5.
1
}
20
I abould just mention
mention bere, Sir, the Government's concern to encourage the development of civic education in Boog Kong. The plans to promote civic education in schools which were announced in this Council in July last year by
by the Director of Education are well in hand. A new subject of Government and Public Affairs is to be introduced, Tho Curriculum Development Committee has tendered advice on how to strengthen the civic education element in existing subjecta and io extra-curricular activities and a comprehensive set of guidelines on promoting civic and political awareness among students is being prepared.
Legislation
21
As stated in the White Paper the electoral legislation will be along the lines of the existing Electoral Provisions Ordinance, which has proved to be generally adequate for the conduct of District Board and Urban Council Elections. The legislation is now being drafted and will cover such matters as the qualifications to be a voter, the qualifications to be a candidate, the methods by which the electoral rolla for the various constituencies will be drawn up and the procedures for conducting the
the elections. It will also lay down the detailed composition of tbe electoral college and functional constituencies.
22
In accordance with the undertaking given in the Whico Paper, a series of meetings has been held during the peat aix weeks or so with the representative organisations on which_the functional constituencies will be based, in order
in order to explain the main features of the legislation and the procedures which will be introduced for conducting the elections in September next. Various points have been raised by these organisations which will be given careful consideration.
23
The élections will be conducted by government officials, in similar fashion to that in which the District Board and Urban Council Elections are conducted already; and', of course, voting will be by secret ballot.
24
The Government intends to
to publish the
the Logislative Council (Electoral Provisions) Bill in the Government Gazetto for public information, and to introduce it into this Council for debate, within the next month or so, subject, of course, to the prior approval of the Executive Council.