THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 1982
12
CALL FOR BUILDING INDUSTRY ADVISORY BOARD
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THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD SET UP A BUILDING INDUSTRY ADVISORY BOARD TO ADVISE IT ON MATTERS AFFECTING THE BUILDING INDUSTRY AND TO IRON OUT ANY PROBLEM WHICH MAY EXIST OR OCCUR FROM TIME TO TIME, THE HON F.K. HU SAID, AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
AND HE SUGGESTED THAT THE BOARD SHOULD COMPRISE OFFICIALS FROM RELEVANT GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, REPRESENTATIVES OF REAL ESTATE DEVELOPERS, BUILDING CONTRACTORS, ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL CONTRACTORS, PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND OTHER UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS.
MR HU POINTED OUT THAT THIS WOULD ENABLE THE VARIOUS SECTORS TO KEEP THE GOVERNMENT DIRECTLY INFORMED OF THE IMPACT OF EXISTING POLICY OR CHANGE OF POLICY.
+WITH BETTER COMMUNICATION AND UNDERSTANDING ESTABLISHED AND UNCERTAINTY REMOVED, I AM SURE THAT DEVELOPERS WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE GREATER CONTRIBUTIONS TO HONG KONG BY INTENSIFYING THEIR INVESTMENT IN HONG KONG INSTEAD OF DIVERSIFYING THEIR RESOURCES OUTSIDE THE COLONY AS ONE WILL HAVE NOTICED TO BE AN INCREASING TREND OF SUCH DEVELOPMENT LATELY.
+CONTINUED OUTFLOW OF FUNDS AND REDUCED INTEREST IN PROPERTY INVESTMENT IN HONG KONG WILL LEAD TO A CHAIN REACTION WHICH MAY HAVE SERIOUS EFFECTS ON OUR POSITION SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY, + HE WARNED.
MR HU NOTED THAT THROUGH THE PRIVATE SECTOR'S INVESTMENT, HONG KONG HAS BEEN ABLE TO COPE WITH THE GROWING DEMAND FOR FACTORY BUILDINGS AND COMMERCIAL PREMISES, TO PROVIDE MORE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND TO HELP INTODUCE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY INTO OUR BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION SECTOR WHICH NOW EMPLOYS MORE THAN 80 000 PEOPLE.
OBVIOUSLY EVERY EFFORT SHOULD BE MADE TO ENCOURAGE DEVELOPERS TO INVEST ENTHUSIASTICALLY IN HONG KONG WITH A REASONABLE RATE OF RETURN OVER THE SHORTEST POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENT PERIOD.
BUT MR HU SAID THERE IS QUITE A STRONG IMPRESSION IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR THAT MANY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS TEND TO TAKE A RATHER NEGATIVE ATTITUDE OR EVEN CREATE ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS AND OBSTACLES FOR DEVELOPERS, THUS DELAYING THE PROCESSING OR APPROVING OF APPLICATIONS AND PROJECTS.
QUOTING EXAMPLES, HE SAID THE GEOTECHNICAL CONTROL OFFICE, WHICH PROVIDES STAFF AND SPECIALIST SUPPORT FOR THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE IN DEALING WITH SLOPES AND FOUNDATION PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE BUILDING PROGRAMMES, SEEMS TO BE LACKING IN CLEARLY DEFINED STANDARDS AND ITS APPROACH COULD BE OVER CAUTIOUS AND CONSEQUENTLY EXTRAVAGANTLY EXPENSIVE.
NUMEROUS FRUSTRATING