Hong Kong suspends contractors over Queen Mary Hospital lift defects

Hong Kong authorities have suspended the main contractor and lift subcontractor working on Queen Mary Hospital’s new clinical block from public works tenders after serious defects left most lifts unreliable and delayed the launch of services.

The Architectural Services Department said in a social media post late on Friday that the contractors’ poor performance had been recorded in assessment reports.

It added that they would be required to bear the full cost of remedial works and could face claims for losses arising from delays to the HK$15.15 billion (US$1.93 billion) redevelopment project.

“In accordance with contractual mechanisms, we have also reflected the contractor’s and works subcontractor’s poor performance on the project in their assessment reports and suspended their eligibility to tender for public works contracts,” the department said.

The main contractor for the first phase of the redevelopment was the Paul Y – Able Joint Venture. The lift subcontractor, Anlev Elex Elevator, is a subsidiary of ATAL Engineering Group, which was founded by Otto Poon Lok-to, the husband of former justice secretary Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah.

The department said damaged electronic components, faulty wiring connections and poor installation workmanship were among the problems affecting 24 of the 28 newly installed lifts in Clinical Block 1.