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Regarding media enquiries today (September 14) on the organisational structure, operation and charitable donations of the Hong Kong Girl Guides Association (the Association), a spokesman for the Home Affairs Bureau (HAB) responded as follows:
The Association has been a long-standing non-government organisation with independent operation. Its organisational structure and operation are governed and regulated by its constitution and related rules. The Government respects the arrangements.
According to information furnished by the Association, after receiving the notification letter about the election of the Chief Commissioner, every member of the council of the Association is entitled to seek a nomination form from the Honorary Secretary. Each and every ex-officio council member has the right to nominate and vote in the election.
According to the Associationˇ¦s Constitution, the Chief Commissioner is elected by the council. In relation to the age limit for the position of the Chief Commissioner, it was learnt that the current Chief Commissioner was the only candidate standing for the election in October 2007. The Association needed a seasoned volunteer with ample experience in Girl Guides. The age of the candidate had thus not been the prime concern of the Association.
Moreover, it was understood that ˇ§Happy Beeˇ¨ and ˇ§Golden Guideˇ¨ had been duly set up under the formal approval and authorisation of the executive committee of the Association, and were open to application by all those eligible and interested. All activities organised by the Association have been covered by the insurance policy procured by the Association as a whole. To protect younger participants, parentsˇ¦ written consents have been sought for ˇ§Happy Beeˇ¨ applicants prior to admission.
The Association also expressed that the tax exemption arrangements for charitable donations were made according to the relevant rules laid down by the Inland Revenue Department.
Ends/Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Issued at HKT 21:27
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