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The Wan Chai District Council Canal Road Constituency by-election is held today (June 21). The Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Stephen Lam, this morning visited an ordinary polling station as well as a dedicated polling station for remanded persons or detainees who are registered electors of the constituency.
Following is the transcript of Mr Lam's remarks during a media session held after his tour of an ordinary polling station located at the Scout Association of Hong Kong ˇV Hong Kong Island Region at Tang Shiu Kin Building, Oi Kwan Road, Wan Chai:
ˇ§Today is the by-election in the Wan Chai District Council for the Canal Road Constituency. We would encourage all registered voters to come out and vote, and choose a representative whom they believe they can support.
ˇ§In this particular by-election, we have made arrangements under the Correctional Services Department for persons held in remand in the Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre to vote if they so wish. Up to now, we have already got one person voting in the Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre, and that is for now the only person weˇ¦ve held in remand over there and who happens to be a registered voter of the Canal Road Constituency.
ˇ§Also, we have made arrangements with the Police Force for persons held in remand by the Police or other law enforcement agencies during the day to come out and vote if they so wish. This is an arrangement which we started last time in another by-election in Sha Tin.
ˇ§We believe these arrangements will help persons held in remand to exercise their voting right, and we would continue to do so in future elections. Thank you very much.ˇ¨
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Sunday, June 21, 2009
Issued at HKT 11:56
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