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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1982
THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL SUPERSEDES AND TAKES OVER THE ADVISORY FUNCTIONS PERFORMED BY THE HONG KONG TRAINING COUNCIL. UNLIKE ITS PREDECESSOR, THE NEW COUNCIL IS A STATUTORY BODY WITH POWER TO DEPLOY GOVERNMENT FUNDS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING.
THE NEW DEPARTMENT WILL BE FORMED BY MERGING THE TECHNICAL EDUCATION DIVISION OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WITH THE INDUSTRIAL TRAINING BRANCH OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT.
THE DIRECTOR OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING WILL ALSO HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES RELATING TO THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING OF THE DISABLED AND TO APPRENTICESHIPS.
NT VOTERS ENCOURAGED TO 20 TO POLLS
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ABOUT 100 TEMPORARY COMMUNITY ORGANISERS (TCO'S) ARE BEING EMPLOYED BY NEW TERRITORIES DISTRICT OFFICES TO ENCOURAGE VOTING IN NEXT THURSDAY'S NEW TERRITORIES DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS.
THE TCO'S HAVE BEEN MAKING DOOR-TO-DOOR CALLS SINCE MID-JANUARY ON REGISTERED VOTERS IN HOUSING ESTATES AND VILLAGES OF THE EIGHT NEW TERRITORIES DISTRICTS.
THE IR ROLE IS TO INFORM ELECTORS ABOUT VOTING TIMINGS, LOCATIONS OF POLLING STATIONS AND VOTING PROCEDURES.
THEY ALSO EXPLAIN THE FUNCTION OF DISTRICT BOARDS AND THE CONSTITUENCY-BASED ELECTORAL SYSTEM.
PAMPHLETS ON THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SCHEME AND VOTING PROCEDURE ARE DISTRIBUTED DURING THE VISITS.
THE TCO'S ARE EITHER STUDENTS, TEACHERS, CLERICAL STAFF OR EMPLOYEES OF PUBLIC UTILITY COMPANIES.
LAST YEAR, TCO'S WERE EMPLOYED TO ENCOURAGE NEW TERRITORIES RESIDENTS TO REGISTER AS VOTERS.
ON MARCH 4, 125 POLLING STATIONS WILL BE SET UP IN THE 46 NEW TERRITORIES CONSTITUENCIES. EACH STATION WILL OPEN AT 7 AM AND CLOSE AT 10 PM WHEN VOTE COUNTING WILL BEGIN.
A TOTAL OF 174 CANDIDATES WILL COMPETE FOR 56 SEATS ON THE EIGHT DISTRICT BOARDS.
THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 200 000 REGISTERED ELECTORS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.
ELECTIONS IN THE URBAN AREA TAKE PLACE ON SEPTEMBER 23.
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