GUIDELINES and a new registration form will aim to reduce confusion for voters in the nine new functional constituencies to the Legislative Council. The rules will specify how different industries fall into the nine constituencies - only broadly laid out in the Electoral Reform Bill endorsed by Legco in June. A telephone line will be set up to explain the scheme to electors. Potential voters will be asked to fill in their occupation and the principal business of their employer. The 2.5 million potential electors would then be designated to a constituency, according to the principal business of their employers. For example, a baker working in a hotel will be registered in the hotels and catering constituency rather than in the manufacturing constituency, which covers the food industry. The nine new functional constituencies are: primary production, power and construction; textiles and garments; manufacturing; import and export; wholesale and retail; hotels and catering; transport and communication; financing, insurance, real estate and business service; community, social and personal services. 'We will have to delineate clearly how to classify all industries to minimise voters' confusion,' said Carrie Willis, chief electoral officer. Mrs Willis conceded that in some cases it would not be easy for employees in major, diversified firms to decide the principal business of their employer. 'To make the exercise a success, co-operation from various sectors, including the employers, is essential,' Mrs Willis said. The new form will allow potential voters to register simultaneously for direct elections and functional constituencies. The Boundary and Election Commission will launch a publicity campaign by the end of the year on the registration exercise. The Government regards registration as urgent and $103 million will be spent. The Government is urging the 757 candidates who took part in last month's district board elections to help update the data in the General Electoral Roll. A seven-page questionnaire was sent to all candidates early this month to solicit their views on various aspects of the election exercise, including accuracy of the electoral roll. Mrs Willis said candidates were a major user of the register and they would be in a good position to discover defects in the register. One of the anomalies of the roll was that Sir David Ford, ex-chief secretary, now the Hong Kong Government's man in London, was listed as still living in the Chief Secretary's residence, Victoria House.
