XN000022-1982-08-25 — Page 8

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 1982

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EMPLOYERS URGED TO SUPPORT EMPLOYEE CANDIDATES FOR DB

EMPLOYERS WERE URGED TODAY (WEDNESDAY) TO SUPPORT THE IR EMPLOYEES WHO ARE STANDING AS CANDIDATES IN NEXT MONTH'S URBAN DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS.

THE APPEAL WAS MADE BY THE REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR HONG KONG AND KOWLOON, MR GRAHAM BARNES, AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE YAU MA TEI DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION EXHIBITION AT THE NEW WORLD CENTRE.

FROM HIS OWN EXPERIENCE, MR BARNES SAID, IT WAS NOT TRUE TO SAY THAT SELF-EMPLOYED PERSONS OR PEOPLE HAVING THE STATUS OF AN EMPLOYER WERE MORE INTERESTED IN THE WORK OF DISTRICT BOARDS THAN EMPLOYEES, ALTHOUGH THE NUMBER OF SELF-EMPLOYED CANDIDATES WAS FAR GREATER THAN THAT OF EMPLOYEE CANDIDATES.

HE POINTED OUT THAT ONLY 51 OUT OF THE 167 CANDIDATES NOMINATED SO FAR COULD BE CLASSIFIED AS EMPLOYEES IN THE TRUE SENSE.

+BUT MANY WAGE AND SALARY EARNERS THINK THAT PARTICIPATION

IN DISTRICT BOARD WORK WOULD UPSET THEIR WORKING ROUTINES AND CREATE TROUBLE WITH THEIR EMPLOYERS, HE SAID.

+I AM SURE THAT EMPLOYERS WILL NOT DISLIKE STAFF MEMBERS' PARTICIPATION IN THIS MOST IMPORTANT COMMUNITY SERVICE, BUT_IT WOULD HELP TO EASE THE MINDS OF THE EMPLOYEES IF THEY CAN BE ASSURED OF THEIR EMPLOYERS' FULL SUPPORT.

+SO IF YOU EMPLOY A CANDIDATE, PLEASE ASSURE HIM OF YOUR CO-OPERATION,+ MR BARNES URGED, ADDING THAT IN FACT MOST OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS ONLY HELD THEIR MEETINGS ONCE EVERY SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS AND THAT THE CHAIRMEN OF THE BOARDS HAD ENSURED THAT THE MEETING SCHEDULES WERE SO ARRANGED AS TO CAUSE THE LEAST INCONVENIENCE TO THE MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS.

EXPERIENCE SHOWED THAT MEMBERS WERE REQUIRED TO ATTEND MEETINGS AND FUNCTIONS CONNECTED WITH THE DISTRICT BOARDS ON AN AVERAGE OF NO MORE THAN THRICE A MONTH, HE SAID.

WITH ONLY A FEW MORE DAYS TO GO BEFORE THE NOMINATION PERIOD CLOSES ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, MR BARNES URGED ALL THOSE WHO WISHED TO BETTER THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE LIVING IN THEIR DISTRICTS TO COME FORWARD AS CANDIDATES.

THE FIVE-DAY EXHIBITION AIMS AT INTRODUCING THE DISTRICT BOARD SYSTEM AND ITS WORK TO CITIZENS OF HONG KONG, PARTICULARLY THOSE LIVING IN YAU MA TEI.

+ALTHOUGH PERFECTION