Quality translations are essential to effective communication and are a sign of respect to our different ethnic communities. The Government is doing its best to maintain the high quality in whole-of-government translation.
2 It is for this objective that the Review Panel on Government Tamil Translation, headed by Mr Palaniappan, was formed last year to recommend ways to enhance our quality in Tamil translated communications materials. The Panel has completed its review and recommended several measures in its report to improve translation standards across the government.
3 These recommendations focus on three broad areas, namely, tightening vetting procedures, addressing gibberish text issues, and capability development.
4 When producing translated communications materials, government agencies are required to adopt a more rigorous process. Agencies could tap on the Whole-of-Government Period Contract and Framework Agreement for Translation Services to procure both translation and vetting services to ensure translation quality. In addition, the Review Panel has also provided a list of experienced vetters whom the agencies could hire for vetting services. The list will complement the Translation Procurement Framework to assist the government agencies if they do not have any in-house capability to vet and check.
5 On prevention of gibberish text, the panel proposes that government agencies engage only those publishing/printing companies that are able to convert Tamil text properly to ensure that the text does not appear as gibberish.
6 On capability development, the panel proposes to establish a network of public officers proficient in Tamil, and identify training opportunities to help these officers hone their translation capabilities further.
7 It takes all agencies to come together to maintain the quality of government translation standards. The NTC will continue to work closely with all stakeholders to build capabilities and further raise our translation standards.