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+1 HOPE THAT WHEN ELECTORS HAVE HAD TIME TO SETTLE DOWN AFTER WORK AND WHEN THEY FINISH THEIR DINNER, THEY WILL COME OUT IN NUMBERS TO VOTE, HE ADDED.
SPEAKING TO REPORTERS DURING VISITS TO POLLING STATIONS IN YUEN LONG AND NORTH POINT, SIR DAVID SAID THE TURNOUT AT THE POLLS SHOWED AN INCREASING AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PROCESSES OF DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG'S SYSTEM.
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+ TO AN EXTENT. I THINK IT WILL AFFECT HOW WE THINK AND PLAN FOR OUR FUTURE, HE SAID.
SIR DAVID POINTED OUT THAT TWICE AS MANY PEOPLE HAD VOTED IN THE URBAN COUNCIL ELECTIONS THIS TIME THAN IN THE 1983 ELECTIONS.
+THIS MEANS THAT MORE POEPLE ARE INTERESTED IN THESE ELECTIONS THIS TIME THAN THE LAST TIME, HE SAID.
SIR DAVID ALSO COMMENDED VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS, THE CANDIDATES AND THE MEDIA FOR THE TREMENDOUS EFFORTS IN PUBLICISING THE ELECTIONS.
SIR DAVID OPTIMISTIC ABOUT VOTER TURNOUT
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THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, TODAY EXPRESSED OPTIMISM ABOUT THE VOTER TURNOUT IN THE FIRST EVER REGIONAL COUNCIL ELECTION.
CASTING HIS BALLOT IN THE KWONG FUK COMMUNITY HALL POLLING STATION IN TAI PO, SIR DAVID SAID THAT THE REGIONAL COUNCIL HAD A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF SERVICES IN THE NON-URBAN AREAS AND THAT THERE WAS A GROWING AWARENESS AMONG THE PEOPLE THAT THEY COULD DO THEIR PART BY CASTING THEIR VOTES.
→THE NEW TERRITORIES IS A VERY FAST-GROWING REGION, AND ITS URBAN CENTRES NEED THE ADVICE OF THE CITIZENS IN THEIR MANAGEMENT.
+SHA TIN HAS NEARLY 300 000 PEOPLE AND TUEN MUN HAS 250 000 PEOPLE, AND WE REALLY NEED THE ADVICE AND SUPPORT OF THE PEOPLE IN RUNNING THOSE LARGE AREAS,+ SIR DAVID SAID.
+ IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE AN INTEREST IN THE RUNNING OF THEIR COMMUNITY, AND HOPE THERE WOULD BE A GOOD TURNOUT TODAY, HE ADDED.
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