TNAG-1611-FCO40-2214-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1987 — Page 57

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Draft Speech by Hon Maria TAM, OBE, JP

Legislative Council - 9.12.1987

Corrupt and Illegal Practices (Amendment) Bill 1987

MISS TAM:

Sir,

1988,

Xt

is now only 22 working days to the 8th of January the opening day for the nomination of candidates for the 1988 District Board elections. Already, potential candidates are bargaining with their printers on the price of printing election manifestoes, posters and envelopes; and with the wholesalers of cloth and chip-wood board on the pr

prices of materials to make their banners. materials

Home visits, tea sessions

and seminars on local environmental problems are taking place in every district gearing up to the official commencement date of the campaign. Much is at stake. Not only the future of the career of many budding or seasoned politicians will be affected by the results of the elections; also, which ever camp that wins the majority number of seats on a District Board will win the chairmanship, the control over an up to $2

on't

per annum budget, and, depending on the outcome of the White Paper to be published

million

may or may no

V

next spring,/the possible

control over many seats in the Legislative Council.

Considering that the collective weight of the

l.c. opinion of the District Board members has grown with time, it

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is only reasonable that the individual candidate holding himself forward as the better or best choice for the job must be honest about his own credentials and should not make false statements of fact in relation to his personal character, Se qualification or conduct. Indeed, $16 (1) of the Corrupt and

Illegal Practices Ordinance already legislates against such

seven practices and the penalty includes a 7 years disqualification from the date of his conviction to be registered as an elector or/vote at any election.

to

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