+
FRIDA
MARCH, 1985
0,
ELECTION RESULTS ENCOURAGING, SAYS GOVERNOR
****
THE ENCOURAGING RESULTS OF THE DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS HAVE SHOWN THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ARE RECOGNISING EVEN MORE THE IMPORTANCE OF TAKING PART IN ELECTIONS, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, SAID LAST (THURSDAY) EVENING.
HE MADE THESE REMARKS TO REPORTERS AFTER ATTENDING THE TUNG *AH GROUP OF HOSPITALS ANNUAL FUND-RAISING BALL AT THE REGENT HOTEL.
ASKED TO COMMENT ON THE TURNOUT OF THE ELECTIONS, SIR EDWARD SAID: +1 THINK IT IS A VERY ENCOURAGING RESULT. I THINK IT IS A TRIBUTE BOTH TO THE VOTERS WHO HAVE RECOGNISED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ELECTIONS AND TO THOSE WHO ORGANISED IT.
+ IT IS A MUCH LARGER NUMBER OF VOTERS THAN WE HAD LAST TIME, BUT THAT IS ONLY RIGHT BECAUSE THESE ELECTIONS ARE OF COURSE MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE LAST TIME ROUND.
+SO I THINK, ALL IN ALL, IT IS A VERY ENCOURAGING ELECTION DAY FOR HONG KONG.+
SIR EDWARD ALSO SAID THE IMPLICATION OF THE ELECTION RESULTS WAS THAT THE PEOPLE WERE RECOGNISING EVEN MORE THE IMPORTANCE OF JOINING IN ELECTIONS AND OF CASTING THE IK VOTES SO THAT THEY GOT THE CANDIDATES WHICH THEY WISHED TO SERVE THEM,
+I THINK THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG HAVE ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS. BUT NOW WE HAVE THIS KIND OF ELECTIONS, THEY CAN BE GIVEN MUCH MORE OF AN OPPORTUNITY THAN THEY HAD IN THE PAST TO EXPRESS THEIR WISHES, HE SAID.
ASKED IF THIS COULD BE REGARDED AS A GOOD START FOR A REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT, SIR EDWARD SAID: +YES. WE HAD A START WHEN WE STARTED WITH THE DISTRICT BOARDS FIRST TIME ROUND AND WE HAVE DONE EVEN BETTER THIS TIME. SO WE HAVE MADE A GREAT DEAL OF PROGRESS IN THE FEW YEARS IN WHICH WE HAVE BEEN GOING, AND I AM SURE THIS PROGRESS WILL BE CONTINUED IN THE FUTURE.+
IN REPLY TO A QUESTION IF THIS WOULD HAVE ANY EFFECT ON FORMULATING GOVERNMENT POLICIES, HE SAID:+IT WILL BE OF A GREAT HELP TO US. BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE AN EXPRESSION OF PUBLIC VIEW OF THIS KIND IT IS VERY HELPFUL AND VERY USEFUL TO GOVERNMENT, AND WE VERY WARMLY WELCOME THIS KIND OF INCREASED TURNOUT. +
SIR EDWARD SAID HE WAS VERY SATISFIED WITH WHAT HAD BEEN ACHIEVED.
+BUT HAVING NOW BEEN SATISFIED WITH WHAT HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED TONIGHT. WE MUST NOW MAKE SOME FURTHER PROGRESS SO THAT WE DO EVEN BETTER NEXT TIME, HE ADDED.
TO THE