WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1985
AG MAKES LEGAL ACTION PLEDGE
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THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON MICHAEL THOMAS, ASSURED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY' (WEDNESDAY) THAT HIS CHAMBERS WOULD DO THE BEST IT COULD TO INITIATE ACTION AGAINST THE CONTRACTORS WHERE THERE APPEARED TO BE REASONABLE PROSPECTS OF SUCCESS AND A FAIR CHANCE OF MAKING SUBSTANTIAL RECOVERIES FOR STRUCTURAL DEFECTS IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES.
AND THE ICAC WAS NOW MAKING A PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT WITH REGARD TO A NUMBER OF HOUSING BLOCKS WITH A VIEW TO ADVISING THE GOVERNOR WHETHER THERE WERE GROUNDS FOR SUSPECTING THAT CORRUPTION OFFENCES MIGHT HAVE BEEN COMMITTED, AND IF THAT WAS THE CASE, WHETHER THOSE SUSPICIONS WARRANTED FURTHER INVESTIGATION, MR THOMAS SAID.
SPEAKING ON THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME FOR 26 PUBLIC HOUSING BLOCKS ANNOUNCED BY THE HOUSING AUTHORITY ON NOVEMBER 21, 1985, + MR THOMAS SAID HE SHARED CONCERN EXPRESSED BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS ABOUT THE SERIOUS PROBLEMS RAISED IN THE DEBATE AND WHAT ACTION SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT THEM, AND THE REQUEST THAT THE GOVERNMENT INITIATE LEGAL PROCEEDINGS AGAINST THOSE CONTRACTORS INVOLVED IF THERE WAS EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT THOSE CONTRACTORS WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEFECTS.
RECALLING THAT A WRIT HAD ALREADY BEEN ISSUED AGAINST A CONTRACTOR IN THE SUPREME COURT EARLIER THIS YEAR SEEKING COMPENSATION FOR DEFECTIVE WORKS IN BLOCKS 4 TO 11 OF KWAI FONG ESTATE, MR THOMAS SAID THAT IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS, HIS CHAMBERS HAD BEEN SUPPLIED BY THE HOUSING AUTHORITY WITH A LIST OF MANY OTHER PUBLIC HOUSING BLOCKS WHERE STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS OF A SIMILAR NATURE HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED.
+THESE HOUSING BLOCKS HAVE BEEN CLASSIFIED INTO FOUR CATEGORIES. AT THE MOMENT, WE IN CHAMBERS ARE CONCENTRATING ON THE 26 HOUSING BLOCKS CLASSIFIED UNDER THE FIRST TWO CATEGORIES WHERE DEMOLITION IS PLANNED.
+OF THESE 26 BLOCKS, FOUR ARE IN KWAI FONG ESTATE AND ALTOGETHER NINE CONTRACTORS WERE INVOLVED, SOME OF THESE ARE STILL ACTIVE BUT QUITE A NUMBER OF THEM WENT OUT OF BUSINESS YEARS AGO.
+IN ORDER TO ASSESS THE PROSPECTS OF RECOVERING COMPENSATION IN ANY OF THESE CASES, THOROUGH INVESTIGATION OF THE CAUSES OF THE DEFECTS THAT HAVE COME TO LIGHT WILL BE NECESSARY.
+AS SOON AS THIS IS COMPLETED, WE SHALL BE ABLE TO ADVISE UPON THE CHANCES OF ESTABLISHING A CAUSE OF ACTION, HAVING REGARD TO ALL THE LEGAL AND FACTUAL CRITERIA.
+AT A LATER STAGE, WE SHALL ALSO HAVE TO CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY OF TAKING LEGAL ACTION AGAINST THE CONTRACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BLOCKS IN CATEGORIES THREE AND FOUR WHERE EXTENSIVE REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE IS REQUIRED, MR THOMAS SA ID.
/BUT IR
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