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over to the USD in mid-September. The swimming season ends at the end of October and pools will be closed. If we open the pool to the public for a month and recruit staff to look after it, what would we do after that month? Can we just send the staff away and close the pool? If so, the one-year warranty will be wasted and the golden swimming season in Summer will just slip by.
Forgive me for grumbling. I am indeed very disappointed with the ASD. I have been working in this Council for five years. This is to me a man-made error, not delay caused by rain or storm. The careless and inadequate supervision of the project resulted in burden to the Urban Council. It is certain that the Summer months are slipping away, but we are still pressing ahead to fight for opening of the pool in mid-August so that the public can enjoy the facilities for half a month of the Summer holidays. We aim to do that even at the cost of abandoning some items in the project. There is only so much we can do.
In this case, the ASD gets 16% on-cost without being held accountable. We cannot negotiate the price and we cannot pay less. We do not have any say to influence the ASD for the deployment of more staff to speed up the project. In the light of this saddening case, I support Miss WONG's motion.
Mr. Albert LAI WING-LIN (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, I support Miss WONG's motion, but I would like to ask my colleagues to consider one point. This point has nothing to do with money because if we contract out directly to a private contractor, we are sure to save some money. However, we should not forget that the less we 'spend', the less we 'receive'. With savings on project costs, we are sure to get relatively less from Government in terms of rates revenue. I support this motion because we should look at projects from the angle of speed. If we contract out directly to private contractors, I am sure the speed of completing the projects will improve. What is more, the manpower of the ASD can be deployed to handle risky slopes and other projects and they can complain less about staff shortage.
I also support the ADLP on the point of dealing with the situation by supervision of works. Adequate supervision will ensure the completion of projects on time. Mr. Chairman, with these remarks, I support the motion.
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese): Before the original mover Miss Ada WONG exercises her right of reply, I would like to give my opinions on this very important matter.
I appreciate the efforts of my colleagues of the current term in monitoring Urban Council business. In fact, during my years with this Council, this matter was brought up many times, but somewhat hesitantly. We wanted to introduce some reforms, but in the end, they were not implemented. Today, as Chairman of the Urban Council, I would like to speak as permitted under Standing Order 21(11).
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over to the USD in mid-September. The swimming season ends at the end of October and pools will be closed. If we open the pool to the public for a month and recruit staff to look after it, what would we do after that month? Can we just send the staff away and close the pool? If so, the one-year warranty will be wasted and the golden swimming season in Summer will just slip by.
Forgive me for grumbling. I am indeed very disappointed with the ASD. I have been working in this Council for five years. This is to me a man made error, not delay caused by rain or storm. The careless and inadequate supervision of the project resulted in burden to the Urban Council. It is certain that the Summer months are slipping away, but we are still pressing ahead to fight for opening of the pool in mid-August so that the public can enjoy the facilities for half a month of the Summer holidays. We aim to do that even at the cost of abandoning some items in the project. There is only so much we can do.
In this case, the ASD gets 16% on-cost without being held accountable. We cannot negotiate the price and we cannot pay less. We do not have any say to influence the ASD for the deployment of more staff to speed up the project. In the light of this saddening case, I support Miss WONG's motion.
Mr. Albert Lai WING-LIN (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I support Miss WONG's motion, but I would like to ask my colleagues to consider one point. This point has nothing to do with money because if we contract out directly to a private contractor, we are sure to save some money. However, we should not forget that the less we 'spend', the less we 'receive'. With savings on project costs, we are sure to get relatively less from Government in terms of rates renenue. I support this motion because we should look at projects from the angle of speed. If we contract out directly to private contractors, I am sure the speed of completing the projects will improve. What is more, the manpower of the ASD can be deployed to handle risky slopes and other projects and they can complain less about staff shortage.
I also support the ADLP on the point of dealing with the situation by supervision of works. Adequate supervision will ensure the completion of projects on time. Mr. Chairman, with these remarks, I support the motion.
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese):-Before the original mover Miss Ada WONG exercises her right of reply, I would like to give my opinions on this very important matter.
I appreciate the efforts of my colleagues of the current term in monitoring Urban Council business. In fact during my years with this Council, this matter was brought up many times, but somewhat hesitantly. We wanted to introduce some reforms, but in the end they were not implemented. Today, as Chairman of the Urban Council, I would like to speak as permitted under Standing Order 21(11).
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