XN000022-1983-01-28 — Page 7

FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 1983

+MUCH DEPENDS ON INDIVIDUAL CANDIDATES TO WIN THE CONFIDENCE OF VOTERS, AND NO DOUBT WE SHOULD BE SEEING SOME KEEN CAMPAIGNING PARTICULARLY IN SUCH LARGE DISTRICTS AS SHAM SHUI PO, EASTERN AND KOWLOON CITY WHERE FROM SIX TO EIGHT CANDIDATES ARE STAND ING FOR ELECTION, HE SAID.

FIVE MORE CANDIDATES RUSHED IN THEIR NOMINATIONS TODAY BEFORE THE 5.30 PM DEADLINE, BRINGING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CANDIDATES TO 42.

THESE INCLUDE 39 MEN AND THREE WOMEN FROM A WIDE BACKGROUND, INCLUDING TEACHERS, ENGINEERS, SOCIAL WORKERS, SOLICITORS, A FACTORY WORKER, DOCTORS AND BUSINESSMEN.

THE FINAL LINE UP OF CANDIDATES IN THE 15 CONSTITUENCIES ARE AS FOLLOWS:

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NORTH POINT-4; SHAU KEI WAN-3 SOUTHERN - 3: CENTRAL AND WESTERN - 2 WAN CHAI 1 KOWLOON CITY EAST 3: KOWLOON CITY WEST - 4 MONG KOK 2 SHAM SHUI PO EAST 3 SHAM SHUI PO WEST - 5: KWUN TONG EAST - 3; KWUN TONG WEST 1: WONG TAI SIN SOUTH - 1 WONG TAI SIN NORTH

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3; AND YAU MA TEI - 4.

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·

THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME THAT THE URBAN COUNCIL ELECTIONS WILL BE HELD ON A CONSTITUENCY BASIS, THE CNTA SPOKESMAN SAID.

+IN EFFECT, THIS MEANS THAT VOTERS IN A CONSTITUENCY WILL BE ELECTING THE IR OWN REPRESENTATIVE WHO WILL THUS BE DIRECTLY ANSWERABLE TO THAT CONSTITUENCY.

+AS SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES WILL ALSO AUTOMATICALLY SIT ON THE LOCAL DISTRICT BOARDS, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO REFLECT THE WISHES AND ASPIRATIONS OF THE PEOPLE THEY REPRESENT TO THE URBAN COUNCIL.

+ IT IS IMPORTANT THEREFORE THAT VOTERS IN EACH CONSTITUENCY SUPPORT THE CANDIDATE OF THEIR CHOICE BY CASTING THEIR VOTE ON ELECTION DAY - MARCH 8,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

MORE THAN 700 000 REGISTERED VOTERS IN THE URBAN AREA ARE ENTITLED TO VOTE IN THE COMING ELECTIONS.

THERE WILL BE 134 POLLING STATIONS THROUGHOUT THE URBAN AREA. POLLING HOURS WILL BE FROM 7 AM TO 11 PM.

SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES WILL ASSUME OFFICE FROM APRIL 1 FOR THREE YEARS.

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