MONDAY,
JANUARY 31, 1994
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A GOOD YEAR FOR PUBLIC WORK
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THE SECRETARY FOR WORKS, MR JAMES BLAKE, SAID 1993 HAD BEEN GOOD YEAR FOR PUBLIC WORKS WITH PERFORMANCE UPLIFTED, WORKSITE SAFETY IMPROVED AND GREATER EFFICIENCY IN WORKS GROUP.
VERY
SPEAKING AT A MEET-THE-MEDIA SESSION TODAY (MONDAY), MR BLAKE SAID HE EXPECTED THE ACTUAL EXPENDITURE OF THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME WOULD BE VERY CLOSE TO THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE FOR THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR.
'THERE WILL BE SOME REAL SAVINGS BECAUSE TENDERING REMAINS VERY COMPETITIVE. BUT, THE PROBLEMS OF UNDERSPENDING IN THE PAST TWO YEARS ARE NOW BEHIND US AFTER WE HAVE PUT IN PLACE NEW PROCEDURES TO UPLIFT THE PERFORMANCE.
"OVER THE PAST NINE MONTHS, THE WORKS GROUP HAS BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH CONSULTANTS IN DIAGNOSING PROBLEMS AND MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT AND WHERE POSSIBLE, ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN TO IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS IMMEDIATELY.
NEW PROCEDURES ADOPTED IN THE YEAR INCLUDE:
* PLANNING AND FEASIBILITY STUDIES ARE NOW REQUIRED TO SET DOWN
PROJECT DETAILS AT CATEGORY C;
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* PROJECT ACTION TEAM SET UP TO REVIEW HIGH IMPACT PROJECTS AND LARGE CATEGORY B PROJECTS TO ENSURE WORK ON THESE PROJECTS WILL START ON TIME;
* MAJOR PARTICIPANTS IN THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME. ARE LINKED BY A COMPUTER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WHICH PROVIDES INFORMAT LON FOR MORE EFFECTIVE COST CONTROL;
THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRESS COMMITTEE HAS BEEN RESTRUCTURED UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE SECRETARY FOR WORKS TO BECOME AN EFFECTIVE FORUM TO RESOLVE PROBLEMS OF PRIORITIES AND
RESOURCES; AND
* ENTRUSTING WORK TO OUTSIDE AGENCIES WITH THE GOVERNMENT
KEEPING FIRM CONTROL ON THE PROJECTS
THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE NORTH DISTRICT HOSPITAL HAS BEEN ENTRUSTED TO THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY AND CONSIDERATION IS BEING GIVEN TO ENTRUST THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE EXTENSION OF THE HONG KONG CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE TO THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL.
ON WORK SITE SAFETY, MR BLAKE SAID: "MUCH HAS BEEN DONE IN THE YEAR TO REPLACE THE CULTURE OF CARELESSNESS WITH THE CULTURE OF SAFETY IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.
PAST
"THE SAFETY CULTURE WE HAVE DEVELOPED FOR ACP (AIRPORT CORE PROGRAMME) PROJECTS IS DIFFUSING TO NON-ACP WORKSITES. .WE HAVE PUBLISHED CONSTRUCTION SITE SAFETY MANUALS AND SET UP A SAFETY MANAGEMENT UNIT TO STEP UP CHECKS AT BOTH ACP AND NON-ACP CONSTRUCTION SITES.
"THE TEAM WILL BRING TO ME PERSONAL EXCEPTION THEY HAVE FOUND.
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