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Sosebee: Language shouldn’t be a problem
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Posted on Nov 12 1999
Assistant Atty. General David Sosebee said Wednesday language shouldn’t be a barrier in any government meetings as this problem can easily be addressed.
Sosebee made the statement in the wake of reports that the Board of Public Lands has voted to dismiss him and Thomas E. Clifford as legal counsel for the lands board on grounds that the board members want to conduct meetings in the vernacular.
The board reportedly asked the Attorney General’s Office that it be allowed to replace Sosebee and Clifford with a lawyer who can speak Chamorro and Carolinian.
In an interview with reporters, Sosebee said he would still show up at the board’s next meeting.
“Being a counsel to the board, I have the duty to be back. I’m always willing to do my job,” Sosebee said.
Sosebee said he doesn’t disagree that the board, which is composed of Chamorros and Carolinians, may conduct meetings in any language that they prefer.
“They are absolutely right that they have the right to speak Chamorro. I have no problem with that,” Sosebee said.
Board meetings, in fact, are usually conducted in the vernacular, Sosebee said.
“If they have a question, assuming that will switch to English, they will ask me, which they always do at the board meeting,” he said.
Sosebee said language barrier has never been a problem to him even when he worked for the Spanish-dominated United Foreign Workers in the United States.
“They would switch to English when they need to ask me a question and then go back to whatever,” he said. (Mar-Vic Cagurangan)
