XN000022-1990-10-13 — Page 10

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1990

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YOUTH URGED TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS

THE REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR HONG KONG AND KOWLOON, MR DAVID LAN, TODAY (SATURDAY) URGED YOUNG PEOPLE TO DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY INVOLVED IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND POLITICS SO AS TO ENSURE A BETTER FUTURE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES.

SPEAKING AT THE LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE HONG KONO JUNIOR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SENATORS, MR LAN STRESSED THAT NEXT YEAR'S ELECTIONS HAD GREAT SIGNIFICANCE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

THE CHOICE OF LEGISLATORS WILL, NEEDLESS TO SAY, HAVE PROFOUND IMPLICATIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG AS IT DRAWS CLOSER TO THE CHANGE OF SOVEREIGNTY IN 1997, HE SAID.

"PERMANENT RESIDENTS OF HONG KONG WILL SOON HAVE MAKE THAT CHOICE AND IT IS A RIGHT THAT THEY SHOULD NOT SAID.

"THEY CAN, HOWEVER, ONLY EXERCISE THAT RIGHT IF AS VOTERS THIS YEAR BEFORE THE CLOSE OF THE REGISTRATION 20," HE ADDED.

THE RIGHT ΤΟ ABANDON, HB

H

THEY REGISTER ON NOVEMBER

HE NOTED THAT HONG KONG WAS GOING THROUGH A PERIOD OF CHANGE AND OUR FUTURE LARGELY DEPENDED ON HOW THAT CHANGE WAS BEING HANDLED.

"IT IS OF UTMOST IMPORTAMCE THAT THE YOUNG ARE NOW ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE EVOLUTION OF OUR POLITICAL STRUCTURE BECAUSE IN THE COURSE OF TIME, WE NEED TO COUNT ON THEM TO PROVIDE THE LEADERSHIP

ΤΟ GUIDE OUR SOCIETY INTO A NEW ERA, " HE SAID.

HE ADVISED YOUNG PROPLE THAT PUTTING THEIR TIME AND ENERGY IN MAKING WEALTH ALONE WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

"YOU MUST GET YOURSELVES DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY INVOLVED IN POLITICS. IT IS ONLY THROUGH THIS THAT YOU CAN ENSURE A BETTER FUTURE FOR YOURSELVES AND YOUR FAMILIES," HE SAID,

MR LAN'S APPEAL WAS MADE IN THE LIGHT OF THE COMPARATIVELY LOW REGISTRATION RATE AMONG PEOPLE AGED BETWEEN 21 AND 25.

HE FOUND THAT SOME PEOPLE WHO DID NOT REGISTER AS VOTERS SAID THEY BELIEVED DISTRICT BOARDS WERE NO MORE THAN "A COLLECTION OF LOCAL DEBATING CLUBS IN OPEN FORUM TOTALLY DEVOID OF EXECUTIVE POWERS" AND THAT THEIR ADVICES WERE NOT RESPECTED BY THE GOVERNMENT.

MR LAN CITED THE FINDINGS OF RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY THE CNTA JUNE LAST YEAR TO DISPEL THIS 'GRAVE MISCONCEPTION".

IN

/"IT WAS

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