WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1986
20
HUMAN FACTOR VITAL IN N-PLANT SAFETY
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WHILE THE SAFETY ASPECT OF THE DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER PLANT DEFINITELY NEEDS CAREFUL PLANNING BY EXPERTS THE HUMAN FACTOR IS NO LESS IMPORTANT, THE HON YEUNG PO-KWAN SAID TODAY.
+ SUCH PROBLEMS AS NEGLIGENCE IN OPERATION, IMPROVEMENT OF MANAGEMENT AND ORGANISATION AND TRAINING OF HIGHLY-QUALIFIED MANAGEMENT STAFF SHOULD BE DEALT WITH BY PRACTICAL ACTIONS AND MEASURES, + HE SAID.
+ IT IS ONLY RIGHT THAT A RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT SHOULD PRESENT A CLEAR ACCOUNT OF SUCH ISSUES TO THE PUBLIC,+ HE ADDED.
MR YEUNG SAID THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD ALSO PROVIDE ASSURANCE THAT IN TERMS OF MANPOWER AND RESOURCES, ADEQUATE PROVISIONS HAD BEEN MADE TO MONITOR BACKGROUND RADIATION AND THAT NECESSARY STUDIES HAD BEEN MADE ON EMERGENCY MEASURES TO BE TAKEN IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT.
MR YEUNG SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THE GOVERNMENT COULD NOT POSSIBLY PUBLISH ANY REPORTS OR DATA INVOLVING COMMERCIAL SECRETS, THE PUBLIC DID HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE PROVIDED WITH SUCH OTHER MATERIALS AS THE UK ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY (HARWELL) REPORT, AND THE RISKS ASSESSMENT AND EVACUATION PLANNING REPORTS TO BE SUBMITTED NEXT YEAR.
ON THE OTHER HAND, THE CHINA LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY SHOULD ALSO PUBLISH THE RELEVANT DATA AND EXPLAIN THE PROBLEMS INVOLVED IN RESPECT OF THE NUCLEAR POWER PLANT IN VIEW OF ITS OBLIGATION AS A PUBLIC UTILITY COMPANY TO ANSWER TO THE PUBLIC, HE SAID.
+A RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT ONLY CONSULT THE PUBLIC BUT ALSO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY INFORMATION TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC,+ HE POINTED OUT.
TO PUT THE MINDS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AT EASE MR YEUNG SAID HE HOPED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN CLOSE CONTACTS WITH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT AND, THROUGH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, WITH BOTH THE CHINESE AND FRENCH AUTHORITIES FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING AS MUCH INFORMATION ON THE NUCLEAR POWER PLANT AS POSSIBLE.
SAFETY THE DETERMINING CONSIDERATION
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SAFETY IS THE DETERMINING CONSIDERATION IN THE OVERALL ANALYSIS OF THE DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER PLANT PROJECT SINCE A DISASTER WOULD NULLIFY ALL ITS ECONOMIC BENEFITS, THE HON KIM CHAM SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION ON THE DAYA BAY ISSUE, MR CHAM SAID THE FINDINGS OF THE DELEGATIONS THAT EXAMINED SAFETY ASPECTS OF NUCLEAR PLANTS OVERSEAS HAD NO DOUBT CONTRIBUTED TO IMPROVED SAFETY PRECAUTIONS AT DAYA BAY.
/MR CHAM