Infectious diseases building still not agreeable

Alexis Tam

Another of the highlighted topics of yesterday’s AL plenary session was one raised by Song Pek Kei’s spoken enquiry.
The lawmaker was calling for a general plan of the infectious diseases building that “still raises many questions from society.”
Song remarked on the “urgency” always emphasized by the government on the construction of these facilities, which she thinks can be arranged in harmony with the views of residents.
The lawmaker’s enquiry called for a complete plan that would include both a “budget” and a “construction timeframe.”
Replying to her questions was the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Alexis Tam, who noted, “the government has been working on this case continuously.”
The secretary explained that the decision to lower the height of the building after the debate on May 17 had resulted in “different understandings related to the provision of altimetry quotas” in such a way as to “avoid a potential lawsuit that would create further delay to the construction of the infectious diseases building.”
The government representative added: “The separate and programmed demolition process of five buildings will start from now,” adding that the works will last for a period of “120 working days and will have a total budgeted amount of over MOP1.1 million.” He further remarked that a final decision had been agreed that the building will be eight storeys high and will have 80 isolation wards.
Zheng Anting commented: “We have waited for so long [for the building’s construction] maybe we can wait a little more,” also noting that it seems a “rushed” calculation to arrive at “over a million to demolish the buildings [while] the project is still not concluded.”
Ma Chi Seng alse questioned the new number of wards, unsure of whether the new number would be sufficient.
Several of the lawmakers reiterated their stance that it would be preferable to build a larger unit located on the Islands Health Complex instead.  RM

‘root planning’ group against demolishment

A group of local urban planers named “Root Planning” opposes the demolition of the old warehouse of the public hospital and the former drug rehabilitation center to make room for the new Infectious Diseases Building. The group claims the buildings have historical and architectural value and urge the government to rethink their decision to demolish them.