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THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 1985
SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO DEAL WITH HAZARDOUS INSTALLATIONS
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THE GOVERNMENT WILL SOON SET UP A COMMITTEE ESPECIALLY TO DEAL WITH THE SITING OF HAZARDOUS INSTALLATIONS AND TO DEAL WITH ANY MATTER ARISING FROM EXISTING HAZARDOUS INSTALLATIONS, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).
SPEAK ING TO REPORTERS AFTER ATTENDING THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF DOW CHEMICAL PACIFIC LTD'S POLYSTYRENE PLANT ON TS IN YI ISLAND, SIR DAVID SAID IT WOULD BE A STANDING COMMITTEE OF TECHNICAL EXPERTS UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE SECRETARY FOR LANDSI AND WORKS.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD TO LEARN FROM HISTORY AND THE LESSONS OF THE PAST AND NATURALLY FOR THE SITING OF ANY NEW PLANTS WE SHOULD LEARN FROM THESE LESSONS AND SITE PLANTS WITH GREAT CARE.+
THE GOVERNMENT HAD NOT TURNED DOWN ANY RECOMMENDATIONS (PUT FORWARD BY CONSULTANTS. IT'S NOT A QUESTION OF TURNING ANYTHING DOWN. IT'S RATHER A QUESTION OF LOOKING AHEAD TO THE FUTURE AND THE FUTURE SITING OF INSTALLATIONS AND WHEREVER POSSIBLE UPGRADING THE SAFETY OF OUR EXISTING INSTALLATIONS,+ HE SAID.
+WHAT WE'VE HAD TO DO IS TO ENSURE THAT ALL EXISTING PLANTS ARE MAINTAINED TO THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE STANDARDS AND WHEN NEW STANDARDS ARE INTRODUCED AND NEW TECHNIQUES ARE INTRODUCED, WE SHOULD INTRODUCE THESE INTO HONG KONG.+
ON THE NEED TO SET UP A COMMITTEE WITH LEGAL POWERS TO DEAL WITH HAZARDOUS INSTALLATIONS, SIR DAVID POINTED OUT THAT HONG KONG ALREADY HAD A GREAT MANY LEGÁL POWERS IN VARIOUS PIECES OF LEGISLATION TO CONTROL THE OPERATION OF SUCH INSTALLATIONS.
+WE DON'T NEED ONE GREAT PIECE OF OMNIBUS LEGISLATION,+ HE SA ID. +WE NEED TO GET ON WITH THE JOB OF ENSURING THAT PLANTS ARE OPERATED AND INSTALLED SAFELY.
SIR DAVID DISAGREED WITH A SUGGESTION THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS UNDER PRESSURE FROM BIG BUSINESS TO LOWER SAFETY STANDARDS FOR SUCH PLANTS.
+FAR FROM IT, HE SAID. +I FIND THAT BUSINESS IN HONG KONG IS VERY CONSCIOUS OF ITS RESPONSIBILITY TO THE COMMUNITY, AND IN MANY CASES, INSTALLS MEASURES WHICH ARE AHEAD OF THE SAFETY REGULATIONS.+
ASKED WHETHER +COST WAS A FACTOR IN IGNORING SOME OF THE EXPERTS' RECOMMENDATIONS+ THE CHIEF SECRETARY POINTED OUT THAT PRACTICALITY WAS THE POINT..
/+AND IF