pointed out that his concern when managing consultants is the danger that too close supervision could result in interference with the consultants' duties and respon- sibilities, and in turn result in a diminution of their liabilities. For this reason, while he fully agrees that guidelines on the broad principles of monitoring and supervision of consultants should be followed, it would seem more appropriate to ensure that only efficient, competent and professional consultants are employed by means of an effective confidential report system.
Head 707
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218.
New Towns and Public Housing (other than Housing Authority). Subhead 7037LP. Tuen Mun divisional police station. In October 1976 a contract in the sum of $745,000 was awarded for the piling of the foundations for the Tuen Mun divisional police station and the works were scheduled to be completed in April 1977. Despite the issue of warning letters to the contractor regarding his rate of progress this remained less than satisfactory and the contract was not certified substantially complete until June 1977, liquidated damages being imposed for the delay in completion. performance of the contractor generally was also adversely commented on by the project structural engineer who reported that the contractor was an incapable contractor.
The
219.
Attached to the completion certificate of the piling contract was a list of outstanding remedial works which would be carried out by the building contractor, the piling contractor undertaking to pay the additional costs involved. Shortly after the remedial works commenced in August 1977, a very much undersized pile with an irregular surface was exposed by the building contractor. Further irregularities including cracked piles and missing steel reinforcement were also discovered and a full investigation of all piles for the main building was carried out. It was then found that 40% of the 278 piles involved were defective in one way or another. Remedial works were completed by the building contractor in March 1978 at a cost excluding claims of $355,000 and this sum was paid to the building contractor by the Government in instalments as the work progressed between August 1977 and August 1978. A further sum of $100,000 in part payment of claims was subsequently paid to the contractor in April 1981. However action to recover these costs from the piling contractor under the terms of the contract was not taken until the matter was raised in audit in July 1984.