CONSTRUCTION output figures for the first three months have shown a general rise in most building sectors. The first-quarter figures for construction output released by the Census and Statistics Department yesterday showed the gross value of construction work performed by main contractors amounted to $21.6 billion. The figure, which includes special and general trade contractors, was 27.1 per cent higher than the same period last year and a 2.9 per cent increase over last year's fourth quarter. Construction at private sector sites also rose, totalling $8.8 billion, making it 19.2 per cent and 10.9 per cent higher than figures recorded in the first and fourth quarters of last year respectively. Public sector sites on the other hand saw an increase of 38.6 per cent over last year's first quarter, but dropped by seven per cent compared with the fourth quarter, with a total value of $6.7 billion. The gross value of work by general contractors on locations other than construction sites was $4.1 billion, 24 per cent higher than last year's first quarter but down on the fourth by 1.4 per cent. Construction by special trade contractors at locations other than construction sites comprising mainly of electrical and mechanical fitting work, totalled $2 billion and was 35.9 per cent and 17.9 per cent higher than last year's first and fourth quarters respectively. Residential building projects, including commercial and residential composite buildings, continued to account for the greatest portion of the gross value of construction work performed at construction sites as analysed by end-use. The value of work on these projects amounted to $5 billion, increasing three per cent and 1.9 per cent over the first and fourth quarters of 1993 respectively.
