'Building owners have responsibility on inspections'
The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors on Saturday said the government should not rely on one department to inspect and repair buildings, after recent incidents of concrete falling from blocks.  Officials earlier said they will first complete urgent repair work for around 1,000 buildings, and ask owners to pay later.  Speaking on an RTHK radio programme, the institute's building policy panel chairman, Vincent Ho, said different departments should work together on inspections and repairs.  "There are about 1,000 buildings. They need inspections, scaffolding works and repairs. It's impossible to rely on one department for all the work," he said. "Even if the Buildings Department can help with 100 buildings with the most urgent needs and do immediate repairs, how about the others? Can owners at least help do inspections on the externals of the building? It is not difficult." Lawmaker Tony Tse also told the same programme that building owners have a role to play. "I think the government can try, whether by policies or rules and regulations, to facilitate the implementation of proper maintenance and repair," he said. "But in the end of the day, it must be the individual owner who takes the responsibility." Tse added that the government can provide grants for building owners to do regular inspections.