WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1986
14
'POSTPONE N-PLANT CONTRACT SIGNING'
*****
LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLOR, DR THE HON CHIU HIN-KWONG, TODAY (WEDNESDAY) URGED THE PARTIES INVOLVED IN THE DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER PLANT PROJECT TO POSTPONE THE SIGNING OF CONTRACTS SO AS TO GIVE HONG KONG PEOPLE MORE TIME TO CONSIDER THE IMPLICATIONS.
SPEAKING AT THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE SUBJECT, HE SAID LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS WOULD MAKE PUBLIC ALL INFORMATION GATHERED DURING THEIR IMPENDING FACT-FINDING MISSION OVERSEAS TO ASSESS OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS IN SIMILAR PLANTS, AS WELL AS ASSOCIATED RISKS AND SAFETY AND CONTINGENCY MEASURES.
DR CHIU DID NOT RULE OUT A VISIT TO BEIJING AT A LATER STAGE. AND URGED THE CHINA LIGHT AND POWER CO. AND THE HONG KONG NUCLEAR INVESTMENT CO. TO INFLUENCE THE GUANGDONG NUCLEAR POWER JOINT VENTURE CO. TO POSTPONE THE SIGNING OF CONTRACTS FOR THE TIME BEING.
IF THE FACTS OBTAINED REVEAL THAT THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT 50 KILOMETRES AWAY FROM DENSELY POPULATED HONG KONG MAY ENDANGER OUR LIVES, HE SAID, WE WILL WORK TOGETHER TO REACH SOME PROPER DECISIONS AND FORMULATE STRATEGIES TO DEAL WITH THE DAYA BAY ISSUE FOR THE BEST INTERESTS OF OUR COMMUNITY+.
+IF NECESSARY, A TRIP TO BEIJING WILL BE CONSIDERED TO ENABLE US TO REFLECT OUR WORRIES AND STRONG FEELINGS TO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND TO APPEAL TO THEM TO RECONSIDER THEIR PLANS IN THE LIGHT OF THE ADVERSE EFFECTS ON THE PROSPERITY AND STABILITY OF HONG KONG, HE SAID.
DR CHIU SAID THAT EVEN IF THE COLLECTED FACTS INDICATED THAT THE PLANT WAS NOT AS UNDESIRABLE AS CONSIDERED TO BE, +WE STILL URGE CHINA TO ENSURE THAT THE DAYA BAY PLANT IS UP TO INTERNATIONAL STANDARD AND THAT THE MAINTENANCE AND CONTINGENCY BE OVERSEEN AND CLOSELY MONITORED BY A JOINT COMMITTEE WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF HONG KONG AND OVERSEAS EXPERTS.+
EARLIER, DR CHIU NOTED THAT LACK OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROJECT HAD CREATED FEAR AND WORRY IN HONG KONG.
+THIS ISSUE HAS DEVELOPED FROM AN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL ISSUE TO A POLITICAL ISSUE WHICH MAY LEAD TO A CONFIDENCE CRISIS,+ HE SAID.
+WE HAVE BEEN TRYING VERY HARD TO SECURE THE PROSPERITY AND STABILITY OF THIS TERRITORY, BUT WORRIES ABOUT THE DAYA BAY PLANT WILL OFFSET ALL OUR EFFORTS.
+THIS IS TOO HIGH A PRICE TO PAY, HE SAID.
/15