XN000022-1972-11-29 — Page 9

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Wednesday, November 29, 1972

STRICTER CONTROL OVER REGISTERED CONTRACTORS

A leading architect, the Hon. Szeto Wai, today described the

performance of the majority of building contractors in Hong Kong as

"below a satisfactory level in respect of both technical ability and

organisational capacity",

Speaking in the Legislative Council during the second reading

debate on the Buildings (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, he said that to

remedy the situation their standards had to be raised, in addition to

heavier penalties being imposed.

He said the principal ordinance and regulations put great stress

on the qualifications and discipline of authorised architects, but did not appear

to have the same regard to contractors.

"Registered contractors are allowed to get away frequently with

site conditions that, in addition to contributing to environmental

pollution, endanger the safety of their own workmen as well as the public,

quite apart from contravening building regulations," Mr. Szeto said.

Mr. Szeto who devoted his speech to what he called "sub-standard

materials and workmanship in building works" said that much of the sub-

standard construction in recent years had been the work of the "developer-

builder-architect collaboration".

He explained that under the existing legislation an authorised

architect was only required to provide periodical inspection of the building

works to ensure that they were being carried out according to plan, whereas the

contractor was required to give continuous supervision.

/"The danger,