XN000022-1985-01-10 — Page 23

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 1985

MR YEUNG ALSO SUGGESTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT, WHERE NECESSARY, ORGANISE SUITABLE ACTIVITIES TO ACQUAINT THE NEWLY ELECTED COUNCILLORS WITH A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE MEANING OF THE REFORM TO THE POLITICAL SYSTEM, THE OPERATION OF THE VARIOUS . GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, AND THEIR OWN RIGHTS AND DUTIES.

TURNING TO CIVIC EDUCATION, HE SAID IT SHOULD NOT JUST BE CONFINED TO REGULAR EDUCATIONAL BODIES AND SCHOOLS.

REGIONAL CIVIC EDUCATION SHOULD ALSO BE PROVIDED FOR ADULTS THROUGH EFFECTIVE CHANNELS SUCH AS VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS AND COMMUNITY CENTRES, HE SAID.

TWO-STAGE VOTING PROCEDURE PROPOSED

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A MORE ELABORATE ELECTION PROCESS THAN THE COMMON +FIRST-PAST- THE-POST TYPE METHOD SHOULD BE INTRODUCED IN THE ELECTIONS FOR THE 12 SEATS IN THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE, DR THE HON KIM CHAM SAID TODAY.

SPEAKING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL'S SECOND-DAY DEBATE ON THE WHITE PAPER. DR CHAM URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO CONSIDER A TWO- STAGE VOTING PROCEDURE, WHICH WOULD ENABLE ELIGIBLE VOTERS TO FOCUS ON FEWER CANDIDATES FOR A BETTER DIRECT COMPARISON,

+ IN A PRELIMINARY ROUND OF VOTING, CANDIDATES WITH LOWER THAN A PERCENTAGE OF VOTES ARE ELIMINATED, LEAVING CANDIDATES WITH A HIGHER PERCENTAGE TO BE AVAILABLE FOR THE SECONDARY ROUND OF VOTING.

+ IN THE SECONDARY VOTE, ELIGIBLE VOTERS OF THE ELECTOR AL COLLEGE AND THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES CAN FOCUS THE IR ASSESSMENT ON FEWER CAMPAIGNING PERSONALITIES BEFORE A FINAL DECISION IS TAKEN TO ELECT THEM TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, + HE EXPLAINED.

DR CHAM ADMITTED THAT THIS PROCESS WAS MORE COSTLY AS THERE WERE TWO ROUNDS OF VOTING INSTEAD OF ONE.

YET, GIVEN THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ELECTION AND THE IMPORTANCE TO GENERATE APPROPRIATE AND WELL CHOSEN CANDIDATES, THIS IS *TH SERIOUS CONSIDERATION, HE SAID.

ON THE COMPOSITION OF FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES, DR CHAM SAID ACCOUNTING PROFESSION SHOULD NOT BE EXCLUDED.

+ACCOUNTANTS SERVE A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE OF REPORTING TO ALL SHAREHOLDERS THE FINANCIAL STATUS AND PERFORMANCE OF THEIR COMPANIES, THUS SAFEGUARDING THE INTERESTS OF INVESTORS.

THIS IS