Plumbers face blacklist over Hong Kong lead-in-water scare as Carrie Lam defends civil servants' role in scandal
PUBLISHED : Thursday, 08 October, 2015, 2:20pm
UPDATED : Friday, 09 October, 2015, 2:36am
Fanny W. Y. Fung
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Chief Secretary Carrie Lam came to the defence of civil servants over the lead-in-water scandal. Photo: Sam Tsang
The Housing Authority may blacklist three water supplies contractors and three licensed plumbers for their role in the lead-in-water scandal at public housing estates after punishing four building contractors.
In contrast, Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor defended civil servants on Thursday, saying that flaws had lain in the system of monitoring water quality and government staff had just been following procedures.
One licensed plumber, Lam Tak-sum, and three subcontractors that conducted water works - Lam's employer Ho Biu Kee Construction Engineering, Golden Day Engineering and Ming Hop - have been named by officials as being responsible for installing pipes at the 11 public housing estates where drinking water samples were found to contain lead in excess of the World Health Organisation's guidelines.
An authority source said Golden Day boss Cheung Tat-yam and Ming Hop employee Ng Hak-ming were the two other licensed plumbers involved. The authority's tendering committee is considering ways to bar the subcontractors and plumbers from installation projects at public housing estates. It will meet on Thursday.
"While the authority only signs contracts with main contractors, we can ask them to blacklist the subcontractors and plumbers concerned. If they do not cooperate, we can deduct their scores in tender bids," the source said.
A resident collects water at Kai Ching Estate - ground zero for the tainted water scandal. Photo: Sam Tsang
While the government had vowed to make contractors bear responsibility, lawmakers at a special meeting of the Legislative Council's House Committee pressed Lam on whether officials themselves should take any blame.
"The system did have shortfalls. However, this does not mean public office bearers failed to perform the duty required of them at the time that the system was in place," Lam said.
Her comment drew fire from Democrat Emily Lau Wai-hing, who said: "The two committees have yet to complete their investigations, while the independent investigation commission has yet to start its hearings. How can you conclude now that you can't see any public office bearer having responsibility?"
Lam clarified by saying: "What we have realised by now is that everyone lacked awareness beforehand. But back then the procedure did not require the Water Supplies Department to test the level of lead before it issued approvals for water supply systems in new buildings. That's why we cannot blame our colleagues for having failed to conduct such tests."
An inquiry commission headed by High Court judge Mr Justice Andrew Chan Hing-wai will start hearings into the scandal on October 20.
The Water Supplies Department did not reveal the plumbers involved and a spokesman said it would seek legal advice from the Department of Justice before taking any follow-up action.
