XN000022-1995-09-17 — Page 5

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Question: Inaudible

Governor: Have you ever looked at how the American Senate works?

End/Sunday, September 17, 1995

Transcript of the Governor's media session

The following is a transcript of the media session by the Governor, the Rt Hon Christopher Patten, after visiting a polling station in Sheung Shui today (Sunday):

Governor: I'd just like to say two things. First of all, I'd like to express my gratitude and the Administration's gratitude to everyone in the media, in radio, in television and in the newspapers, who's encouraged the community to come out and vote today. I am grateful for the efforts that you've made. I am also particularly grateful for the work being done by 14,000 civil servants today in polling stations like this who are making a complicated system as easy and efficient as possible. I think as I said after visiting the REO last week, they are doing a superb job. You've only got to see inside to see how they are helping people through the process and it's working extremely smoothly and I am sure will throughout the day.

Question: How do you feel about the rating?

Governor: About the turnout? It's about the same as it was so far in the District Board and Municipal Council elections. We've got a much bigger electoral register. It's up by about 600,000. So even though the turnout rate is about the same as last time, it means that so far, I think over 20,000 more people have voted. I guess that's the pattern you will see through the day. If this is like the District Boards and Municipal Councils, that you will see the percentage turnout rate fluctuating either side of the average for the last elections, but the actual number of people voting will probably be much higher. It certainly is so far. The last figures I saw suggested that 180,000 people have voted so far, against 160,000 at a similar time in the last Legislative Council elections.

Question: What's your reaction to Xinhua's statement this morning that they would abolish the Legislative Council. They put out a statement just after the poll is open.