The Buildings Department says opening two assistant director posts is in the public interest and will not affect building safety. The motion was passed in the Legislative Council today.

The department reiterated that converting the two posts from single-disciplinary to bi-disciplinary will provide the senior management with more flexibility in the choice of the most suitable and capable candidate from both the building surveyor and structural engineer grades to fill the posts.

The previous arrangement restricts potential candidates for the directorate posts concerned from surveyors only, while there is more efficient and effective  manpower deployment now at the senior management to enhance regulatory control of existing private buildings.

Rejecting claims of a manpower mismatch that might compromise building safety, the department said officers of both grades in the existing buildings divisions have the necessary professional expertise to deal with repairs and unauthorised building works.

The department said a mechanism is in place for surveyors and engineers to seek specialist advice from their counterparts in the other grade in individual cases if necessary.