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COMMITTEE WITH HONG KONG PARTICIPATION. HE ALSO HIGHLIGHTED SOME POSITIVE ASPECTS OF THE PROJECT NAMELY: THE PRICE GUARANTEE
FOR THE INITIAL SIX YEARS WAS GOOD ENOUGH: THE ELECTRICITY TARIFF WOULD BE SUBJECT TO THE SCHEME OF CONTROL, THE BULK OF ASSETS OF DAYA BAY WOULD NOT BE REFLECTED IN THE FUTURE TARIFF STRUCTURE: AND IT WAS NECESSARY TO RAISE THE INITIAL CAPITAL TO FINANCE THE
PROJECT IF THE COAL OPTION WAS ADOPTED.
7. MISS MARIA TAM, AS ONE OF THE LEADERS OF THE LEGCO FACT-FINDING DELEGATIONS, REPORTED ON SONE OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS MADY BY THE
DELEGATIONS.
SHE STRESSED THAT THE DELEGATIONS WERE REASSURED BY THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES INCLUDING VICE-PRIMIER MR. LI PENG THAT THE DAYA BAY PLANT WOULD BE BUILT AND OPERATED UP TO INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS. NEVERTHELESS, MANY PEOPLE WERE STILL SCEPTICAL ABOUT THE ABILITY OF THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES TO MANAGE THE PLANT PROPERLY AND THIS PROBLEM COULD BE RESOLVED BY THE DISCLOSURE OF MORE INFORMATION. MISS TAM SUGGESTED THAT THE TARIFF SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO THE SCHEME
OF CONTROL AND THE DETAILED COMMERCIAL ARRANGEMENTS SHOULD BE MADE
PUBLIC. IT WAS THE TIME THAT HONG KONG COMMUNITY BE INFORMED OF
THE LONG TERM BENEFITS THEY MIGHT DERIVE FROM THE JOINT VENTURE
AND LOOKED TO THE FUTURE.
8. MISS MARIA TAM'S CALL FOR INCLUDING THE TARIFF FOR ELECTRICITY
FROM DAYA BAY IN THE SCHEME OF CONTROL WAS ECHOED BY ONE OF HIS COLLEAGUES, MR. JACKIE CHAN. MR. CHAN WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH A
LACK OF A CUARANTEE OVER THE ELECTRICITY PRICE AFTER THE FIRST SIX
YEARS OF OPERATION. ON THE SAFETY ASPECT. MR. CHAN NOTED THAT MANY
OF THE ASSURANCES GIVEN OVER THE SAFETY OF THE PLANT WERE NOT
ADEQUATELY BACKED UP. IT WAS TOTALLY UNCONVINCING TO ASK THE PUBLIC TO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN SOME UNTESTED SAFETY-PROVEN PRODUCTS.
3. ANOTHER LEADER OF THE FACT-FINDING DELEGATIONS, MR. ALLEN LEE,
REGRETTED THAT THE VISIT TO PEKING HAD BEEN SCORNED AS A PUBLIC
RELATIONS EXERCISE FOR THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES AND THAT THOSE
AGREED WITH THE CHINESE WOULD LIKELY BE ACCUSED OF SHINING THE
CHINESE SHOES' HE SAID THAT THROUGH LONG DISCUSSION WITH THE
CHINESE AUTHORITIES, THE COUNCIL HAD FULFILLED ITS TASKS,
HOEVER DIFFICULT. HE ALSO CLARIFIED THAT 35 PER CENT OF HIS
COMPANIES' BUSINESS WAS GEARED TO THE AMERICAN MARKET. THERE WAS
NO QUESTION OF HIM GIVING SUPPORT TO THE DAYA BAY PROJECT BECAUSE
OF HIS BUSINESS CONNECTIONS WITH CHINA.
10. TAKING A CUE FROM MR. ALLEN LEE'S SPEECH, DR. CONRAD LAM SAID
THAT IT WAS THE GOVERNOR WHO WAS SHINING THE SHOES OF MR. ALLEN
LEE'S FACT-FINDING DELEGATION. DR. LAM ALSO SAID THAT THE PEOPLE OF
HONG KONG WERE ENTITLED TO WHATEVER INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE ABOUT
THE DAYA BAY PROJECT. HE SAID THAT THE AUTHORITIES LEFT MUCT TO BE
DESIRED IN THE WAY THEY HANDLED PUBLIC OPINION THAT HAD BEEN
ENDORSED BY MORE THAN A MILLION PEOPLE WHO HAD SIGNED A PETITION.
COMMENTING ON CRITICISM BEING DIRECTED AT INDIVIDUAL LEGCO MEMBERS,
DR. LAM ARGUED THAT THIS COULD HAVE MERITS IN A LIBERAL SOCIETY
THAT UPHELD FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND CALLED 'A SPADE A SPADE'.
RESTRICTED
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