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FM B T C HONG KONG 090928Z OCT 81
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AKK 11731
4LDENEY NO. 31
NO DISTRIBUTION
TELEGRAM NUMBER CREDA 242 OF 9 OCTOBER
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To.
INFO DO I (PERSONAL FOR MANZIE DEPUTY SECRETARY)
FOR BENJAMIN, PEP DIVISION.
aken
Дот
Dur Doj tuliky
TIMED
HK & QJ
MY INDUS 121 TO MANZIE. MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY. PARA 2. SANSOME OF MET-CAM WHO WAS HERE LAST WEEK ALSO PICKED UP REPORTS THAT BIDS FOR CIVIL ENGINEERING CONTRACTS WERE ABOVE THE MTR'S BUDGETS. THERE HAS BEEN SO MUCH ACTIVITY AT MTRC HEADQUARTERS THAT I HAVE HELD BACK FROM PRESSING THOMPSON OR BLACK AS IT COULD BE COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE TO DO SO UNTIL THEY HAVE RETHOUGHT
THEIR STRATEGY.
2. HOWEVER THOMPSON HAS JUST TOLD ME IN CONFIDENCE THAT WHILE BIDS FOR TUNNELLING CONTRACT 485 WERE ALREADY ABOVE BUDGET, THOSE FOR CONTRACT 404 WHICH WERE OPENED ON 5 OCTOBER WERE TWICE THE BUDGET FORECAST. THE MTR ARE THEREFORE RETHINKING THEIR REQUIREMENTS
TO THE EXTENT THAT PARTS OF THE TUNNELS WHICH DO NOT LIE BENEATH EXISTING ROADS COULD NOW BE BUILT BY CUT AND COVER METHODS. GIVEN
THAT THE DISINTEGRATED NATURE OF THE ROCK IN WANCHAI AND CAUSEWAY
BAY WOULD HAVE REQUIRED COMPRESSED AIR WORKING, THIS COULD RESULT
IN A SUBSTANTIAL SAVING. PAPERS ARE CURRENTLY BEING PREPARED FOR
EXCO.
3. YOU SHOULD ALSO KNOW THAT TARMAC ENGINEERING COMPANY'S BID
FOR CONTRACT 424 WAS ACCEPTED ONLY WITH DIFFICULTY BY THE MTRC
BECAUSE THE COMPANY DELIVERED THEIR BID BY A MESSENGER WHO JUST
MISSED THE DEADLINE. THOMPSON COMMENTED THAT TARMAC'S BID WAS QUOTE
VERY HIGH ANYWAY UNQUOTE. I AM STILL CONCERNED THAT TARMAC AND OTHE UK CONTRACTORS ARE NOT KEEPING US FULLY UP TO DATE WITH THEIR EXCHANGES WITH THE MTR - PARA 5 OF MY TELELETTER OF 27 AUGUST
TO DAVID DURIE REFERS.