Hong Kong government to hold contractors liable for lift defects at Queen Mary Hospital

Hong Kong Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn announced on Tuesday that government contractors will bear the full cost of repairing faulty lift work at Queen Mary Hospital. The defects have delayed the full reopening of Clinical Block 1, a project valued at 13.5 billion Hong Kong dollars. Linn stated that the government reserves the right to seek compensation from the contractors and subcontractors responsible for the work.

The issues involve structural errors in the external walls of the elevator shafts. According to Linn, some components were installed improperly, which may have left insufficient room for the elevators to operate smoothly. One report noted that the shafts had a rhombus shape. The delay has left 24 of the 28 lifts unfit for use, preventing medical departments from moving into the facility. Contractors expressed confidence that the defects could be fixed in the final quarter of this year.

Linn defended the government's decision to limit public disclosure of the details, arguing that full transparency at this stage could jeopardize future legal claims for compensation. She pledged that proper disclosures would be made in due course and noted that the government will review inspection and acceptance procedures for the involved departments.

Reporting on the event differed slightly by political lean. A center left source focused on the lack of transparency from government departments and the specific nature of the structural errors. A center right source emphasized the financial protections for public expenditure and provided specific names of the contractors involved.