LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES
safety, the Government is taking steps to integrate health, safety and environmental protection into one portfolio to improve the overall performance of construction sites. The 'Pay for Safety and Environment Scheme' was introduced during the year to encourage contractors to improve site environmental performance in addition to health and safety. Additional measures were also introduced to enhance site. cleanliness and hygiene, including the surroundings, to improve the site environment. Furthermore, regulatory action against contractors convicted of site safety offences was extended to cover environmental protection and mosquito breeding offences.
The Government and the Provisional Construction Industry Coordination Board achieved notable progress in implementing many of the recommendations made by the Construction Industry Review Committee. In order to strengthen communication with other stakeholders, the board has produced since April 2003 a quarterly leaflet outlining its major achievements and activities to complement information available at its website (http://www.pcicb.gov.hk).
Building upon the momentum generated by promulgation of the Guidelines on Subcontracting Practice, the board successfully launched in November the Primary Register, an initial phase of the voluntary subcontractor registration scheme. After securing a critical mass of registered subcontractors, this platform will evolve into a grading mechanism of individual capability and specialty.
Regarding employees' compensation insurance, the Hong Kong Federation of Insurers has revised its code of best practice to ensure proper coverage for all genuine employees working in construction sites, complemented by a set of guidelines formulated by the Labour Department to clarify the judicial criteria adopted in determining the requisite employment status. Furthermore, a premium rebate scheme has been rolled out as a driver of good safety performance based on prescribed indicators governing claims ratios, accident rates and outcome of audit inspections. Based on a proposal submitted by the board, law drafting is in hand to introduce new legislation for establishment of the Construction Industry Council as an umbrella organisation to drive forward industry reform and promote self-regulation.
As part of the Government's comprehensive Slope Safety Strategy, a 10-year Landslip Preventive Measures (LPM) Programme, with a budget of about $9 billion, was launched in April 2000 to systematically upgrade substandard government slopes and carry out safety screening of private slopes. In addition, about $700 million will be spent in 2003-04 to maintain government slopes. For private slopes, a revised loan scheme on building safety improvement was set up in July 2001 to provide assistance to owners who need financial assistance to maintain their slopes. To further enhance visual harmony with the surroundings, landscaping will be included in upgraded or newly formed government slopes.
Organisational Framework
The primary objective of the Government's lands policy is to facilitate Hong Kong's continual development through a steady and sufficient supply of land, effective planning and use of land, and efficient registration of land.
The Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works is responsible for the delivery of public works projects in a cost-effective manner, the formulation of policies on slope safety, water supply, flood control and construction site safety. She also oversees, and has policy responsibility for, the activities of the seven Works Departments: Architectural Services Department, Civil Engineering Department,
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