XN000022-1994-05-18 — Page 29

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 1994

HE SAID THE FINAL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

OF ALL BUILDING STRUCTURES AT THE AIRPORT, INCLUDING THE TERMINAL BUILDING, WOULD ENSURE THAT THE STANDARDS OF CONSTRUCTION IMPOSED BY THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE COULD BE SATISFIED.

ON FIRE SAFETY, MR BLAKE SAID THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT (FSD) HAD BEEN EXTENSIVELY INVOLVED IN THE DESIGN DEVELOPMENT OF TERMINAL BUILDING AND WAS CONSULTED BY ASD AS NECESSARY.

THE

FSD HAD ALREADY ADOPTED FOR LOCAL APPLICATION THE UK FIRE OFFICES COMMITTEE RULES, AS WELL AS OTHER INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS SUCH AS THE NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION OF THE USA, TO WHICH THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF ALL BUILDINGS AT THE NEW AIRPORT WOULD CONFIRM, HE ADDED.

STRONG SUPPORT FOR LOWERING VOTING AGE

THE SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS, MR NICHOLAS NG, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) HE DISAGREED WITH ASSERTIONS THAT THE PUBLIC HAD SHOWN LITTLE SUPPORT FOR LOWERING THE VOTING AGE TO 18 AND THAT YOUNG PEOPLE AGED BETWEEN 18 AND 21 WERE NOT INTERESTED IN REGISTERING AS VOTERS.

PUBLIC OPINION POLLS CONDUCTED LAST YEAR HAD SHOWN THAT THE PUBLIC HAD GIVEN STRONG AND PERSISTENT SUPPORT FOR THE LOWERING OF VOTING AGE, HE ADDED.

THE RESPONSE OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN THIS AGE GROUP TOWARDS THE CURRENT VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE HAS BEEN ENCOURAGING, MR NG SAID IN A REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON PETER WONG IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

THAN

THE REGISTRATION AND ELECTORAL OFFICE HAS SO FAR RECEIVED MORE 106,000 APPLICATIONS FOR REGISTRATION AS NEW VOTERS.

OF THEM,

MORE THAN 17,000 OR ABOUT 16 PER CENT ARE FROM THE NEWLY ELIGIBLE AGE GROUP OF 18 TO 21.

HE SAID EFFORTS SHOULD BE KEPT UP то PROMOTE ELECTORS' EDUCATION THROUGH THE ONGOING CIVIC EDUCATION PROGRAMMES BOTH IN SCHOOLS AND IN THE COMMUNITY.

"FOR THE 1994/95 ELECTIONS, THE GOVERNMENT WILL LAUNCH EXTENSIVE PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE VOTER TURNOUT.

AN

"OTHER THAN THE EFFORTS OF THE GOVERNMENT, IT IS ELECTORS' DUTY TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE, MR NG SAID.

ALSO THE

**

HE ADDED THAT COMMUNITY GROUPS AND POLITICAL PARTIES, THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN THE ELECTIONS, WILL PLAY AN IMPORTANT ENCOURAGING VOTERS TO TAKE PART IN THE ELECTIONS.

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THROUGH

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