The independent committee established for the Tai Po Wang Fuk Court fire formally submitted its investigation report to the government last Thursday (Oct. 22). The government held a special press conference this afternoon (Oct. 30) on measures to combat bid-rigging in building maintenance works, further elaborating on the reform measures introduced on the basis of the report's recommendations.
Secretary for Security Chris Tang said that the bid-rigging problem in large-scale building maintenance works in Hong Kong is serious, with some persons with backgrounds, including triad members, manipulating tender results and even colluding with professionals such as consultants or contractors in suspected corruption. In response, the government has comprehensively reviewed institutional shortcomings accumulated over the years and the current laws, and will start from three major aspects — "amending legislation," "coordinating enforcement" and "frontline prevention" — to push forward reform through multiple measures and comprehensively combat criminal acts related to bid-rigging in building maintenance works.
Chris Tang said that to plug the loopholes, combating bid-rigging in building maintenance works covers three main reform measures, including creating a criminal offence targeting bid-rigging in building maintenance and optimising existing civil regime provisions, incorporating the new offence into the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance, and establishing an inter-departmental joint task force.
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