XN000022-1991-01-12 — Page 2

SATURDAY, JANUARY 12, 1991

OWNERS TO DO MORE TO ENSURE BUILDING SAFETY

AND

BUILDING OWNERS SHOULD DO MORE TO COMPLEMENT THE GOVERNMENT'S ENDEAVOURS TO IMPROVE BUILDING SAFETY, THE DIRECTOR OF BUILDINGS LANDS, MR TONY BASON, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

IN AN OPENING ADDRESS TO THE BUILDING SURVEYORS CONFERENCE 1991 ORGANISED BY THE HONG KONG INSTITUTE OF SURVEYORS AND THE ROYAL INSTITUTION OF CHARTERED SURVEYORS (HONG KONG BRANCH), MR BASON SAID ASSISTANCE WOULD BR PROVIDED FOR BUILDING OWNERS AND EFFORTS WOULD MADE TO BRING HOME THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES TO THEM MORE CLEARLY.

BE

MR EASON SAID THE PROCESS OF APPROVING RELATIVELY SIMPLE ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS TO BUILDINGS WOULD BR MADE MORE STRAIGHTFORWARD AND ACCESS TO COPIES OF ORIGINAL BUILDING PLANS

EASIER.

"ON THE PRESSURE SIDE, WE WILL BE EXAMINING NEW POWERS WHICH WOULD ENABLE THE BUILDING AUTHORITY TO REQUIRE OWNERS TO HAVE INSPECTIONS AND SURVEYS OF THEIR BUILDINGS CARRIED OUT, ΤΟ PRODUCE CERTIFICATES OF STRUCTURAL SAFETY AND TO ENSURE MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR, HE SAID.

HB ADDED THAT REGISTRATION OF UNAUTHORISED

AGAINST LAND TITLE WOULD ALSO BE PURSUED.

BUILDING WORKS

ON THE PROGRESS OF THE SURVEY ON OLD BUILDINGS, MR BAJON SAID PRE-WAR BUILDINGS WERE AT PRESENT THE TOP PRIORITY FOR DETAILED SURVEY AND BY ABOUT MAY THIS YEAR THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE WOULD MOVE ON TO LOOK AT POST-WAR BUILDINGS.

HE SAID ENFORCEMENT ACTION WOULD BE TARGETTED AT THE SAME TIME AGAINST POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS APPENDAGES OVERHANGING PUBLIC STREETS FROM PRIVATE BUILDINGS.

"WE WILL ALSO BE STEPPING UP OUR PROSECUTION AND PUBLICITY KFFORTS, HE ADDED.

申申

MR BASON ALSO URGED THE PROFESSIONALS TO PLAY A PART IN SEEKING WAYS AND MEANS TO ATTACK THE PROBLEM OF BUILDING SAFETY, PARTICULARLY IN OLDER BUILDINGS.

"IN FACT, I KNOW SOME MEMBERS ARE ALREADY DOING SO AND WILL BE CONTRIBUTING TO THE EFFORT WHICH WILL BE REQUIRED TO INFORM AND EDUCATE BUILDING OWNERS AND USERS ON THE PROBLEM OF BUILDING SAFETY AND RELATED MATTERS.

MR

"BUT PERHAPS THERE IS MORE THAT COULD BE DONE TO GET DIRECT SERVICES AVAILABLE TO THOSE WHO HAVE DIFFICULTY AFFORDING THEM, EASON SAID.

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