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FRINESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1984
NOMINATIONS FROM ALL ELIGIBLE UNIONS ARE CALLED FOR TWO
MONTHS BEFORE THE ELECTION AND THE NOMINEES NEED NOT BE FROM THE NOMINATING UNION BUT MUST BE A PAID-UP MEMBER, PAID STAFF, OR OFFICE-
ALL THE UNIONS ARE THEN BEARER OF ANY OF THE ELIGIBLE UNIONS.
NOTIFIED BY LETTER OF THE ELECTION DETAILS.
+ON ELECTION DAY, THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNIONS WILL HAVE TO PRODUCE THE LETTER FROM THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT AND A LETTER OF VOTING IS ATTORNEY FROM HIS UNION BEFORE BEING ALLOWED TO VOTE. BY SECRET BALLOT. LAST YEAR'S TURNOUT RATE WAS ABOUT 45 PER CENT,+ HE SAID.
MR BRAY SAID THAT ANOTHER WAY IN WHICH A FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY MIGHT BE DEFINED WAS BY REFERENCE TO A STATUTORY REGISTER, SUCH AS A REGISTER OF TEACHERS MAINTAINED BY THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION UNDER THE EDUCATION ORDINANCE.
+THEY WOULD, HOWEVER, PROBABLY NEED TO BE MORE THAN JUST TEACHERS. THEY SHOULD ALSO BE REGISTERED VOTERS FOR THE ELECTORAL ROLL FOR THIS DOES HAVE CERTAIN AGE AND RESIDENCE QUALIFICATIONS, HE ADDED.
HE RECOGNISED THAT THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY WAS NOT AN EASY AREA, AND EXPECTED MUCH DISCUSSION WHEN DETAILED PROPOSALS WERE MADE.
ON THE SUGGESTION THAT THE GOVERNOR AS PRESIDENT OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BE REPLACED BY A PRESIDING OFFICER ELECTED FROM AMONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS BY THE MEMBERS THEMSELVES, MR BRAY CLARIFIED A MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE ROLE OF THE PRESIDENT OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WHICH SEEMED TO HAVE CAUSED SOME CONFUSION.
+ IN FACT HIS ROLE IS VERY LIMITED, + MR BRAY SAID, THE PRESIDENT'S ROLE IS VERY MUCH MORE LIKE THAT OF THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. +
+HE IS THERE TO SEE FAIR PLAY. HE IS NOT THERE AS AN ADVOCATE OF ONE VIEW OR ANOTHER BUT AS A PERSON WHO ENSURES THAT THE RULES
HIS ARE FOLLOWED, THAT VOTES ARE PROPERLY TAKEN AND SO FORTH. FUNCTION IS CLOSER TO THE ROLE OF A REFEREE IN A FOOTBALL MATCH THAN THAT OF THE CAPTAIN OF THE WINNING TEAM,+ MR BRAY SAID.
IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, THE SPEAKER IS NOT OPPOSED IN HIS CONSTITUENCY AT ELECTION TIME AND DOES NOT VOTE WHEN VOTES ARE TAKEN AND HIS PARTY CANNOT COUNT ON HIS SUPPORT IN CONTROVERSIAL DEBATES.
+QUITE THE REVERSE, HE DOES HIS BEST TO ENSURE THAT ALL SHADES OF OPINION ARE BROUGHT OUT IN DEBATE AND IN BRITAIN HE DOES THIS BY CALLING THE NAMES OF MEMBERS TO SPEAK WHEN THERE ARE SEVERAL WANTING TO SPEAK AT ONCE, HE SAID.
ALTHOUGH THE ROLE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AT PRESENT IS NOT VERY ONEROUS. MR BRAY NOTED THAT IF PROCEEDINGS BECOME MORE CONTROVERSIAL IN YEARS TO COME, THIS MIGHT NOT BE SO.
IF THIS