The Village representative elections are being held in <a href="http://info.gov.hk/had/vre/eng/elections/timetable.html">July</a>.
This is the first time that non-indigenous residents are allowed to vote.
It's still a way from democracy, but it's better than being totally excluded as most residents were before.
Those who want to stand as "Resident Representative" have until 16th June to register.

The <a href="http://info.gov.hk/had/vre/eng/candidates/index.html"> requirements for candidates</a> are:
* elector for the Existing Village;
* aged 21 or above;
* a Hong Kong permanent resident;
* a resident of the Village for the 6 years immediately preceding the nomination; and
* nominated by at least five registered electors from that Village.

Who, if anyone, is going to stand? Or will apathy rule and we remain stuck with the same hereditary corrupt "representatives"?
(Aside from not being likely to get five nominations, let alone any votes, I haven't been in my own village electorate long enough --"only" four years.)

<img src="http://www.Lamma.com.hk/forum/images/e-zine/22/candidates.jpg" hspace=10 border=1 align=left>For more info:

www.gov.hk/had/vre

Who would be possible candidates?
With these tough restrictions, just a few people I know would be even eligible...

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Well, the VR "election" was a complete waste of time, at least in my village. I just got a letter telling me that no election would be held as there was only one candidate. They didn't even bother to tell me who my "representative" is. Probably someone living in Shatin who collects rent on his 6 houses here.

i looked up the candidate list on the government webpage and it seems like there will be only election for 2 villages where they have more than 1 candidate for resident representatives : Pak Kok old village and Yung Shue Wan vilalge. no one was bothered to run for resident rep in my village. candidates for the locals of course are filled. does anyone here really know the village rep of their village?

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That's <a href="http://www.info.gov.hk/had/vre/eng/elections/listcan.html#islands">here</a>. A Word file, irritatingly. Here I find my representative is "Chan Kam Pang, Mobile Plant Operator". I'm sure he will be sympathetic to my concerns about the local environment.

Almost all the "resident" VRs have the same family name as the "indigenous" ones. So the clans retain control, and now will claim they represent all of us. The only wildcard is in Lo Tik, where the sole resident candidate is "Baron Van Voorst Tot Voorst E. F M, Financial Consultant. Anyone know if this a real person, or a joke? The only reference to him I can find is
<img src="http://www.limburg.nl/upload/algemeen/voorst.jpg" width=170 height=204 align=left hspace=20> <a href="http://www.limburg.nl/en/html/algemeen/provincialcouncil/thequeenscommissioner/thequeenscommissioner.asp">The Queen's Commissioner or Governor for the Province of Limburg, mr. B.J.M. baron van Voorst tot Voorst</a>, who seems rather unlikely to have been resident in Lo Tik for the last six years.