Elections

Section 1	The Central Coordination Centre
Section 2	Visits by EAC Members

5.1

To oversee the entire operation of the election, to coordinate statistical returns from the 18 Districts and to serve as the contact point with the media, a command centre, known as the Central Coordination Centre ("CCC"), was set up at Hall 2A, Level 5, Phase 2, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre ("HKCEC"). It operated from 7:00 am on 28 November 1999 to 2:00 pm on 29 November 1999. Individual booths were provided for accommodating the parties concerned, which included members of the EAC and staff of the REO, Constitutional Affairs Bureau ("CAB"), Department of Justice ("D of J"), Home Affairs Bureau ("HAB"), HAD and ISD. An area was specially designated for accommodating the crews of local broadcasters and members of the press.

5.2

Staff manning the CCC kept in close touch with the polling and counting stations in the districts so as to keep themselves abreast of the situation at the district level.

5.3

To keep themselves posted of the happening on the local scene and to help solve problems encountered whenever possible, the EAC members paid visits separately to a number of polling stations. Their itineraries covered all of the 18 districts. The visits to polling stations started at 9:30 am and ended at 5:30 pm on 28 November 1999. Members were generally satisfied with the polling arrangements. A couple of points, however, were noted for consideration for improvement (these points are included in Chapter 9 on "The Review and Recommendations").

5.4

The EAC members were also interested in viewing the counting process and met again in the counting station for the Eastern District at 11:00 pm on the same day. It was observed that the counting work therein proceeded without difficulties.