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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1991
ON WHETHER POLLING COULD BE COMPUTERISED TO CITED UP THE PROCESS, MR SUEN SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD LOOKED INTO THE ISSUE CAREFULLY AND FOUND THAT A SUM OF $280 MILLION WOULD RE NEEDED FOR SUCH A PURPOSE.
THIS WOULD NOT BE TOO COST EFFECTIVE IF WE CONSIDER THAT ELECTIONS WOULD BE HELD EVERY FOUR YEARS, HE SAID.
CS URGES PEOPLE TO VOTE
TODAY IS THE DAY AND IT IS NOW UP TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG TO COME OUT AND VOTE IF THEY WANT A GREATER SAY IN THEIR GOVERNMENT, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID FORD, SAID THIS (SUNDAY) MORNING.
SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER CASTING HIS VOTE IN THE FIRST LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DIRECT ELECTIONS, IN THE HONG KONG ISLAND WEST CONSTITUENCY, SIR DAVID SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD MADE A VERY BIG EFFORT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO VOTE.
"WE'VE BEEN RUNNING ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS, AND WE'VE MADE THE POLLING STATIONS AS CONVENIENT AS POSSIBLE, HE SAID.
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"THE CANDIDATES THEMSELVES HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME OUT AND VOTE."
REFERRING TO THE MORNING RAIN, SIR DAVID SAID: "IT'S NOT A VERY GOOD DAY FOR HIKING, NOT A VERY GOOD DAY FOR SHOPPING OR GOING TO THE BEACH, BUT IT IS A GOOD DAY FOR VOTING, WHICH IS FREE AS WELL, SO COME AND VOTE.'
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THE
FINANCIAL SECRETARY, MR HAMISH MACLEOD, CAST HIS VOTE IN
THE SAME CONSTITUENCY SHORTLY AFTER.
ASKED WHAT IT FELT LIKE TO BE VOTING IN THE FIRST LEGCO DIRECT ELECTIONS, MR MACLEOD SAID IT WAS QUITE EXCITING IN THE SENSE THAT NO- ONE QUITE KNEW WHAT THE TURNOUT WOULD BE OR WHAT SORT OF CANDIDÁTES WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL.
"SO IT CERTAINLY AROUSES INTEREST IN ME. I'VE BEEN READING ALL THE LEAFLETS THIS MORNING AND I VERY MUCH HOPE THAT THERE WILL BB A VERY GOOD TURNOUT, AND THE WEATHER, WHICH IS NOW IMPROVED, WILL NOT PUT PEOPLE OFF."
SAID
ON WHAT CRITERIA HE CHOSE IN MAKING HIS VOTE, MR MACLEOD НВ BASICALLY RELIED ON THE CAMPAIGN LEAFLETS DISTRIBUTED AND ON THE PRINTED MEDIA IN FORMING HIS JUDGEMENT.
ALSO VOTING IN THE SAME CONSTITUENCY, THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, MR PETER TSAO, SAID IN REPLY TO A QUESTION THAT ALTHOUGH THERE WERE ONLY 18 SEATS AT STAKE, IT WAS STILL AN OCCASION TO GENERATE EXCITEMENT. "AFTER ALL, IT IS THE FIRST DIRECT ELECTIONS HAVE EVER HELD, AND THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN VERY ENTHUSIASTIC.
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