XN000022-1994-07-14 — Page 5

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 1994

MR ARENA SAID: "INFLATION DURING THE PAST YEAR AS MEASURED BY CPI(A) INDEX WAS 8.05 PER CENT. THE MONTHLY RENTAL FOR A RESIDENTIAL LINE WILL GO UP BY 4.55 PER CENT FROM $59.30 TO $62.

THE

"THE RENTALS FOR BUSINESS LINES WILL BE INCREASED BY 1.87 PER CENT FOR HUNTING LINE, 2.94 PER CENT FOR DDI LINE (TONE DIALLING), 5,13 PER CENT FOR DDI LINE (PULSE DIALLING) AND 7.14 PER CENT FOR AN ORDINARY BUSINESS LINE.

THE CONNECTION CHARGE OF $600 REMAINS UNCHANGED.

FROM

"THE PRICE-CAP ARRANGEMENTS HAVE ENABLED CONSUMERS TO BENEFIT EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS IN THE OPERATION OF THE LOCAL TELEPHONE SERVICES. AS THE PRICE CAP ENSURES PRICES, OVERALL, RISE BY LESS THAN INFLATION, THE TELEPHONE CHARGES CONTROLLED BY THE PRICE-CAP HAVE

IN EFFECT BEEN REDUCED BY AN AVERAGE OF FOUR PER CENT IN REAL TERMS, MR ARENA SAID.

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PUBLICATION OF ELECTION GUIDELINES

COMMISSION

THE BOUNDARY AND ELECTION

(BEC) WELL. TOMORROW (FRIDAY) PUBLISH ITS FINALISED GUIDELINES ON ELECTION-RELATED ACTIVITIES IN RESPECT OF GEOGRAPHICAL CONSTITUENCY ELECTIONS, AFTER A ONE-MONTH PUBLIC CONSULTATION WHICH ENDED ON JUNE 15.

THE BEC HELD 10 PUBLIC MEETINGS WITH INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANISATIONS AND RECEIVED 25 WRITTEN REPRESENTATIONS.

ANNOUNCING THE DETAILS OF THE FINAL GUIDELINES IN A PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY (THURSDAY), THE BEC CHAIRMAN, MR JUSTICE WOO KWOK- HING, SAID THE PROPOSED GUIDELINES WERE GENERALLY ACCEPTABLE то THE PUBLIC.

THE COMMISSION WAS ENCOURAGED BY THE MANY POSITIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE COMMENTS RECEIVED AND INTRODUCED A NUMBER OF AMENDMENTS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THESE VIEWS.

OTHER CHANGES TO THE GUIDELINES WERE ALSO MADE TO REFLECT THE LATEST AMENDMENTS TO THE CORRUPT AND ILLEGAL PRACTICES ORDINANCE PASSED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN JUNE.

THE MAIN POINTS ADDRESSED IN THE PUBLIC REPRESENTATIONS AND THE CHANGES ΤΟ THE GUIDELINES ENDORSED BY THE COMMISSION INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING AREAS:

* NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES

RELATION

ΤΟ THE

TO ADDRESS THE COMMON MISUNDERSTANDING IN NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES FOR MORE THAN ONF CONSTITUENCY, COMMISSION HAS REVISED THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR NOMINATIONS.

BEFORE 4 CANDIDATE'S CURRENT NOMINATION FOR A CONSTITUENCY WILL BE ACCEPTED AS VALID, HE WILL BE REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW FROM ALL HIS PREVIOUS NOMINATIONS FOR OTHER CONSTITUENCIES IN THE SAME ELECTION.

/HE WILL