The Chief Executive had spent almost a whole page settingo ut his policy in respect of “Building Management” in the 2010-2011 Policy Address of last year. I recap some of the key elements of then paragraphs 45 to 48 for members’reference.

 

45.To……establishing a panel of advisors to provide owners involved in building management disputes…… organizing training for office-bearers of OCs, and putting in place a platform for owners to share experience, thus promoting mutual help.

 

46.We will work with the property management sector to establish a task group to strengthen our support for these property owners.

 

47.We will consider amending the law……and to effectively require the owners or OCs concerned to hire property management companies if necessary.

 

48.We also need to monitor the operation of property management companies……We propose that a statutory licensing regime for the property management industry be established to ensure the quality of their services.

 

It is hard to find any similar coverage in the Policy Address 2011-2012 for building management sector but as reported in “Chapter 2 – Quality City and Quality Life” of the Policy Agenda this year, members may notice that the following works are considered as “On-going Initiatives” of the Government.

 

1.      Engaging property management companies to provide one-stop professional building management advisory services to clusters of dilapidated old buildings.

 

2.      Continuing to promote a building care culture by supporting the work of the Panel of Advisors on Building Management Disputes, organizing more structured training for office-bearers of owners’ corporations and putting in place a platform for graduates of these training programmes to share experience and outreach to other owners’ corporations and property owners, thus promoting mutual help.

 

3.      Formulating the detailed provisions and operational set-up of the regulatory regime for the property management industry. We are also reviewing the Building Management Ordinance to examine whether common problems in building management could be resolved by amending the Ordinance.

 

In connection with these on-going initiatives, the HAD had recently offered seven area contracts for the provisions of service as “Building Management Professional Advisory Service Scheme”. The purpose is to assist owners in forming owners’ corporation, to implement repair and to provide other support services for the proper management of their buildings. A report named as “Regulation of the Property Management Industry” was also submitted to the Legislative Council Panel on Home Affairs by the HAD on 8 July 2011. The report summarized the findings from the public consultation exercise which was carried out between December 2010 and March 2011, and concluded that a Bill will be introduced to the LegCo in the first half of 2013. It is also noted that a Review Committee had already been set up by the Government to review the Building Management Ordinance and we expect that there will be public consultation when

proposal is materialized.

 

Members are advised to keep an eye on any future development of the above as they are considered as crucial issues to PFM professionals.

 

PFMD members should have received the notice from our Honorary Secretary, reminding you of our AGM which will be held on 17 November 2011 at the Surveyors Learning Centre. As there will be a re-election of Council Member this year, I therefore urge all PFM members to mark down on your diary of this important event, and try your best to attend the meeting to show your support of the Division. There will be light refreshment provided immediately after the AGM so that members may network and chat.

 

More than 50 members enjoyed a fruitful morning on 8 October 2011 by visiting the Ex-Tai O Police Station in Lantau Island. Although it was undergoing extensive rehabilitation, members were still able to reveal some precious facilities and architectural features of the former times including the temporary cell room for keeping of prisoners and the grated fireplace in the living rooms of the senior officers. Decoration and modernization works were also carried out to the 2-storey building and its compound by altering it into a mini-themed hotel with 9 guest rooms and a restaurant. In future, guests and visitors will be able to stay and dine in an extremely relaxed environment whilst at the same time enjoying the beautiful scenery by the seashore. Construction of a sloping elevator is one of the interesting features of the hotel. Upon completion, the elevator will bring visitors from the pier promenade up to the hotel; it will save the visitors from walking a long footpath to the hotel. As noted from the hotel operator, this elevator could have been the first of its kind in Hong Kong.

 

I must take this opportunity to thank for our two Council Members, Mr Daniel Hui and Mr Raymond Chan, for their heartfelt effort of arranging this technical visit as well as the boat tour for viewing white dolphin and the seafood lunch. I must also express our sincere thanks to the representatives of the Hong Kong Heritage Conservation Foundation Limited, who will be the operator of the Hotel, for their in-depth introduction of the building to our members.

 

On 13 October 2011, I joined the HKIS Visiting Team, led by our Vice President, Mr Stephen Lai, meeting the Authority of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone of Shenzhen. We were received by the Deputy Director of the Division of Business Promotion, Mr Zhang Feng, and Deputy Director of the Division of Planning and Construction, Mr Su Man.

 

Qianhai locates in the west of Shekon Peninsular in Western Shenzhen and east of the Pearl River Estuary. Encircled by Shuangjie River, Moon Bay Avenue, Mawan Avenue and Qianhai Bay, it covers about 15 square kilometers of land, including 3.71 square kilometers Qianhai Bay Bonded Port area. Its existing land area is 12.8 square kilometers and it is expected to have further 2.8 square kilometers to be reclaimed from the sea for development. The two Deputy Directors briefed the team members that Qianhai will be transformed into a world-class modern service industry cooperation zone with the strategic vision of providing facilities, infrastructures, sound policy and legal frameworks

for modern service industry in four areas namely:

 

If members are interested to obtain more information in respect of the Qianhai development, you may contact the Authority by writing to its administration at 8/F, Wuhan University Building, Keyuan South Road, Nanshan District of Shenzhen.