XN000022-1984-03-02 — Page 5

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 1984

STUDENTS URGED TO SUPPORT DB ELECTIONS

*****

POST-SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS WERE TODAY URGED BY THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES, TO ENCOURAGE THEIR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES TO VOTE IN NEXT YEAR'S DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS AND TO HELP IN THE REGISTRATION OF ELECTORS.

BY DOING SO, HE SAID, STUDENTS COULD HELP TO ENSURE THAT THESE ELECTIONS ARE A SUCCESSFUL EXPRESSION OF PUBLIC SUPPORT AND INVOLVEMENT AND SHOW THEIR LOVE FOR HONG KON G+.

MR AKERS-JONES MADE THE APPEAL AT THE OPENING OF THE BAPTIST WEEK '84 ORGANISED FOR STUDENTS OF THE BAPTIST COLLEGE.

HE SAID THAT THE DISTRICT BOARDS, THE BEGINNING OF A NEW PHASE IN THE POLITICAL LIFE OF HONG KONG, WILL HAVE BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR NEARLY THREE YEARS NEXT YEAR.

+IN OUR SYSTEM OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT ALL WHO HAVE LIVED IN HONG KONG LONG ENOUGH TO BELONG TO OUR COMMUNITY HAVE THE RIGHT TO REGISTER AND TO VOTE, HE SAID.

+TO VOTE IN THESE ELECTIONS IS TO ENABLE PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG.

+A VOTE IS A SMALL THING BUT IT SHOWS THAT THE INDIVIDUAL VOICE, HOWEVER SMALL, IS OF VALUE AND IN THE ACT OF VOTING THE VOTER HAS COMMITTED HIMSELF TO HONG KONG AND ITS WAY OF LIFE.

+IT IS A SMALL GESTURE OF GREAT SIGNIFICANCE TO US ALL.+

MR AKERS-JONES RECALLED THAT HE HAD ALSO SPOKEN ON THE GROWING FEELING OF IDENTITY AND SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR HON G KONG TO STUDENTS OF THE BAPTIST COLLEGE SOME FIVE YEARS AGO.

+MUCH HAS HAPPENED IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS. HONG KONG HAS CONTINUED WITH ITS PHYSICAL BUILDING DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES.

+BUT IN THE FIELD OF COMMUNITY BUILDING, THE CHANGE WHICH AFFECTS EVERY ONE OF US WAS THE DECISION IN 1982 TO GIVE ALL RESIDENTS OF HONG KONG OVER THE AGE OF 21 THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE AND TO VOTE IN DISTRICT ELECTIONS.

+NEARLY A MILLION PEOPLE REGISTERED AND SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND TOOK THE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE IN THE SUBSEQUENT ELECTIONS.+

DESCRIBING THIS AS A GOOD START, MR AKERS-JONES ADDED THAT NEXT YEAR'S ELECTIONS WOULD ONCE MORE PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR HONG KONG PEOPLE TO JOIN HANDS WITH THE GOVERNMENT.

15