A dormitory for 7,000 imported construction workers in Yuen Long is ready to open this month, Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho said.
“To avoid disruption to local residents, construction project contractors will send the workers to work before the morning peak hours,” Linn wrote on her blog yesterday.
Linn and permanent secretary for development (works) Ricky Lau Chun-kit visited the dormitory to learn about the facility and preparation work from representatives of the Construction Industry Council.
“In addition to arrangements in the morning peak hours, workers will be expected to return to the dormitory in batches after having dinner at the construction site or other locations, to avoid affecting the community,” Linn said.
She was addressing the concerns by Yuen Long District Council vice-chairman Tang Ho-nin last month about traffic conditions during peak hours.
He had noted it would need at least 100 coaches and may take two to three hours to take 8,000 workers to construction sites.
The former isolation facility in Tam Mei, Yuen Long will start operating this month as a foreign workers’ dormitory. The 10-hectare site will provide 1,800 flats for 7,000 workers with basic furniture and appliances.
Facilities include bathrooms, laundry rooms, pantries, medical service rooms, WiFi, public activity spaces, cultural and recreational facilities, convenience stores and vending machines.
The government approved 4,680 construction workers under 20 contracts, making up 39 percent of the Development Bureau’s quota for the sector.
A management team established by the Construction Industry Council is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the dormitory and external relations. The team includes nearly 100 people, including security guards and cleaning service staff.
“Through the Labor Importation Scheme for the Construction Sector, we import supplementary workers to fill the gap in temporary labor shortage,” Linn said.
Authorities announced in June the import of 12,000 mainland and foreign construction workers. Under the scheme, accommodation has to be provided by employers either next to their workplace or in centralized dormitories.
The bureau said imported workers are also subject to labor protection provided by Hong Kong laws and must abide by Hong Kong safety regulations. After arriving they must complete basic safety training, pass relevant examinations and become registered workers before they can work on construction sites.
Council executive director Albert Cheng Ting-ning said a committee has been established with employers and the Hong Kong Construction Association to coordinate arrangements such as meals and transportation for foreign workers.
He said the dormitory will operate on a self-financing basis, charging rent from the leasing contractors to cover costs, and no public funds will be used.
christine.tang@singtaonewscorp.com
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