2
THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 1993
"SINCE THEN, THE COMMITTEE HAS BEEN LOOKING AT PROJECTS MADE UP OF 80 PER CENT IN VALUE IN THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME.
"THIS MEANS SOME 200 PROJECTS ARE BEING LOOKED AT IN DETAIL. ANY ADVERSE TRENDING TOWARDS DELAYS IN WORKS OR DEVIATIONS FROM THE SPENDING TARGETS IS HIGHLIGHTED FOR CORRECTIVE ACTION.
"THE RESULTS ARE VERY ENCOURAGING. ABOUT 75 PER CENT OF THE PROJECTS VETTED BY THE COMMITTEE ARE FORECAST AS FINISHING ON TIME AND 95 PER CENT ARE FORECAST WITHIN BUDGET.
"DELAYS IN COMPLETION MUST BE ACCOUNTED FOR WITH FACTORS SUCH AS WEATHER OR PHYSICAL CONDITIONS BEING THE MOST COMMON REASONS.
"WE WILL EXTEND THIS MONITORING PROCESS TO PROJECTS CURRENTLY UNDER PLANNING AND DESIGN TO ENSURE THAT THE TARGETS FOR COMPLETING COMMUNITY PROJECTS ARE REALISTIC IN THE FIRST PLACE AND ADHERED TO
ONCE APPROVED.
"DURING 1992, CLOSE ATTENTION WAS GIVEN ΤΟ IMPROVING THE EXPENDITURE FORECASTING TECHNIQUES TO ENHANCE RELIABILITY.
"SENIOR STAFF OF WORKS DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN FULLY BROUGHT INTO THIS PROCESS BY WAY OF INTERNAL WORKSHOPS AND OTHER CONTACTS ΤΟ DISSEMINATE INFORMATION ON THE LATEST FORECASTING METHODS AND SYSTEMS.
REFERRING TO THE UNDERSPENDING FOR 1992/93, MR BLAKE SAID THE FIGURE OF UNDERSPENDING ON PUBLIC WORKS WAS FORECAST TO BE $3.6 BILLION.
THIS FIGURE TAKES INTO ACCOUNT SAVINGS BROUGHT ABOUT BY LOWER TENDER PRICES, UNUSED CONTINGENCY FUNDS AS WELL AS UNDERSPENDING FOR LAND RESUMPTION.
OF THE $3.6 BILLION IN UNDERSPENDING, $1.6 BILLION WAS ATTRIBUTABLE TO CHANGES IN PROGRAMME PRIORITIES BEFORE TENDERS WERE CALLED.
"DELAY IN PROGRESS OF WORKS ACCOUNTED FOR $0.9 BILLION AND DELAYS DUE TO ADMINISTRATIVE AND STATUTORY PROCEDURES ACCOUNTED FOR $1.1 BILLION.
**WE
ARE NOT COMPLACENT WITH THE $3.6 BILLION UNDERSPENDING. BUT, WHEN WE LOOK BACK AT THE 1991/92 UNDERSPENDING FIGURE OF $6.6 BILLION CALCULATED ON THE SAME BASIS, IT CLEARLY SHOWS THAT THE MEASURES WE PUT IN PLACE LAST YEAR ARE PRODUCING EFFECTIVE RESULTS,' MR BLAKE SAID.
ON THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME, MAJOR PROJECTS COMPLETED IN 1992 INCLUDE THE PAMELA YOUDE HOSPITAL WITH THE FIRST INTAKE OF PATIENTS SCHEDULED FOR END OF THIS YEAR, RECLAMATION AT YAU MA ΤΕΙ TYPHOON SHELTER, THE NORTH WEST KOWLOON SEWAGE TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL KING'S ROAD RECONSTRUCTION AND WANCHAI TOWER III WHICH RENAMED THE REVENUE TOWER.
SCHEME,
BEEN
HAS
/NON-AIRPORT