Contractors will bear repair costs for lift defects at Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong development chief says

Hong Kong's Development Secretary Bernadette Linn has announced that government contractors will shoulder the complete financial responsibility for rectifying faulty lift installations at Queen Mary Hospital, a redevelopment project that has caused issues with tilted elevator shafts. Linn also stated that the government maintains the authority to pursue financial compensation from the contractors and subcontractors responsible for the defective work, which has led to delays in the full reopening of Clinical Block 1 at Hong Kong Island's largest public hospital.

Linn confirmed that the external walls of the building's elevator shafts have structural "errors," adding that some lift components were installed improperly. The Hong Kong Economic Times initially reported on the structural defect last week, mentioning that the new elevator shafts had a rhombus shape, likening it to Italy's Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Linn assured that the contractors are confident the defects can be fixed by the final quarter of this year. Linn defended the government's piecemeal-style disclosure process regarding the issue, stating that complete transparency at this stage could lead to legal disputes in the future. She pledged to provide proper disclosures in due course and emphasized that the government will review whether the two departments overseeing the incident can improve their inspection and acceptance procedures.