SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1977
GEOTECHNICAL CONTROL OFFICE
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THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT HAS ASSIGNED A TEAM OF SENIOR OFFICERS TO PAVE THE WAY FOR THE CREATION OF A HIGHLY-SPECIALISED NEW OFFICE TO ACT AS A WATCHDOG OVER THE CONSTRUCTION AND MA INTENANCE OF ALL SLOPES IN HONG KONG.
O'RORKE
SPEARHEADING THE PLANNING FOR THE NEW OFFICE IS MR, BRYAN PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT ENGINEER (SPECIAL DUTIES) OF THE P.W.D.'S ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
MR. O'RORKE SAID TODAY THAT MUCH OF THE GROUNDWORK HAD ALREADY BEEN LAID AND HE EXPECTED THE NEW OFFICE TO SWING INTO OPERATION BY THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR, AND BECOME INCREASINGLY ACTIVE IN THE MONTHS THAT FOLLOWED.
+THE NECESSARY PAPERS FOR THE STAFFING OF THE NEW OFFICE WILL BE SUBMITTED SHORTLY TO THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, AND WE HOPE TO BEGIN RECRUITING THE EXPERT PERSONNEL IN A FEW WEEKS,+ HE SAID.
+RECRUITMENT OF THE SPECIALIST STAFF NEEDED WILL OBVIOUSLY TAKE A LITTLE TIME, SO IN THE INTERIM CONSULTANTS ARE BEING ENGAGED TO CARRY OUT SOME OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE PROPOSED OFFICE SO THAT THE NEW CONTROLS CAN BE PUT INTO PRACTICE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AND PROGRESSIVELY STEPPED UP.
THE NEW OFFICE, TO BE KNOWN AS THE GEOTECHNICAL CONTROL OFFICE, FOLLOWS RECOMMENDATIONS BY A SPECIAL INTER-DEPARTMENTAL GOVERNMENT WORKING PARTY SET UP LAST YEAR THE FINDINGS OF WHICH CONCURRED WITH THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE SETTING UP OF SUCH A CONTROL BODY MADE IN THE REPORT OF THE PANEL OF INTERNATIONAL EXPERTS WHO INVESTIGATED THE SAU MAU PING LANDSLIDE.
THE WORKING GROUP, WHICH WAS CHAIRED BY THE P.W.D.'S DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT, MR. DAVID STEAD, SUBMITTED ITS REPORT IN NOVEMBER LAST YEAR.
MR. O'RORKE SAID THE NEW CONTROL OFFICE WOULD HAVE WIDE-RANGING POWERS AND DUTIES,
HE SAID: +ITS PRIME TASK WILL BE TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF ALL EXISTING AND FUTURE SLOPES ON BOTH PRIVATE AND CROWN LAND AROUND INHABITED AREAS, AND IN THIS REGARD IT IS INTENDED TO GIVE IT SUFFICIENT LEGAL POWERS TO EXERCISE EFFECTIVE CONTROL, HE SAID.
+MOREOVER, IT WILL COMBINE SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE OF ENGINEERING AND GEOLOGY SO THAT IT WILL BE ABLE TO ASSUME A LEADING AND GUIDING ROLE IN ADDITION TO ITS SUPERVISORY ROLE, HE ADDED.
HE SAID THE NEW OFFICE WOULD EXERCISE CONTROL BY :
/*VETTING