The Construction Industry Council and the Construction Industry Training Authority - or CITA - will merge from tomorrow, and more effective guidance in training for construction personnel will be provided, the Development Bureau says.

A Construction Industry Training Board will be formed under the council tomorrow to take over the authority's current training and trade-testing functions and collection of the construction industry levy. The levy rate and collection mechanism will remain unchanged.

It will also become the registrar under the Construction Workers Registration Ordinance and will continue to operate the five workers registration offices. CITA was appointed by the Construction Workers Registration Authority as registrar in February 2005.

A new Construction Industry Council Training Academy will continue to provide training courses for construction workers and frontline site supervisors and conduct trade tests. All existing training and trade test certificates issued by CITA will remain valid.

Merger synergy

The levy will finance the council's operations, training and trade testing and other initiatives such as research and development for the construction industry.

The council said it will capitalise on the synergy from the merger and aim to raise the industry's quality and competitiveness.

The new board will be chaired by Billy Wong with 12 members, including two public officers and representatives of professionals and consultants, contractors, trade unions and training institutes.

The members are Dr Lawrence Chan, Cheung Tak-hing, Donald Choi, Paul Chong, Chow Luen-kiu, Thomas Ho, Ir Helen Kwan, Jimmy Tse, Wan Koon-sun, Yu Sai-yen, David Tong and Tso Sing-hin.

They are appointed by the council to serve for one year from tomorrow.