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1. Construction company fined for mosquito breeding

2. LCQ7: Demolition of structures containing asbestos

3. Jiangsu will use bond issue to fund road construction

1. Construction company fined for mosquito breeding
Hong Kong Government, 12 December 2002

A construction company was fined $10,000 today (December 12) by a Tsuen Wan Magistrate for a summons on mosquito breeding in its construction site.

The company, Fong On Construction and Engineering Company Limited, was summonsed by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) on September 30 this year, during a routine inspection to a construction site under its management at KCTL 480, 100 Kwai Luen Road, Kwai Chung.

Under Section 27(3) of Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, an appointed contractor of a construction site shall be guilty of an offence if larvae or pupae of mosquitoes are found in any accumulation of water in the site. The maximum fine under this law is $25,000 with a daily fine of $450.

A spokesman for FEHD said that inspections to construction sites will continue in combating the spread of Dengue Fever. Prosecution action against mosquito breeding will be taken without prior warning.

He called on the public to report mosquito problems through the department's hotline 2868 0000.

2. LCQ7: Demolition of structures containing asbestos
Hong Kong Government, 11 December 2002

Following is a question by the Hon Yeung Sum and a written reply by the Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands, Mr Michael Suen, in the Legislative Council today (December 11):
Question:

It has been learnt that carcinogenic asbestos has been found in the building components of the housing blocks in North Point Estate which is being demolished. This has aroused concerns among residents in the neighbourhood, who fear that asbestos may be released in the course of demolition and disperse outside the Estate, thus posing a threat to their health. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether the demolition works of the Estate which have been completed and are in progress have led to the release and dispersal of asbestos outside the Estate, and of the measures in place to prevent the dispersal of asbestos beyond the Estate, hence posing threats to nearby residents?

Reply:

Madam President,

The demolition project in North Point Estate is currently at the stage of erecting scaffolding and site hoarding. Actual demolition has not yet commenced and there is absolutely no question of asbestos dispersal.

The Air Pollution Control Ordinance (Cap. 311) imposes strict control over the demolition of structures containing asbestos. The Housing Department has made explicit provisions in the demolition contract for North Point Estate mandating the contractor to comply fully with all statutory requirements. An independent asbestos consultant registered with the Environmental Protection Department has been engaged to conduct field investigation, assess the nature and content of asbestos components, draw up procedures for enclosing structures with asbestos, arrange for their demolition and proper disposal, and install air monitoring equipment, etc. The consultant will submit a detailed asbestos abatement plan to the Environmental Protection Department for approval. Asbestos removal works cannot proceed until such approval is obtained.

Demolition works will be undertaken by a registered asbestos contractor. Professionals in the Housing Department and the independent consultant will closely monitor the removal process to ensure strict compliance with the asbestos abatement plan and the requirements of the Environmental Protection Department. The Environmental Protection Department will also carry out site inspection from time to time to ensure proper handling and disposal of asbestos materials.

3. Jiangsu will use bond issue to fund road construction
ERIC NG, SCMP 12 December 2002

Jiangsu Transportation Holdings, the parent of H-share company Jiangsu Expressway, will launch a 1.5 billion yuan (about HK$1.40 billion) bond issue to part-finance the 10.53 billion yuan construction of two highways in the eastern coastal province.

The unlisted transport flagship of the province yesterday launched an online roadshow to market the issue, which will start today and end on Christmas Day.

The proceeds will finance the provincial government's construction of the 136km Jiangsu Yanjiang expressway connecting Changzhou city in the province to Shanghai.

The project will cost 5.97 billion yuan, with an internal rate of return of 10.7 per cent and a break-even period of 12.36 years. Construction started in 2000 and is scheduled to be completed in 2004. The bond issue will also finance the 4.56 billion yuan, 152.9km Jiangsu Ningjingyan expressway. Its internal rate of return is estimated to be 12.08 per cent, with a return period of 15.69 years.

This highway is scheduled to be completed before the end of the year, about four years after construction began.

Beijing has been encouraging state enterprises to tap the country's nascent bond market to reduce their reliance on the stock market and bank borrowings, which have been plagued by irregularities. Seventeen companies sold local-currency debt this year, compared with five last year, Bloomberg reported.