OUR REF:
YOUR REF:
UBIMUS & COC!
HKFS
hong kong federation of students
IN
香 港 專 上 學生聯會
51
Member Unions:
Chung Chi College Student
Union
崇基學院學生會
Hong Kong Baptist College
Student Union 香港浸會書院學生會
Hong Kong Technical College
1.07.20
4KK 18/12
23c waterloo road, kowloon hong kong tel. k-888137, 840048, 840049
telegram "HKFSTUDENT"
Memorandum on REFORM OF THE URBAN COUNCIL of the Hong
Kong Federation of Students to Mr. Anthony Royle,
Parliamentary Under-secretary of State at the Foreign
and Commonwealth Office
Students' Union 香港工業學院學生會
Hong Kong University
Students' Union
香港大學學生會
Lingnan College Students
Union
嶺南書院學生會
New Asia College Student
Union
新亞書院學生會
Northcote College of Education Students' Assn. 羅富國師範學院學生會
Sir Robert Black College of
Education Student's Assn.
柏立基師範學院學生會
United College Student Union
聯合書院學生會
Executive Committee:
President
Mr. David Yip Chi Ying
Deputy President
Mr. Mo Yiu Chor
General Secretary
Mr. Law Yu Fai
Financial Secretary
Mr. Yip Hak Kwong (Acting)
Local Affairs Secretary Mr. Kwong Hoi Ying
International Affairs Secretary Miss Violet Chan Yin Fai
Student Welfare Secretary Mr. Tam Hall Ping
Press Secretary
Mr. Wong Chung Ying
Sports Secretary
Mr. Henry Shum Chin Man
The Hong Kong Federation of Students believes that the guiding principle in reforms of the local government set-up is acceptance of the Colonial form as the broad-framework within which changes directed towards democracy are effected. As the first step, reforms of the Urban Council which is the only channel of popular representation, should be carried out immediately. It cannot be over-emphasized that reforms are directed to bring people and government closer, and by providing for the greatest possible amount of popular participation in the local administration, Government will be adequately informed of the areas of need in its fulfillment of the responsibility towards the people,
The Hong Kong Federation of Students maintains that the following changes be made as soon as possible:
1. The guiding principle in the expansion of scope and
power of the council is to place all responsibilities connected directly with the livelihood of the people under the council. As such, education (primary and secondary), Traffic and transportation, social welfare and medical should be placed under the jurisdiction of the council.
The Hong Kong Federation of Students believes that the
limited scope and power of the council is the chief reason for public apathy in the election.
2. The number of seats of elected councillors should be
doubled.
3. The minimum age of candidates should be lowered from 25 to 21 to provide for participation of the younger generation in local affairs.
4. The Council should have the right to administer its own finances with sources of income established from the government.
5. The franchise should be expanded so that those who have
been staying in Hong Kong for 3 consecutive years are eligible to vote.
Young people over the age of 18 should also be eligible to vote. as in the recent election in England.