MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1986
4
+NO ASSISTANCE FOR OVERSEAS CONTRACTORS
*****
THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, MR GRAHAM BARNES, SAID THIS (MONDAY) EVENING HE DID NOT BELIEVE THAT SOME GOVERNMENT PROCEDURES HAD TENDED TO ASSIST OVERSEAS CONTRACTORS.
SPEAKING AT THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY DINNER OF THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TRAINING AUTHORITY (CITA), MR BARNES SAID THE LOCAL CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY HAD RECENTLY EXPRESSED VERY GENUINELY-FELT FEARS THAT ITS FUTURE WAS THREATENED BY OVERSEAS COMPETITORS ENJOYING FINANCIAL ADVANTAGES NOT ENJOYED BY THE LOCAL INDUSTRY.
+1 HAVE HAD VERY SERIOUS DISCUSSIONS WITH MEMBERS OF THE INDUSTRY ABOUT THIS,+ HE SAID, IT IS COMMON DOCTRINE THAT HONG KONG SURVIVES ON A PURELY COMPETITIVE BASIS, AND THAT THE CLIENT, WHETHER PRIVATE OR GOVERNMENT, MUST BE ABLE TO GET AS GOOD A VALUE FOR MONEY AS HE CAN.+
+BUT THE LOCAL INDUSTRY HAS FELT THAT SOME OF OUR PROCEDURES HAVE TENDED TO ASSIST OVERSEAS CONTRACTORS TO THE IR DETRIMENT.
+WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THIS IS SO, FOLLOWING SOME ADJUSTMENTS WE HAVE MADE OVER THE LAST YEAR, BUT I HAVE ALSO SAID THAT AM PREPARED TO RE-EXAMINE WITH THE BUILDING CONTRACTORS' ASSOCIATION EVERY ASPECT OF OUR TENDERING PROCESS WHICH MIGHT BE SEEN. TO DISCRIMINATE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER TO ENSURE THAT ALL GET BASICALLY THE SAME TREATMENT.
+ IT IS THE LEAST WHICH I CAN DO, BUT IT IS ALSO THE MOST, AS THE SURVIVAL OF THE LOCAL INDUSTRY. WHICH MEANS IN EFFECT RATHER LOCAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND MANAGEMENT THAN LOCAL TECHNICAL SKILLS AND WORKMANSHIP, MUST DEPEND ON ITS COMPETITIVENESS.
+WE BELIEVE THAT THE INDUSTRY IS IN FACT DEVELOPING AND LOOKING WELL AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO AS LONG AS THE INDUSTRY AND THE GOVERNMENT CONTINUE TO PUT IN THE FUNDS AND EFFORT TO TRAIN ALL PROFESSIONS AND TRADES TO A VERY HIGH LEVEL, HE SAID.
OF THE FUTURE MR BARNES SAID HE COULD NOT SEE THE RATE OF NEW BUILDING DECREASING.
SOME $6.3 BILLION WORTH OF NEW WORKS WOULD BE STARTED IN THE NEXT FINANCIAL YEAR AND EXPENDITURE OF AT LEAST $6 BILLION OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS WAS FORECAST.
MR BARNES SAID THE DECISION HAD BEEN MADE TO CONSTRUCT MORE NEW TOWNS IN JUNK BAY AND TIN SHUI WAI. AND THE DEMAND FOR PUBLIC HOUSING WAS EXPECTED TO STRETCH LATE INTO THE NINETIES.
/+WE HOPE