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FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 1981
AS REGARDS THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF DISTRICT BOARDS, THE BILL PROPOSES THAT FOR THE FIRST TERM, UNTIL MARCH 1985, THE GOVERNOR SHOULD APPOINT A CHAIRMAN FROM AMONG THE OFFICIAL MEMBERS. THE SPOKESMAN SAID IT WAS INTENDED THAT THE CITY DISTRICT COMMISSIONER OR DISTRICT OFFICER WOULD CHAIR THE BOARD IN HIS DISTRICT. FROM THE SECOND TERM ONWARDS, ALL DISTRICT BOARDS SHOULD ELECT A CHAIRMAN, WHO COULD BE AN OFFICIAL OR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER, FROM AMONG THE IR OWN MEMBERS.
THE URBAN COUNCIL (AMENDMENT)(NO. 2) BILL 1981 SEEKS TO REMOVE FROM THE PRINCIPAL ORDINANCE THE EXISTING PROVISIONS RELATING TO URBAN COUNCIL ELECTIONS. THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT SUCH MATTERS WOULD IN FUTURE BE DEALT WITH UNDER THE PROVISIONS IN THE ELECTORAL PROVISIONS BILL 1981 WHICH WOULD ALSO APPLY TO DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS.
THE BILL ALSO INCREASES THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE COUNCIL AND REVISES THE TERM OF OFFICE OF MEMBERS. AT PRESENT THE COUNCIL IS COMPOSED OF 12 ELECTED AND 12 APPOINTED MEMBERS AND ALL MEMBERS SERVE FOR 4 YEARS (EXCEPT THOSE ELECTED IN MARCH THIS YEAR WHO SERVE FOR 2 YEARS).
IN FUTURE, THE COUNCIL WILL HAVE 15 ELECTED AND 15 APPOINTED MEMBERS AND ALL MEMBERS WILL SERVE FOR 3 YEARS.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THESE CHANGES WERE AS PROPOSED IN THE WHITE PAPER AND THEY WOULD BECOME EFFECTIVE FROM APRIL 1983.
ANOTHER PROPOSED AMENDMENT IS FOR THE CHAIRMAN AND VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE URBAN COUNCIL TO BE ELECTED FROM AMONG ITS MEMBERS. AT PRESENT THE ORDINANCE ALLOWS FOR A NON-MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL TO BE ELECTED TO EITHER POSITION.
THE ELECTORAL PROVISIONS BILL 1981 EMPOWERS THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL TO SET UP CONSTITUENCIES FOR BOTH URBAN COUNCIL AND DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS, TO DELINEATE CONSTITUENCY BOUNDARIES AND TO DECLARE THE NUMBER OF PERSONS TO BE ELECTED IN EACH CONSTITUENCY,
THE SPOKESMAN NOTED THAT DETAILS OF THE ELECTORAL CONSTITUENCIES WERE PUBLISHED EARLIER THIS WEEK WHEN MAPS SHOWING THE BOUNDARIES OF THE TEN URBAN AND EIGHT NEW TERRITORIES DISTRICTS WERE POSTED IN CITY DISTRICT OFFICES AND DISTRICT OFFICES FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION.
ALSO INCLUDED IN THE BILL ARE THE QUALIFICATIONS AND DISQUALIFICATIONS FOR REGISTRATION AS ELECTORS AND THE ENTITLEMENT OF ELECTORS TO VOTE AT ELECTIONS, AND THE QUALIFICATIONS AND DISQUALIFICATIONS FOR NOMINATION AS CANDIDATES FOR ELECTION TO THE URBAN COUNCIL AND DISTRICT BOARDS.
THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THESE QUALIFICATIONS AND DISQUALIFICATIONS FOLLOWED MAINLY THE PROPOSALS IN THE WHITE PAPER AND THAT SUBJECT TO SOME MINOR VARIATIONS THE SAME
QUALIFICATIONS AND DISQUALIFICATIONS WOULD BE APPLIED TO CANDIDATES FOR APPOINTMENT OR ELECTION TO BOTH THE URBAN COUNCIL AND DISTRICT BOARDS.
THE BILL