ENG-1982 — Page 340

CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION

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boards in each of the 18 administrative districts throughout the territory. The objective behind establishing district boards is to provide a better forum for public consultation and participation at the district level. The district boards consist of government officials, appointed unofficial members, elected members from the constituencies, urban councillors or rural committee chairmen. They have a mainly advisory role, with a substantial influence over district affairs. In monitoring the government's performance and achievements at the district level, the district boards discuss a very wide range of matters affecting the well-being of everyone. All district boards have been allocated public funds for local recreational and cultural activities and for minor environmental works.

The district management committees, consisting of government officials, provide a forum for inter-departmental consultation to produce more effective government at the district level. The committees are in effect responsible for servicing their respective district boards. By March 1982, district boards and district management committees were established in all the urban districts. District boards in the New Territories became statutory bodies, in accordance with the provisions of the District Boards Ordinance, with effect from April 1, 1982, while the urban district boards became statutory bodies with effect from October 1, 1982. The normal tenure of office of the members of these statutory district boards is three years, although set at two and a half years for the urban boards for the 1982-5 term.

Elections

Election to the district boards is on a constituency basis, and through a broad franchise: all residents aged 21 years or above with more than seven years' residence in Hong Kong are eligible to register to vote.

Elections to the district boards in the New Territories were held on March 4, 1982. Of the 190 000 New Territories' residents who registered as electors, representing roughly 30 per cent of the eligible New Territories' electorate, nearly 100 000 people turned out to vote on polling day, representing over 50 per cent of the registered electorate. A total of 56 unofficial members were elected to the New Territories boards. Two were unopposed, but 172 candidates contested the other 54 seats.

Elections to the urban district boards were held on September 23, 1982. Roughly two million people in the urban area were eligible to be electors and about 700 000 people, representing 35 per cent of the eligible electorate, registered as electors. On election day, some 245 000 people cast their votes, representing over 35 per cent of the registered electorate. A total of 76 members were elected to the urban boards in the September elections.

Links with the Urban Council and the Heung Yee Kuk

District boards in both Hong Kong and Kowloon and the New Territories have been linked with existing representative organisations, the Urban Council and the Heung Yee Kuk (a statutory body which represents the indigenous population of the New Territories and advises the government on New Territories matters). Urban district boards provide seats for elected and appointed Urban Councillors while New Territories district boards have seats reserved for rural committee chairmen.

Electoral System for the Urban Council and District Boards

The franchise is very simple: practically all residents aged 21 years or above who have been in Hong Kong for seven or more years are eligible to apply for registration as electors. Such applications are made on an entirely voluntary basis and there is a fixed timetable annually