Officials want to hand construction to the mainland, but legislators fret over quality control and misuse of funds The government has proposed that the mainland authorities handle the construction of a $2 million shared immigration and customs checkpoint on a new cross-border highway linking Deep Bay and Shekou in Shenzhen. But legislators questioned the plan, fearing lack of control over building quality could lead to misuse of funds. Construction is due to begin later this year to facilitate the opening of the Shenzhen Western Corridor in 2005. The highway is part of a major drive to improve cross-border trade and communication. To speed up the clearance process, the government plans to build a customs and immigration facility to be manned by mainland and Hong Kong officials. A 46,843-square-metre shared management area on the mainland side would be built to house the various departments, kiosks for clearance of goods and passenger vehicles, and supporting infrastructural facilities such as link roads and transport centres. In a paper tabled to the Legislative Council panels for security and transport, the Security Bureau said the design and construction of the project, worth up to $2.08 billion, would be entrusted to the mainland authorities. A further $850 million is estimated to be needed for supporting projects. 'This is because construction works for the proposed boundary crossing facilities will be carried out at Shekou before inception of the Hong Kong Management Area, and the design and construction works will need to comply with the procedures of the mainland side. 'Besides, it will also help co-ordination and avoid interface problems that would arise by two governments implementing their respective portions of the works on the same site,' the paper said. A Security Bureau spokeswoman said the two sides would conclude an 'entrustment agreement' setting out financial controls, duties and obligations, and the Architectural Services Department would advise and monitor the mainland authorities. '[The department will] ensure that the design and construction of the facility will meet the operational, management and maintenance requirements of the Hong Kong SAR,' she said. The government would have to endorse the design and construction works before mainland authorities carry them out. Both mainland and Hong Kong companies would be allowed to bid for the tenders. But lawmakers expressed serious doubts about the arrangement. Democrat Andrew Cheng Kar-foo said that difficulties in monitoring the work made it 'out of the question''. 'It's public money of Hong Kong. After we approve the money, we have to monitor it. Who can we hold accountable if it is done by mainland officials? We are not saying everything the mainland does is of bad quality, but at least we should be given a way to monitor progress,' he said. Independent legislator Albert Chan Wai-yip said although he was concerned with quality control on the mainland, he was more worried about loss of opportunities for workers in Hong Kong. He said bidding for the contract should be restricted to local firms to help ease unemployment. The Legco finance committee will be asked to approve the funding by July. CHECKPOINT DEBATE A shared immigration complex is to be built on the highway linking Deep Bay and Shekou The government wants the mainland authorities to take charge of the entire project Legislators fear difficulties in monitoring the work and loss of job opportunities
