MONDAY, JULY 18, 1977
STAFF APPROVED FOR PWD GEOTECHNICAL CONTROL OFFICE
******
GOVERNMENT HAS APPROVED THE CREATION OF 183 POSTS TO STAFF THE SPECIAL OFFICE IN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WHICH WILL ACT AS WATCHDOG OVER ALL SLOPES IN HONG KONG.
THE NEW OFFICE, TO BE KNOWN AS THE GEOTECHNICAL CONTROL OFFICE, HAS ALREADY COMPLETED ITS FIRST MAJOR TASK THE RECOM- PACTION OF A NUMBER OF FILL SLOPES IN PUBLIC HOUSING AREAS TO THE RIGOROUS STANDARDS SET BY THE INTERNATIONAL PANEL OF EXPERTS WHICH INVESTIGATED LAST YEAR'S SAU MAU PING LANDSLIDE.
THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT, MR. BRYAN O'RORKE, SAID TODAY THE STABILITY AND SAFETY OF THE SLOPES HAD BEEN ASSSURED AT A COST OF ABOUT $30 MILLION.
MR. OʻRORKE SAID INITIAL WORK ON THE FORMATION OF THE NEW OFFICE BEGAN IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE RELEASE OF THE SAU MAU PING REPORT IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR, PENDING FINANCE COMMITTEE APPROVAL FOR THE LARGE NUMBER OF NEW POSTS INVOLVED.
+THIS APPROVAL HAS NOW BEEN GRANTED, WHICH MEANS WE HAVE THE GO-AHEAD TO GET ALL THE PEOPLE WE WILL NEED TO DO THE JOB.+
MR. O'RORKE SAID ADVERTISEMENTS FOR 56 PROFESSIONAL STAFF WITH SPECIALISED KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE OF ENGINEERING AND GEOLOGY HAD ALREADY BEEN PLACED LOCALLY AND OVERSEAS.
RECRUITMENT OF STAFF TO FILL THE OTHER POSTS WILL GO AHEAD LOCALLY AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
THE FORMATION OF THE GEOTECHNICAL CONTROL OFFICE WAS RECOMMENDED BY A SPECIAL INTERDEPARTMENTAL GOVERNMENT WORKING PARTY SET UP LAST YEAR. THE REPORT OF THE PANEL OF INTERNATIONAL EXPERTS WHO INVESTIGATED THE SAU MAU PING LANDSLIDE MADE A SIMILAR RECOMMENDATION.
EARLIER THIS YEAR THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT ASSIGNED A TEAM OF SENIOR OFFICERS TO PAVE THE WAY FOR THE CREATION OF THE GEOTECHNICAL OFFICE.
MR. O'RORKE SAIDI +THE PRIME TASK OF THE GEOTECHNICAL CONTROL OFFICE WILL BE TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF ALL EXISTING AND FUTURE SLOPES ON BOTH PRIVATE AND CROWN LANDS AROUND DEVELOPED AREAS.+
THE NEW OFFICE WOULD EXERCISE CONTROL BY:
* VETTING AND APPROVING ALL PROPOSALS, DESIGN CRITERIA AND PLANS FOR DEVELOPMENT AFFECTING SLOPES BOTH IN THE PRIVATE AND THE PUBLIC SECTORS,
SUPERVISING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE CONSTRUCTION ON OR ADJACENT TO SLOPES TO ENSURE THAT THE WORKS COMPLY WITH APPROVED DESIGNS AND ARE SAFELY EXECUTED,
* REGULARLY MONITORING ALL EXISTING SLOPES, IN DEVELOPED AREAS,
* MAKING DETAILED FOLLOW UP STUDIES OF ANY SUSPECT AREA, AND
* ARRANGING REMEDIAL WORK, IF THOUGHT NECESSARY.
/+THE OFFICE'S
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.