said.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/wales/4302060.stm