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The following is the transcript of remarks made by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mrs Anson Chan, at the Legislative Council election Press Centre at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre today (Sunday):
CS: As you can all see, I have cast my vote - I should put it this way - cast my vote this morning. The Chief Executive has also cast his vote. The Financial Secretary has just arrived back from his tour of South America and he will also be casting his vote this afternoon. I do urge all the registered voters who have not yet cast their vote to go to the nearest polling station to cast their vote, exercise their right, and enable the entire community to implement this concept of 'one country, two systems' and a high degree of autonomy for Hong Kong.
This is the first Legislature of the Special Administrative Region. The legislature has very important functions to perform, particularly in holding the Government accountable for its actions and its policies. So, in order to have a representative legislature it is up to every citizen to cast his vote so that they can select those people whom they wish to see represent them in the Legislative Council.
The weather today, unfortunately, is not very good but I said just now that the best thing to do with your time is in fact to cast your vote. There are seven polling stations in the North District that have been affected by flooding but we are arranging, through the Drainage Department, for the drains to be cleared as soon as possible, so that the floodwater will recede. And then we will arrange special transportation so that voters can go to these seven polling stations to cast their vote. Thank you.
Reporter (RTHK): Mrs Chan, despite the bad weather, the early turnout figures seem higher than last time. Can you give us your comments on that?
CS: Of course we are very encouraged to see, as you said, despite the bad weather the turnout rate, so far, seems to be better than the 1995 turnout rate. But I don't think we should be complacent. There are still many hours to go before the polling station closes. We have 2.8 million registered voters which is the highest that we have ever had in all our previous elections, so I do urge every registered voter to exercise their right, and indeed their responsibility, to go and cast their vote so that we can have a legislature that is representative of the entire community. And in that way, they can best hold the Government accountable.
End/Sunday, May 24, 1998
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