XN000022-1994-11-22 — Page 8

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1994

TO

HE ALSO STRESSED THAT IMPORTED WORKERS WERE ONLY PERMITTED PERFORM DUTIES STIPULATED IN THEIR EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS AND NO CHANGE OF EMPLOYMENT WOULD BE ALLOWED.

THIS IS TO ENSURE THAT THE LIMITED POOL OF IMPORTED WORKERS BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ACP CONTRACTORS WHO HAVE A GENUINE LABOUR SHORTAGE PROBLEM.

WILL

"IN THE EVENT OF REDUNDANCY,

IMPORTED WORKERS WOULD HAVE то

LEAVE FIRST. THIS SERVES TO PREVENT DISPLACEMENT OF LOCAL WORKERS BY IMPORTED WORKERS, MR LAM SAID.

H

HE ADDED THAT A LIAISON GROUP, COMPRISING REPRESENTATIVES OF THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT, LABOUR DEPARTMENT, CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT, THE NEW AIRPORT PROJECTS CO-ORDINATION OFFICE (NAPCO) AND THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL, HAS BEEN SET UP TO MONITOR AND ASSESS THE APPLICATIONS UNDER THE SCHEME.

THE DIRECTOR OF NAPCO, MR BILLY LAM, SAID ACCORDING TO THE PROGRAMME OF THE PROVISIONAL AIRPORT AUTHORITY (PAA), TENDERS FOR THE TWO MAJOR CONTRACTS FOR THE AIRPORT PASSENGER TERMINAL BUILDING WERE TO BE RETURNED IN EARLY DECEMBER 1994.

"IT IS THEREFORE IMPORTANT THAT CONTRACTORS CURRENTLY TENDERING TO THE PROVISIONAL AIRPORT AUTHORITY (PAA) AND THE MTRC FOR COMMITTED CONTRACTS ARE ASSURED THAT THE NECESSARY LABOUR WOULD BE AVAILABLE, MR LAM SAID.

·

++

THE COMMITTED ACP PROJECTS COMPRISE FUNDED WORKS FOR THE NEW AIRPORT, THE AIRPORT RAILWAY, CAPITAL WORKS RESERVE FUND PROJECTS, AND THE WESTERN HARBOUR CROSSING.

"THE SCHEME HAS BEEN EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE IN PROVIDING THE NECESSARY CONFIDENCE TO TENDERERS FOR ACP PROJECTS, ESPECIALLY INTERNATIONAL TENDERERS,

TENDERERS, THAT AVAILABILITY OF LABOUR WOULD NOT BE A CONSTRAINT ON THEIR WORK.

"THIS WILL HELP TO CONTAIN TENDER PRICES, IN LINE WITH OUR INTEREST IN KEEPING PROJECT COSTS WITHIN BUDGET, MR LAM SAID.

||

'WE HOPE THAT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY WILL REALISE THAT WE HAVE SUBSTANTIAL ADDITIONAL CONSTRUCTION WORKLOAD AHEAD OF US, AND THAT IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE ACP PROJECTS TO PROCEED EXPEDITIOUSLY SMOOTHLY FOR TIMELY COMPLETION.

"THE

A

IT

AND

THAT

ADDITIONAL IMPORTED WORKERS ARE NECESSARY TO ENSURE ADEQUATE CONSTRUCTION CAPACITY WILL BE HERE WHEN THE WORKLOAD IS ELEVATED PROGRESSIVELY TOWARDS ITS PEAK.

"FAILURE TO RENDER THIS CAPACITY WILL HAVE PROFOUND ADVERSE IMPLICATIONS FOR COSTS AND INFLATION, NOT ONLY FOR THE ACP PROJECTS BUT ALSO FOR OTHER PROJECTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, WITH OVER EFFECTS TO THE REST OF THE ECONOMY, HE ADDED.

"

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