XN000022-1982-08-24 — Page 7

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 1986

(F)

THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR CONSULTING DISTRICT BOARDS ON THE ANNUAL ROUTE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME EXERCISE SHOULD BE FORMALISED, AND THAT THIS SHOULD BE UNDERTAKEN BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SECRETARY FOR CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION.

THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL, HAVING CONSIDERED THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE PROFIT CONTROL SCHEME SUB-GROUP, AGREED THAT, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MINOR AMENDMENTS THAT SHOULD BE MADE, THE SCHEMES OF CONTROL APPLICABLE TO THE TWO BUS COMPANIES WERE STILL APPROPRIATE.

ON THE ADVICE OF THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THE FIVE SUB-GROUPS WHICH WERE SET UP TO CONDUCT THE REVIEWS OF KMB AND CMB WILL NOT BE DISBANDED BUT WILL BE RECALLED AS NECESSARY TO CONDUCT SUCH FURTHER RESEARCH INTO THE OPERATIONS OF THE TWO COMPANIES AS MIGHT, IN THE LIGHT OF EXPERIENCE, PROVE TO BE NECESSARY.

CANDIDATES FOR URBAN ELECTIONS COME FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS

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QUALIFIED PEOPLE WHO WISH TO STAND IN NEXT MONTH'S URBAN DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS SHOULD CONTACT THE IR LOCAL CITY DISTRICT OFFICES WITHOUT DELAY, THE DEPUTY REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR HONG KONG AND KOWLOON, MR ALBERT LAM, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

THERE ARE FOUR WORKING DAYS LEFT BEFORE THE NOMINATION PERIOD CLOSES ON AUGUST 31, HE SAID.

FROM AUGUST 6 WHEN NOMINATIONS BEGAN TILL YESTERDAY (MONDAY), A TOTAL OF 163 CANDIDATES, INCLUDING 11 WOMEN, HAD BEEN NOMINATED FOR THE ELECTIONS, THE FIRST OF ITS KIND EVER TO BE HELD IN THE URBAN AREAS.

ADDRESSING A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF KOWLOON EAST, MR LAM NOTED THAT CANDIDATES NOMINATED SO FAR REPRESENTED DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, EDUCATIONAL LEVELS AND OCCUPATIONS, WITH AGES RANGING FROM 22 TO 84.

+SUCH A DIVERSITY OF BACKGROUNDS SHOWS THAT PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR LOCAL ENVIRONMENT AND WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS THE WELL BEING OF THEIR COMMUNITY, HE SAID.

IT ALSO SHOWED THAT MORE PEOPLE HAD A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SCHEME AND HOW DISTRICT BOARDS COULD HELP TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN HONG KONG, HE ADDED.

MR LAM SAID THAT THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION PROVIDED A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR CIVIC-MINDED PEOPLE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.

THIS OPPORTUNITY, HE SAID, MANIFESTED ITSELF IN TWO WAYS:

FIRST, THE ELECTIONS ARE GIVEN A BROAD FRANCHISE, WITH PEOPLE OVER 21 AND HAVING LIVED IN HONG KONG FOR SEVEN YEARS BEING ELIGIBLE TO REGISTER AS ELECTORS, THEREBY EXERCISING THEIR RIGHT TO CHOOSE THE BEST CANDIDATES TO REPRESENT THEM AS MEMBERS ON THE LOCAL DISTRICT BOARDS.

/SECOND. REGISTERED