XN000022-1994-11-02 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1994

PROPOSALS ON LEGCO GEOGRAPHICAL CONSTITUENCY BOUNDARIES ENDORSED

BOUNDARY THE LEGISLATIVE SEPTEMBER

THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL HAS ACCEPTED THE INDEPENDENT AND ELECTION COMMISSION'S (BEC) RECOMMENDATIONS ON COUNCIL GEOGRAPHICAL CONSTITUENCY (GC) BOUNDARIES FOR THE 1995 ELECTIONS.

GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL'S

LEGISLATION),

AN DECISION, IN THE FORM OF (SUBSIDIARY

WILL BE GAZETTED ON FRIDAY [NOVEMBER THE ORDER WILL BE TABLED IN LEGCO ON NOVEMBER 9.

ORDER

4).

A GOVERNMENT

AGAIN

THOROUGH

DONE

A

THE

WITHIN

SPOKESMAN SAID THE BEC HAD ONCE AND EXCELLENT JOB. ITS RECOMMENDATIONS, AS ACCEPTED BY GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL IN THEIR ENTIRETY, WERE WELL-BALANCED AND THE CONFINES OF THE STATUTORY CRITERIA.

IN

ITS MAKING

RECOMMENDATIONS, THE BEC HAD FOLLOWED THE SUCH AS STATUTORY CRITERIA FOR DEMARCATING CONSTITUENCY BOUNDARIES ADHERENCE TO THE POPULATION QUOTA AS FAR AS POSSIBLE AND HAVING REGARD TO PHYSICAL FEATURE, COMMUNITY IDENTITIES AND LOCAL TIES.

IT

20 SINGLE

"IT HAD ALSO TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THE REPRESENTATIONS RECEIVED. FOR THE 1995 LEGCO GC ELECTIONS, THERE WILL BE SEAT CONSTITUENCIES.

AND "THE POPULATION QUOTA FOR EACH OF THE LEGCO GC IS 299,650

IN EACH PROPOSED THE COMMISSION HAD TO ENSURE THAT THE POPULATION CONSTITUENCY DOES NOT EXCEED OR FALL SHORT OF THE POPULATION QUOTA MORE THAN 25 PER CENT," THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

DECEMBER

WILL

BY

LEGISLATIVE

THE

"THE GOVERNMENT HOPES TO SEE THE ORDER PASSED ITS

1994. THIS

THEN PROCESS

PROVIDE BY EARLY REGISTRATION AND ELECTORAL OFFICE WITH A LEGAL FRAMEWORK TO MAKE EARLY PREPARATION (AS FROM JANUARY 1995) FOR THE VOTER REGISTRATION EXERCISE

HE ADDED. RELATING TO THE LEGCO ELECTIONS,

STATEMENT ON STAR FERRY FARF INCREASE

IN RESPONSE TO PRESS ENQUIRIES, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE 13.7 PER CENT FARE INCREASE APPROVED BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL FOR THE STAR FERRY WAS MODERATE AND REASONABLE.

TRIP.

OVER 90 PER CENT OF PASSENGERS WOULD PAY ONLY 20 CENTS MORF PER

HE BELIEVES THIS SMALL INCREASE WHICH IS BELOW INFLATION IS GENERALLY ACCEPTABLE TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

AFTER THE FARE INCREASE, THE STAR FERRY IS FORECAST TO EARN RETURN ON TURNOVER OF ONLY 11.1 PER CENT IN 1995 AND 8.8 PER CENT 1996.

A

IN

/IT IS