XN000022-1986-08-03 — Page 3

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 3, 1986

ASKED WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD DO IF THE MISSIONS FOUND IT UNFAVOURABLE TO BUILD THE NUCLEAR POWER PLANT, SIR DAVID SAID: +I THINK WE MUST WAIT UNTIL THE TEAMS HAVE GONE ON THEIR JOURNEYS AND HAVE TALKED TO PEOPLE WHO ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THESE THINGS IN OTHER COUNTRIES AND THEN COME BACK TO HONG KONG AND REPORT TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG BEFORE WE JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS.+

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION ON AN EDUCATION CAMPAIGN TO BE LAUNCHED BY GOVERNMENT ON THE ISSUE, SIR DAVID SAID EDUCATION WAS ESSENTIALLY LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THE FACTS ABOUT THESE NUCLEAR STATIONS.

+IT'S NOT AN EXERCISE IN INFLUENCING PEOPLE BUT IN EDUCATING PEOPLE,+ HE SAID.

ASKED IF THE GOVERNMENT HAD CONTACTED THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ON ITS ATTITUDE ON THIS ISSUE, SIR DAVID SAID: +1 THINK WE HAVE MADE OUR POSITION CLEAR. THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY IN HIS SPEECH IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL GAVE A FULL EXPLANATION OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S POSITION WITH REGARD TO THE STATION.-

ASKED IF HE THOUGHT THAT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SHOULD HAVE MORE OFFICIAL MEMBERS, SIR DAVID SAID THERE WERE PROBLEMS IN LEGCO, AS THE PRESS MUST REALISE FROM TIME TO TIME, THAT THE OFFICIALS WHO WERE THERE WERE NOT SUFFICIENTLY WELL VERSED IN THE BACKGROUND TO THE QUESTIONS AND ALTHOUGH THEY COULD ANSWER THE MAIN QUESTION, VERY OFTEN THE INFORMATION TO DEAL WITH THE SUPPLEMENTARIES WAS NOT AT THEIR FINGER TIPS.

+SO IT WOULD BE HELPFUL PARTICULARLY IN SOME SUBJECT AREAS TO HAVE ONE OR TWO OR THREE MORE OFFICIALS IN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.+

ASKED IF MORE OFFICIALS WOULD BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN THE NEXT SESSION, HE SAID: +WE'LL HAVE TO SEE, ADDING THAT HE UNDERSTAND SOME MEMBERS WOULD NOT LIKE TO SEE THAT BROUGHT UP BEFORE THE REVIEW AND BEFORE THE NEW LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ASSEMBLES IN 1988 AT THE END OF THIS TERM.

HE SAID IT WOULD DEPEND VERY MUCH ON THE OPINION OF THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, THE APPOINTED MEMBERS AND THE ELECTED MEMBERS.

+ IT THEY ARE GENERALLY SATISFIED WITH THE LEVEL OF OFFICIAL REPRESENTATION AT THE MOMENT, THEN I DON'T THINK THE GOVERNMENT WOULD WISH TO PUSH IT.+

HE SAID HE WOULD SEEK THE COUNCILLORS' VIEWS ON THIS.

+WE ARE IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION, HE SAID.

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