XN000022-1985-04-03 — Page 33

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 1925

VORE TO CONTROL ILLEGAL WORKS IN BUILDINGS

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IT MIGHT BE NECESSARY TO CREATE A NEW CATEGORY OF STATUTORY PERSON WILLING AND ABLE TO UNDERTAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF BEING THE +COMPETENT PERSON+ TO CERTIFY ANNUALLY THAT RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS WERE FREE OF ILLEGAL STRUCTURES, THE DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, MRS ELIZABETH WONG, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING AT A LIONS CLUB OF BAYVIEW LUNCHEON MEETING, SHE SAID THE PERSON NEED NOT BE AS HIGHLY QUALIFIED AS AN AUTHORISED PERSON, BUT SHOULD HAVE A BACKGROUND OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE IN THE FIELD, SUCH AS THE HOLDER OF A POLYTECHNIC CERTIFICATE IN BUILDING STUDIES OR LICENTIATE OF THE INSTITUTE OF BUILDING.

IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT SUCH A CATEGORY OF PERSON, WHICH AT PRESENT APPEARS TO BE FAIRLY READILY AVAILABLE IN HONG KONG, WOULD BE BOTH SUITABLE AND WILLING FOR THE TASK.

IT WOULD ALSO BE NECESSARY FOR ANY LEGISLATION TO PROVIDE FOR PENALTIES FOR NEGLIGENT INSPECTION OF PROPERTY AND FOR FALSE CERTIFICATION REGARDING ILLEGAL ALTERATIONS, SHE SAID.

THE CURRENT POLICY ON BUILDING CONTROL IN PRIVATE MULTI-STOREY BUILDING WAS LARGELY ONE WHICH GAVE PRIORITY TO ENFORCEMENT ACTION IN CASES WHERE THERE WAS A HAZARD TO LIFE AND LIMB, MRS WONG SAID.

WITH ILLEGAL BUILDING WORKS GOING ON ALL THE TIME WHICH REQUIRED CHECKING, THE GOVERNMENT WAS CURRENTLY EXPLORING VARIOUS ALTERNATIVE MEASURES WHICH WERE BOTH EFFECTIVE AND ECONOMICAL FOR ENFORCEMENT BY THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE.

ONE SUGGESTED MEASURE WAS TO ENACT LEGISLATION REQUIRING THE OWNERS OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY FOR WHICH AN OCCUPATION PERMIT WAS ISSUED AFTER SOME FUTURE DATE, TO EMPLOY A +COMPETENT PERSON+ ANNUALLY TO INSPECT THE PROPERTY AND TO CERTIFY TO THE BUILDING AUTHORITY THAT NO EXTERNAL ILLEGAL ALTERATION TO PRIVATE FLATS AND ILLEGAL MODIFICATION TO COMMON AREAS HAD TAKEN PLACE, SHE SAID.

+LACK OF AN ANNUAL CERTIFICATE WOULD BECOME GROUNDS FOR INVESTIGATION BY THE BUILDING AUTHORITY, SHE SAID.

ONCE SUCH A SYSTEM WAS ESTABLISHED AND THE CONTROL OF NEW BUILDINGS SECURED, IT WAS INTENDED TO EXTEND IT TO OLDER BUILDINGS

IN PHASES.

-THE IDEA