Scrapping Panyu plant mutually beneficial
The local government of Panyu in Guangdong province has decided to scrap the idea of building a waste-to-energy plant after local residents protested against it. But this should not be interpreted as a victory of the public over local authorities. Rather, it is a mutually beneficial outcome for both sides, says an article of Yangcheng Evening News. Excerpts:
Local authorities in Panyu in Guangzhou city recently scrapped their plan to build a waste-to-energy plant after local residents protested against it, prompting some netizens to celebrate it as a victory of public opinion.
Without doubt public opinion played the deciding role in this incident. But it is not people's victory against the local authorities, because the latter's decision to respect public opinion and protect the environment deserves equal praise.
Not surprisingly, the Panyu incident has aroused public concern, for a lot of defects can be found in the local authorities' process.
But the local officials ultimately corrected their mistake and chose the right path after refusing to listen to the local residents' grievances initially. Hence, the outcome in Panyu should be seen as mutually beneficial for the local residents and the authorities. It reflects the progress of the democratization process in Guangzhou, too.
So instead of celebrating, we should learn a lesson from such incidents. Only mutual trust and two-way communication can make decision-making process more authoritative.
(China Daily 12/25/2009 page9)
