XN000022-1985-03-06 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 1985

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HONG KONG GOES TO POLLS TOMORROW

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TOMORROW IS POLLING DAY, AND THE FIRST TERRITORY-WIDE DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS WILL PROVIDE THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WITH THE OPPORTUNITY OF HAVING A STRONGER VOICE IN COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, MR DONALD LIAO TOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

VOTERS WILL BE GOING TO THE POLLS TO ELECT 237 REPRESENTATIVES TO 19 DISTRICT BOARDS.

+THESE ELECTIONS ARE BY FAR THE BIGGEST HONG KONG HAS SEEN SO FAR, AND THE MOST IMPORTANT AT THIS STAGE IN OUR HISTORY, MR LIAO SAID.

+THEY OPEN A NEW CHAPTER FOR THE DISTRICT BOARDS WHICH HAVE BECOME AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT BY CONSULTATION AND CONSENSUS, HE SAID.

WITH THREE YEARS OF SOLID WORK AND ACHIEVEMENTS BEHIND THEM, THE BOARDS HAVE PROVEN THE IR WORTH AND CAN LOOK FORWARD TO EVEN MORE EXCITING TIMES AHEAD, HE ADDED,

SOME 1.27 MILLION REGISTERED VOTERS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF CASTING THE IR VOTES AT THE 288 POLLING STATIONS OPEN THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY FOR 15 HOURS TOMORROW, STARTING FROM 7.30 IN THE MORNING UP TO 10.30 IN THE EVENING.

+TOMORROW BELONGS TO THE VOTERS, SAID MR LIAO,

+ IT IS THEIR TURN TO SHOW IN A POSITIVE WAY, THEIR CONCERN FOR THE IR COMMUNITY, THE IR COMMITMENT TO HONG KONG, AND THEIR SUPPORT FOR THOSE THEY WISH TO REPRESENT THEM,+ HE ADDED.

+THE SIMPLEST AND MOST DIRECT WAY TO DO SO IS TO VOTE,+ HE SAID.

MR LIAO SAID AFTER ALL THE PUBLICITY AND CAMPAIGNING IN THE ELECTIONS DRAW TO A CLOSE, IT IS FITTINGLY LEFT TO THE VOTERS TO MAKE THEIR CHOICE AND MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD.

→NEXT MONTH, THE BOARDS WILL TAKE ON A NEW DIMENSION IN THAT MEMBERS THEMSELVES, ELECTED AND APPOINTED, WILL BE RUNNING THE BOARDS AND ELECTING THEIR OWN CHAIRMEN, HE SAID,

+THEY WILL THUS BE SETTING THEIR OWN PACE AND DECIDING THEIR OWN PRIORITIES, HE ADDED.

THE DISTRICT BOARDS WILL ALSO BE ASSUMING A GREATER MANAGEMENT ROLE IN THE RUNNING OF COMMUNITY CENTRES AND MANAGING RECREATION AND SPORTS FACILITIES IN THE NEW TOWNS.

/MR LIAO