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WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1986 -
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ALTHOUGH IT WAS ALWAYS ACCEPTED THAT THERE WOULD BE NEGOTIATIONS WITH GENERAL ELECTRIC, IT WAS RECOGNISED THAT ANY AGREEMENT ENTERED INTO WITH THAT COMPANY WOULD HAVE TO BE ON COMPETITIVE TERMS. HAD GENERAL ELECTRIC NOT BEEN ABLE TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS, BOTH IN PRICE AND SPECIFICATIONS, THEN THE JOINT VENTURE COMPANY WOULD NO DOUBT HAVE LOOKED ELSEWHERE.
ON COMMENTS THAT SUFFICIENT INFORMATION WAS NOT BEING PROVIDED TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, MR JACOBS SAID THE ADMINISTRATION WAS ENCOURAGING AND URGING THOSE WHO WERE DIRECTLY INVOLVED TO SPEAK TO COUNCILLORS.
+WE DO FEEL THAT DIRECT INFORMATION WILL BE THE MOST HELPFUL TO MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL, BUT CERTAINLY THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT SHIRKING ITS RESPONSIBILITIES,+ HE SAID.
A GREAT DEAL OF INFORMATION HAD BEEN GIVEN AT MEETINGS AND BRIEFINGS, HE SAID.
MEMBERS CALL FOR DEFERMENT OF N-PLANT CONTRACT SIGNING
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UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) STRONGLY CALLED FOR A DEFERMENT OF THE SIGNING OF CONTRACTS FOR THE DAYA BAY NUCLEAR PROJECT UNTIL THEY HAD EXAMINED ALL THE FACTS AND FORMULATED THEIR ADVICE TO THE GOVERNMENT.
TWO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DELEGATIONS ARE TO LEAVE EARLY NEXT MONTH ON FACT-FINDING MISSIONS TO THE UNITED STATES AND EUROPE TO ASSESS OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS IN SIMILAR PLANTS AND THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THEM, AS WELL AS CONTINGENCY PLANS FOR DENSELY POPULATED AREAS WITHIN 50 KILOMETRES OF SUCH PLANTS.
IN TODAY'S ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON +HONG KONG AND THE DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER PROJECT+, 27 UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS SPOKE ON VARIOUS ASPECTS.
LEADING THE DEBATE, THE HON MARIA TAM URGED THAT NO CONTRACT BE SIGNED BEFORE THE DELEGATIONS HAD RETURNED, REPORTED TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND FORMULATED THEIR VIEWS +OR ELSE THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY ADVISED ON THIS ISSUE+.
COUNCILLORS MUST BE GIVEN TIME TO FIND THE BEST OPTION, SHE SAID. NOTING THAT THE MAIN CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS BETWEEN THE JOINT VENTURE COMPANY, GEC AND FRAMATONE WOULD BE SIGNED IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER.
/MANY QUESTIONS