XN000022-1985-12-18 — Page 10

NESTY, DE

1905

HE ALSO CONSIDER THE AUTHORITY'S EFFORTS TO CONVINCE THE FINANCE BRANCH TO ALL CATE THE NECESSARY PROVISIONS FROM THE DEVELOPMENT LOAN FUND TO REDEVELOP THESE BLOCKS, OVER AND ABOVE THE FUND FOR THE NORMAL PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAMME SHOULD BE SEEN AS +A DEMONSTRATION OF RESPONSIBILITY AND GOOD PLANNING+,

IT SHOULD BE RECOGNISED, DR HO ADDED, THAT ALL THESE SUBSTANDARD BLOCKS HAD BEEN CONSTRUCTED BY THE FORMER PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY ONLY ASSUMED MANAGEMENT OF THESE BUILDINGS UPON ITS ESTABLISHMENT IN 1973.

HOWEVER, DR HO AND MANY OTHER UNOFFICIALS STRESSED THAT EFFORTS MUST BE MADE TO ALLEVIATE THE HARDSHIP AND INCONVENIENCE CAUSED TO DOMESTIC AND COMMERCIAL TENANTS AND TO MINIMISE DISRUPTION TO SOCIAL ACTIVITIES.

IN THE LONGER TERM, THEY CALLED FOR IMPROVEMENT TO THE SUPERVISION AND CONTROL OVER THE QUALITY OF PUBLIC HOUSING CONSTRUCTION TO PREVENT RECURRENCE OF SIMILAR INCIDENT.

THE NEED FOR THOROUGH INVESTIGATION INTO LEGAL LIABILITIES AND POSSIBLE DERELICTION OF DUTIES WAS ALSO EMPHASISED.

DR HO URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO CARRY OUT A VIGOROUS INVESTIGATION WITH AN INTENT TO IDENTIFYING THE PERSONS, BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CIVIL SERVICE, WHO SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE POOR QUALITY OF THE 26 BLOCKS,

HE SAID THE HOUSING AUTHORITY MUST WORK OUT PROCEDURES TO IMPOSE MORE STRINGENT SUPERVISION AND CONTROL ON SITE AND ON THE ENTIRE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS, INCLUDING CONCRETING.

HE ALSO STRESSED THAT GOVERNMENT MUST BE PREPARED TO DO ITS UTMOST TO ASSIST THE AFFECTED BUSINESS OPERATORS.

THE HON S.L. CHEN QUERIED WHY GOVERNMENT'S AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY'S BUILDINGS WERE EXEMPTED FROM THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE AND CALLED FOR CLARIFICATION BY THE GOVERNMENT THROUGH STATEMENTS MADE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

BELIEVED THE HON F.K. HU, A MEMBER OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, THAT THE POLICY AND PROCEDURE ADOPTED BY THE AUTHORITY COULD ENSURE THE QUALITY AND DURABILITY OF ITS BLOCKS AND THE TENANTS LIVING IN THESE BLOCKS SHOULD HAVE NO FEAR OF COMPULSORY REMOVAL BECAUSE OF POOR CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS,

HE POINTED OUT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAD STEADILY IMPROVED THE CONCRETE SPECIFICATIONS AND INTRODUCED MODERN MECHANISED CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM IN ORDER TO ENSURE CONSISTENCY.

THE TENDER SYSTEM, HE SAID, ENSURED THAT THE AUTHORITY OBTAIN THE OPTIMUM VALUE FOR MONEY.

FURTHERMORE, THE AUTHORITY HAD SET UP ITS OWN MATERJAL TESTING LABORATORY RECENTLY IN ORDER TO ACT AS A CHECK ON PRIVATE LABORATORIES.

ALAKING SIMILAN

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