Press Statement from the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority

The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA)  received media enquiries regarding the M+ project and wishes to make the following statement:
 

WKCDA has been investigating claims that Hsin Chong Construction Company Limited (HCC) failed to pay the subcontractors, which was one of the reasons that led to the decision to terminate the employment of HCC under the M+ main works contract on 17 August 2018.  WKCDA and the third-party Contract Administrator (CA) has made every effort to reach out and speak to every subcontractor that we are aware of.  Steps have been taken to novate subcontractors who are needed for the completion of M+ project to Blue Poles Limited (BPL), a wholly owned subsidiary of WKCDA, and in accordance with the terms of the M+ main works contract. Of course, it is a fact that not all subcontractors will be novated: most notably, those that have completed their work on the project, and those directly linked with HCC have not been novated for obvious reasons.   
 

WKCDA intends to use best endeavorus to ensure that the subcontractors, which we do not have contractual relation with, will receive their outstanding payment for certified work done.  Given the scale of the M+ project and the fact that the subcontractors were employed directly by HCC, it is simply not possible for WKCDA to know for sure all the subcontractors.  To this end, a notice has been posted on the home page of the West Kowloon Cultural District (West Kowloon) website for around 6 weeks following termination of employment of HCC, providing subcontractors relevant information to allow any that have not been in touch with to come forward to the CA to ensure that we are able to capture the full extent of the underpayments by HCC.  Subcontractors novated to BPL are paid by BPL.  Gammon Construction Limited (Gammon) has been appointed as the Management Contractor.  As such Gammon will interact with these subcontractors in relation to the completion of the M+ project.
 

Six (6) out of the seven subcontractors that have sought assistance of the Members of the Legislative Council have already been in contact with WKCDA.  Their claims that they have not been paid by HCC were being investigated.  The work to verify their claims will continue.  WKCDA will ensure that work carried out and properly certified as such will be properly compensated. 
 

Access to the M+ site is always arranged for anyone with the need under proper supervision in order to protect both the site and the subcontractors.  These subcontractors are welcome to contact CA for proper access to the site.
 

WKCDA will record all such claims and will seek to resolve payments with HCC through the dispute mechanism under the M+ main works contract.  WKCDA will continue to stick strictly to the terms of the contract and expect HCC and the subcontractors to do the same.