XN000022-1985-12-30 — Page 2

MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1987

NOMINATION OF ELECTION CANDIDATES BEGINS FRIDAY

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NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES FOR THE REGIONAL COUNCIL AND URBAN COUNCIL ELECTIONS ON MARCH 6 NEXT YEAR WILL BEGIN ON FRIDAY (JANUARY 3) AND LAST UNTIL JANUARY 31.

A PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION, MR C.M. LEUNG, URGED CIVIC-MINDED PEOPLE KEEN TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY TO COME FORWARD AS CANDIDATES.

SPEAKING AT A PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY (MONDAY), HE DESCRIBED THE COMING ELECTIONS AS A SIGNIFICANT EVENT AS THIS WILL BE THE FIRST EVER ELECTION FOR THE NEW REGIONAL COUNCIL IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

+ IN THE PAST DECADES, MUCH HAD BEEN ACHIEVED BY THE URBAN COUNCIL IN IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE URBAN AREAS,+ HE SAID.

+FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE REGIONAL COUNCIL, A SIMILAR BODY WHICH INCLUDES ELECTED MEMBERS WILL BE ESTABLISHED IN APRIL TO PROVIDE VARIOUS SERVICES TO RESIDENTS IN THE NON-URBAN AREAS.

+ BOTH THE URBAN COUNCIL AND THE FUTURE REGIONAL COUNCIL ARE THE POLICY-MAKING BODIES FOR A BROAD SPECTRUM OF SERVICES AND FACILITIES WHICH DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY CONSTITUTE THE FABRIC OF THE LIVING ENVIRONMENT IN HONG KONG.

+THESE RANGE FROM ORGANISING CULTURAL AND SPORTS ACTIVITIES, PROVISION AND MAINTENANCE OF PARKS, PLAYGROUNDS, STADIUMS AND SWIMMING POOLS TO FOOD HYGIENE, PEST CONTROL AND KEEPING THE STREETS CLEAN,+ MR LEUNG SAID.

EXPLAINING DETAILS OF THE NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES FOR THE ELECTIONS, PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT SECRETARY (ELECTORAL SERVICES), MR LEE LAP-SUN, SAID THE TERRITORY HAS BEEN DIVIDED INTO 27 CONSTITUENCIES FOR BOTH THE URBAN COUNCIL AND REGIONAL COUNCIL.

THERE WILL BE 12 SINGLE-SEAT CONSTITUENCIES FOR THE REGIONAL COUNCIL IN NINE DISTRICTS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES AND 15 SINGLE-SEAT CONSTITUENCIES FOR THE URBAN COUNCIL ELECTIONS IN THE 10 URBAN DISTRICTS.

THE DISTRICT OFFICER OF EACH DISTRICT HAS BEEN APPOINTED AS THE RETURNING OFFICER FOR HIS DISTRICT, AND NOMINATIONS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THE RETURNING OFFICER DURING OFFICE HOURS ON WEEKDAYS.

ANY REGISTERED ELECTOR WHO HAS BEEN A RESIDENT IN HONG KONG FOR 10 YEARS IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE NOMINATION DATE IS QUALIFIED TO STAND FOR ELECTIONS.

/+HILE A