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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1992
FAILURE TO REMOVE UNAUTHORISED WORKS LIABLE TO $50,000 FINE
BUILDING OWNERS ARE LIABLE TO A MAXIMUM FINE OF $50,000 FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH ORDERS REQUIRING THE REMOVAL OF UNAUTHORISED WORKS ON THEIR PREMISES, AND A DAILY FINE OF $5,000 FOR CONTINUING NON-COMPLIANCE.
THE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT BUILDING SURVEYOR OF THE BUILDINGS AND LANDS DEPARTMENT (BLD), MR ANTHONY SAMSON, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT SINCE APRIL 1, LAST YEAR, 86 PROSECUTIONS AGAINST PERSONS WHO FAILED TO COMPLY WITH REMOVAL ORDERS HAD BEEN INITIATED AND 53 CONVICTIONS HAD BEEN SECURED.
THE TOTAL PENALTIES IMPOSED BY THE COURTS AMOUNTED TO $794,000 AND FOR CONTINUING TO FAIL TO COMPLY WITH REMOVAL ORDERS $164,030.
MR SAMSON SAID THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE (BOO) OF THE BLD HAD LAUNCHED TWO LARGE-SCALE CLEARANCE EXERCISES SINCE FEBRUARY 1991 TO REMOVE THE DANGER OF UNAUTHORISED BUILDING WORKS PROJECTING FROM THE EXTERNAL WALLS OF BUILDINGS, SUCH AS CANOPIES, METAL CAGES AND FLOWER RACKS.
OF
A TOTAL OF 3,815 STATUTORY ORDERS WERE SERVED ON THE OWNERS 30 BUILDINGS IN THE FIRST EXERCISE CODE-NAMED "OPERATION APPENDAGES". SOME 5,825 UNAUTHORISED APPENDAGES WERE REMOVED FROM THESE BUILDINGS.
IN
THE ONGOING EXERCISE CODED-NAMED "OPERATION CATHERINE WHEEL", ADVISORY LETTERS WERE BEING ISSUED IN THE FIRST INSTANCE.
THE LETTERS REQUESTED THE OWNERS TO REMOVE THE PROJECTING UNAUTHORISED BUILDING WORKS THEMSELVES. IF IGNORED, STATUARY REMOVAL ORDERS WOULD BE SERVED ON THE OWNERS.
1
INITIALLY MB
SAMSON SAID 52 BUILDINGS WERE TARGETTED AND A OF 6,800
ADVISORY LETTERS WERE DELIVERED TO OWNERS AND
TOTAL OCCUPIERS.
THE ADVISORY LETTERS HAD ACHIEVED A 55 PER CENT SUCCESS RATE SO FAR. AND ONLY 3,011 STATUTORY REMOVAL ORDERS HAD TO BE SERVED, MR SAMSON NOTED.
AT THE END OF OCTOBER, 20 ADDITIONAL BUILDINGS WERE ADDED TO THE OPERATION. ADVISORY LETTERS TO 15 OF THESE BUILDINGS HAD ALREADY BEEN DELIVERED WITH THE REMAINING FIVE BEING SURVEYED.
MR SAMSON SAID APART FROM UNAUTHORISED BUILDING WORKS, THE WAS VERY MUCH CONCERNED ABOUT BUILDINGS WHICH HAD BECOME DILAPIDATED THROUGH LACK OF MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR.
BOO
IF A BUILDING WAS FOUND TO BE IN SUCH A DANGEROUS CONDITION AS POSING A THREAT TO THE SAFETY OF OCCUPANTS, THE NEIGHBOURS OR THE PUBLIC, THE BOO MIGHT SEEK FROM THE COURTS A CLOSURE ORDER ΤΟ CLOSE IT FROM FURTHER OCCUPATION.
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