XN000022-1986-07-17 — Page 5

THURSDAY, JULY 17, 1986

+ BUT I THINK THE IMPORTANT THING ABOUT YESTERDAY'S DEBATE WAS THAT ALL THE MEMBERS SPOKE VERY SINCERELY FROM THE BOTTOM OF THEIR HEARTS ABOUT WHAT THEY PERSONALLY ARE FEELING ABOUT THE PLANT.

+WHAT YOU HAVE IN LEGCO IS VERY MUCH WHAT YOU HAVE AS A REFLECTION OF THE DIFFERING VIEWS IN THE COMMUNITY REALLY. THE DEBATE IN LEGCO WAS A REFLECTION OF THE DIFFERING VIEWS THAT ARE HELD IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND

+ I WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY DISAPPOINTED IF ALL 27 SPEECHES HAD BEEN EXACTLY THE SAME,+ HE ADDED.

IN REPLY TO ANOTHER QUESTION, SIR DAVID SAID THERE WERE SEVERAL AREAS IN WHICH THE GOVERNMENT WAS SEEKING INFORMATION.

+THE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ARE GOING OVERSEAS TO SEEK INFORMATION THEMSELVES.

+AND THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY HIMSELF IN HIS SPEECH (AT LEGCO YESTERDAY) ALSO SAID THAT WE WERE HOPING VERY MUCH THAT THE FEASIBILITY STUDIES, OR PARTS OF THE FEASIBILITY STUDIES, COULD BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE TO SEE SO THAT THEY COULD SEE WHAT HAD GONE ON BEFORE THE DECISION WAS TAKEN TO BUILD THE PLANT.+

ASKED WHETHER HONG KONG COULD WITHDRAW FROM THE OFFTAKE AGREEMENT, SIR DAVID SAID: +WELL, WE DO HAVE A COMMITMENT TO THAT AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF ANY WITHDRAWAL, EVEN ANY SUGGESTION OF WITHDRAWAL, WOULD BE MOST SERIOUS INDEED.+

HE DISAGREED WITH A SUGGESTION THAT THE COMMITMENT TO THE AGREEMENT WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN COMMITMENT TO THE PEOPLE.

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SIR DAVID SEES CENTRAL AND WESTERN DEVELOPMENT

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THE ACTING GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, VISITED CENTRAL AND WESTERN THIS (THURSDAY) AFTERNOON TO HAVE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE VARIOUS DEVELOPMENTS AND FACILITIES IN THE DISTRICT.

ACCOMPANIED BY THE REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR HONG KONG AND KOWLOON, MR T.H. CHAU, AND THE CENTRAL AND WESTERN DISTIRCT OFFICER, MR LAM KAM-KWONG, SIR DAVID FIRST WENT TO THE UPPER FLOORS OF THE HONG KONG PLAZA IN WESTERN FOR A PANORAMIC VIEW OF THE WESTERN PART OF THE HONG KONG ISLAND.

HE WAS BRIEFED ON THE NEW WESTERN RECLAMATION WHICH WILL ADD 30 HECTARES OF LAND TO CENTRAL AND WESTERN DISTRICT.

SIR DAVID LEARNED THAT ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF THE LAND IS RESERVED FOR THE NEW WESTERN WHOLESALE MARKET WHICH WILL REPLACE THE CONGESTED WHOLESALE MARKETS IN KENNEDY TOWN.

THE REST