XN000022-1995-03-22 — Page 5

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Also officiating at the award-presentation ceremony, the Chairman of the Consultative Committee on the New Airport and Related Projects (ACC), Dr Wong Po-yan, said: "One of our key concerns is the industrial safety of the thousands of workers working on various ACP sites.

"We firmly believe that safety of workers must take priority over programme and cost considerations.

"My committee has stressed that the safety of the thousands of workers who are building for our future must be safeguarded at all times," he said.

Dr Wong said he was glad that stringent safety requirements had been incorporated into the ACP contracts and other complementary safety measures had been introduced with the aim of achieving a high safety standard for the ACP.

"So far, the ACP safety record is amongst the best when compared with other construction sectors in Hong Kong and an improving trend is maintained.

"However, this is no reason for complacency. The ACC will continue to keep a close watch on ACP construction safety as the projects progress," he said.

Also officiating at the ceremony were Legislative Councillor, Mr James Tien; the Chairman of the Hong Kong Construction Industry Employees General Union, Mr Poon To-chuen; the Secretary-General of the Hong Kong Construction Association, Mr Patrick Chan; the Chairman of the Occupational Safety and Health Council, Professor Leung Ping-chung; the Commissioner for Labour, Mr Stephen Ip; the Acting Director of Fire Services, Mr Peter Cheung and the Director of NAPCO, Mr Billy Lam.

End/Wednesday, March 22, 1995

Purchase of offices by Government Property Agency

In reply to media enquiries on press reports that Information Services Department would move out of Beaconsfield House, a spokesman for the Government Property Agency said:

"To protect the Government's commercial position, the Government Property Agency is unable to comment on recent press reports about the purchase of office accommodation by the Government Property Agency.