|
In response to the recent concern of some staff in the post-secondary institutions on the registration as voters in the Higher Education Subsector of the Election Committee, a spokesman for the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau said today (July 12) that the Registration and Electoral Office (REO) would liaise with the relevant higher education institutions and other post-secondary colleges as listed in the relevant legislation to ensure that the eligible voters who have registered can continue to be voters. Other eligible staff who are not yet registered can apply for registration as voters according to normal procedures.
At present, the composition of the Higher Education Subsector is set out in the Schedule to the Chief Executive Election Ordinance (CEEO). According to the CEEO, full-time academic staff engaged in teaching or research and administrative staff of equivalent rank in the bodies listed in Table 5 of the Schedule are eligible to be registered as voters in the Higher Education Subsector. These bodies include the eight institutions of higher education funded through the University Grants Committee, the Open University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, and the continuing education institutes of individual institutions.
"We have noted that recently the staff in some post-secondary institutions have expressed concern that their eligibility for registration as voters in the Higher Education Subsector may have been affected," the spokesman said.
"The Government understands this concern. We wish to emphasise that eligible voters who have registered in the Higher Education Subsector can continue to be voters in that Subsector. For other eligible persons, they can submit applications for registration as voters in that Subsector to the REO according to the normal procedures on or before July 16 this year.
"In recent years, individual institutions have set up continuing education institutes or community colleges to provide post-secondary education. The full-time academic staff engaged in teaching or research and administrative staff of equivalent rank in these continuing education institutes or community colleges should, for the purpose of voter registration, be regarded as the staff of the respective institutions, and are eligible for registration as voters in the Higher Education Subsector."
"The REO will liaise further with the relevant higher education institutions and institutes, so that they can provide the most up-to-date relevant information of the staff, as required under the above-mentioned registration arrangements, and that the staff concerned will be fully informed of the voter registration arrangements," the spokesman added.
Ends/Tuesday, July 12, 2011
|
