XN000022-1972-11-29 — Page 10

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Wednesday, November 29, 1972

"The danger, however, lies in situations where a building owner

or developer is also the builder. It is not uncommon in such situations

that the architect is employed merely as a tool and a cover to process the

developer's own plans through the Building Authority and therefore plays

no part and has no authority in supervision.

"To protect public safety, effective legislation is needed

to stop this malpractice," Mr. Szeto warned.

He also called on the government to look urgently at the question

of the existing legislation covering the registration of building contractors,

which he felt should be more stringent.

Mr. Szeto pointed out that while stringent requirements were laid

down for authorised architects "hardly anything in the way of his technical

experience, equipment and organisation is required of a registered contractor

save his bank account" and no less than 37 firms were registered in the

last quarter alone.

The government should also institute more control over the

standard of concrete used in all buildings to allay the widespread concern

caused by the sub-standard concrete in some completed buildings, he said,

During the debate, the Hon. Q.W. Lee said it was of great importance

for the government to ensure that every effort was made to reduce to an absolute

minimum, the time taken for a building plan to be approved.

/He said

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