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Wednesday, November 29, 1972
STRICTER CONTROL OVER REGISTERED CONTRACTORS
A leading architect, the Hon. Szeto Wai, today described the
performance of the majority of building contractors in Hong Kong as
"below a satisfactory level in respect of both technical ability and
organisational capacity",
Speaking in the Legislative Council during the second reading
debate on the Buildings (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, he said that to
remedy the situation their standards had to be raised, in addition to
heavier penalties being imposed.
He said the principal ordinance and regulations put great stress
on the qualifications and discipline of authorised architects, but did not appear
to have the same regard to contractors.
"Registered contractors are allowed to get away frequently with
site conditions that, in addition to contributing to environmental
pollution, endanger the safety of their own workmen as well as the public,
quite apart from contravening building regulations," Mr. Szeto said.
Mr. Szeto who devoted his speech to what he called "sub-standard
materials and workmanship in building works" said that much of the sub-
standard construction in recent years had been the work of the "developer-
builder-architect collaboration".
He explained that under the existing legislation an authorised
architect was only required to provide periodical inspection of the building
works to ensure that they were being carried out according to plan, whereas the
contractor was required to give continuous supervision.
/"The danger,