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The following is issued on behalf of the Electoral Affairs Commission:

Provisional recommendations on the boundaries and names of 390 constituencies for the election of 18 District Councils to be held in late 1999 have been made by the Electoral Affairs Commission.

Members of the public are invited to express their views by April 17 before the Commission draws up final recommendations and reports to the Chief Executive by the end of May.

Under the District Councils Ordinance, each constituency is to elect one District Council member, who will have a four-year term starting from January 2000. The boundaries of each of the 18 Districts and the number of elected seats in each District are stipulated and fixed in the Ordinance.

In mapping out the boundaries, the Commission adopted several statutory criteria concerning the population, the community identity, local ties and physical features of each constituency, Commission Chairman Mr Justice Woo Kwok-hing said at a press conference to launch the public consultation exercise.

"Our primary consideration was the population quota of 17,043 for each constituency, allowing for a deviation of not more than 25 per cent above or below the quota. In other words, the population in each constituency should be within the range of 12,782 and 21,304.

"The constituencies in the 1994 District Board elections are kept intact as far as possible if the population in a constituency falls within this range," he said.

If the population requirement was not met, adjustments were made to that constituency and its adjacent constituencies to form new ones, he explained.

In deciding on the appropriate adjustments, the Commission selected the option affecting the least number of constituencies. Another major consideration was the least departure from the population quota.

There were cases where the Commission did not strictly adhere to the population requirement after paying regard to factors such as community identities, the preservation of local ties, physical features, accessibility and development of relevant areas, he said.

"Matters relating to political influence or advantage were utterly irrelevant considerations during the course of our deliberations," he stressed.

New constituencies were named or previous ones renamed with reference to major features, roads or residential settlements in the constituency areas in consultation with District Officers.

This demarcation exercise proposed changes to the boundaries of 127 constituencies in 18 Districts with Sham Shui Po, Wong Tai Sin, Kwun Tong, Tsuen Wan, Tuen Mun, Sha Tin and Kwai Tsing having the largest number of constituencies being modified.

"I hope that everyone who cares about Hong Kong and their home district in particular would find out more about our proposals, and at least get to know their own constituency.

"This is a no small matter affecting your constituency in which a District Councillor will be elected to represent you for four years," he said.

"Do speak up. Whether you oppose or support our recommendations, we are happy to listen to you and consider your views," he added.

Maps of the proposed constituency boundaries and a descriptive booklet are available for public inspection at more than 400 places, including the Registration and Electoral Office (10/F Harbour Centre, 25 Harbour Road, Wan Chai), District Offices, post offices, public housing estate offices, public libraries and the Government Publications Centre (Low Block, G/F, Queensway Government Offices, 66 Queensway).

The maps are available for on-line viewing at the web sites, http://www.info.gov.hk and http://www.info.gov.hk/eac.

Written representations should reach the Commission, 10/F Harbour Centre, 25 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, in person, by mail, fax (2511 1682) or e-mail (reoenq@reo.gcn.gov.hk) before April 17. Enquiries may be made with the Commission Secretariat on telephone 2827 1269.

The Commission will meet the public at four public forums in the Cultural Activities Hall, 2/F Sha Tin Town Hall from April 13 to 16 to listen to their views. An hour will be allocated for hearing views concerning the constituency boundaries of each District.

End/Monday, March 22, 1999

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