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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1986
DUTY TO HAVE QUESTIONS ANSWERED
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LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS AND THE ADMINISTRATION HAVE A DUTY TO SEE THAT THE QUESTIONS RAISED BY THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ABOUT THE DAYA BAY PROJECT ARE ANSWERED.
THIS WAS STATED TODAY (WEDNESDAY) BY SENIOR MEMBER, THE HON LYDIA DUNN, WHEN MOVING A MOTION IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL CALLING FOR FURTHER DETAILS ON THE PROJECT.
THE MOTION READ:
+THAT THIS COUNCIL REQUESTS THE GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE DETAILS OF THE ARRANGEMENTS REGARDING SAFETY AND TARIFF FOR THE PURCHASE OF ELECTRICITY FROM THE DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER PLANT TOGETHER WITH SUCH DOCUMENTS AS DO NOT BREACH COMMERCIAL CONFIDENTIALITY AND TO EXPLAIN WHETHER OR NOT SUCH ARRANGEMENTS WILL SUFFICIENTLY SAFEGUARD THE LONG TERM INTERESTS OF THE HONG KONG PEOPLE.+
MISS DUNN NOTED THAT WITH THE SIGNING OF BINDING CONTRACTS LAST MONTH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES HAD ASSUMED A HEAVY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SAFETY OF THE PLANT AND FOR THE SAFETY OF ALL THOSE IN ITS VICINITY.
THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG MUST NOW COME TO TERMS WITH THE FACT THAT IN SIX YEARS' TIME THERE WILL PROBABLY BE A MODERN NUCLEAR PLANT OPERATING SOME 50 KILOMETRES FROM THIS CROWDED CITY, SHE SAID.
THOUGH HONG KONG HAD BEEN ASSURED THAT THE PLANT WOULD BE BUILT AND OPERATED TO THE HIGHEST INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS, THE FEARS AND ANXIETIES OF HONG KONG PEOPLE PERSISTED.
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+LET US BE CLEAR ABOUT ONE THING THEIR FEARS AND ANXIETIES ARE GENUINE,+ MISS DUNN SAID.
+ORDINARY MEN AND WOMEN KNOW NOTHING OF NUCLEAR PHYSICS. BUT THEY DO KNOW ABOUT LIFE AND ABOUT HEALTH, FOR THEMSELVES, FOR THEIR CHILDREN AND FOR THEIR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN. AND THEY WILL NOT SEE THEM THREATENED, SHE SAID.
+THEIR CONCERNS ARE THE CONCERNS OF THIS COUNCIL. +
MISS DUNN SAID THE MOTION WAS PART OF THE EFFORT LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS WERE MAKING TO OBTAIN MORE INFORMATION, AND SHE URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO ACCEPT THE MOTION WHICH HAD THE UNANIMOUS SUPPORT OF ALL HER COLLEAGUES.
FIRST, SHE SAID, WE MUST BRING HOME TO THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES AND THE JOINT VENTURE COMPANY THAT WORRIES ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE DAYA BAY PLANT WILL ONLY BE MET IF THEY DEMONSTRATE THAT ALL THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE CHERNOBYL ACCIDENT ARE INCORPORATED IN THE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY OF THE PLANT, AND THAT THERE ARE WAYS OF VERIFYING THAT THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF MANAGEMENT. SUPERVISION AND TRAINING OF PERSONNEL ARE IN FORCE DURING THE OPERATIONAL LIFE OF THE PLANT.
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