News Stories:

Click-on these handy "jump links" to quickly access the news item
you're looking for.

1. Lands Department will manage sites to good standard

2. Plastic resins maker to build two factories

3. Two in fatal fall at police HQ site

4. Bungled demolition caused collapse

1. Lands Department will manage sites to good standard
Hong Kong Government, 7 October 2002

A Lands Department spokesman said today (October 7) that the department would undertake the management and clearing of rubbish on all Government land sites to a good standard.

Speaking in response to news reports about mosquito problems on Government land, the spokesman said that all complaints would be investigated promptly for appropriate action.

Recently, 1,236 sites under the care of the Department have been inspected.

"Of all the sites checked during the past two weeks, 159 covering a total area of about 60 hectares were the subject of clearance or grass-cutting."

"Work on a further 91 sites will be completed within this week, and more sites will be undertaken thereafter."

Lands Department is a member of the Anti-Mosquito Steering Committee chaired by the Permanent Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food. A deputy director of the Department sits on the committee, which will hold its first meeting this Thursday (October 10).

"We will increase the frequency of our inspection and action in view of the dengue fever infection, and step up liaison with FEHD," the spokesman said.

2. Plastic resins maker to build two factories
Staff reporter, The Standard 8 October 2002

Plastic resins and colourants maker Ngai Hing Hong plans to invest HK$60 million to HK$80 million in two new plants in Tai Po and Shanghai, chief operating officer Nelson Ng said.

For the year to the end of June, the company's net profit jumped 143 per cent to HK$38.4 million, despite a 7per cent fall in turnover to HK$747.28 million.

A final dividend of 5 HK cents was proposed, as well as an interim dividend of 2 cents.

Chairman Hui Sai-chung said the improvement in net profit was mainly driven by the increase in the manufacturing business, but declined to disclose the breakdown of turnover.

``The manufacturing business has a more stable stream of income as well as a higher gross margin,'' Hui said.

For the time being, the mainland represents about 15 per cent of the company's turnover, while the rest comes mainly from Hong Kong.

The utilisation rate of the company's plants in Dongguan, Shanghai and Qingdao accounts for 85 per cent and the current annual productivity is about 50,000 tonnes.

Ng said that it plans to spend HK$60-$80 million on two new plants, of which the first phase will be in operation by the end of next month, boosting the total annual production capacity to 70,000 tonnes from 50,000 tonnes by end of June next year.

Upon completion of the second phase expansion, the production capacity will reach 90,000 tonnes per year. The amount invested in the two plants ranges between HK$30 million and HK$40 million.

Ng said the first-phase investment in the Tai Po plant would be made at the end of this year.

The construction of the new plant in Shanghai would be completed by the year end, he said.

The new factory will replace the plant currently leased in the city.

Shares of Ngai Hing Hong fell 4.84 per cent to 65 HK cents yesterday.

3. Two in fatal fall at police HQ site
CLIFFORD LO, SCMP 8 October 2002

Officers and workers check the site of the police complex in Wan Chai where two labourers died after falling into a lift shaft. SCMP photo

Two workers were killed when a metal platform they were standing on collapsed into a lift shaft at a construction site inside the police headquarters in Wan Chai yesterday.

The incident has prompted the Association for the Rights of Industrial Accident Victims to demand that the Labour Department launch a safety campaign to warn site workers of potential hazards.

Association chief executive Chan Kam-hong said 14 out of 23 workers killed in construction site accidents this year had fallen to their deaths.

The accident happened at 9am, just after the five-metre-long platform was lifted into the lift shaft on the ninth floor of the police complex under construction in Arsenal Street.

The acting Chief Occupational Safety Officer of the Labour Department, Chan King-chuen, said initial investigations showed the 1.8-tonne platform gave way soon after Cheung Ka-chun, 21, and Sin Muk-kan, 42, walked on to the structure and removed a hook.

The workers and the structure plunged into the lift shaft and landed on the second floor.

Mr Chan said the two labourers were not wearing safety belts at the time.

"The two workers might have escaped from death if they wore safety belts. We are still investigating whether they were required to wear safety belts during the procedure," he said.

He said safety belts and ropes were found on the ninth floor of the building.

Cheung and Sin, who had lost consciousness when an emergency crew arrived, were taken to Queen Mary Hospital, where they were declared dead.

Mr Chan said the Labour Department would look into whether the platform had been properly built and installed, as well as other related factors.

He said construction work would be suspended while the investigation was under way.

Assistant Wan Chai divisional commander (operations), Chief Inspector Tse Kwok-wai, said police would compile a death report after receiving the investigation results from the Labour Department.

Work on the $3.23-billion police complex, which is being carried out by a Hip Hing and China State joint venture company, began in late 2000 and is scheduled to be completed in 2004.

Sin Muk-kan is survived by his wife and two sons, aged six and 11.

Cheung had planned to get married in the next few months.

4. Bungled demolition caused collapse
CHOW CHUNG-YAN, SCMP 8 October 2002

Property owners were warned yesterday to hire registered builders for demolition work after a report blamed human error for a fatal balcony collapse.

The tragedy - in which an illegal mainland worker was killed and two colleagues seriously injured while dismantling the illegal balcony - is to be referred to the Department of Justice.

It was not known whether the owner of the property would be charged.

Mainlander Lai Heung, 33, died instantly on August 11 after the collapse of the 12th-floor balcony at a residential building in Yuet Wah Street, Kwun Tong.

Acting Director of Buildings Cheung Hau-wai said yesterday the collapse was caused by mistakes in dismantling the metal cage on the balcony.

"The metal cage should be moved by cutting the iron bars into small pieces. Any remaining parts embedded in the building should not be dislodged by violence," Mr Cheung said.

The iron bars of the balcony were corroded, the report found.

Mr Cheung warned owners that renovation and demolition work must be carried out by registered builders.

The damaged wall was still under repair yesterday. Props have been installed to shore up the building. A flat owner in the building said each household had to pay $7,000 for repairs.

The department has issued hundreds of removal orders as part of a blitz on illegal structures. It is believed many owners hire illegal workers for dismantling jobs to save money.

Mr Cheung said the department would provide a list of the territory's 666 registered contractors to home owners when issuing removal orders. It would also distribute a guidebook on building maintenance.