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Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau project manmade island has drifted again

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  1. #31

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    Anyone with experience in public works who can speculate why these guys would fake the results ?

    If i read the SCMP article correctly these guys,Jacobs China, were working for the government to test that the contractors who are in fact building the bridge are not doing a dodgy job. So, why would they be covering up for the contractors ? I cannot really see how they would have an incentive to do that.


  2. #32

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    Quote Originally Posted by henkka:
    Anyone with experience in public works who can speculate why these guys would fake the results ?

    If i read the SCMP article correctly these guys,Jacobs China, were working for the government to test that the contractors who are in fact building the bridge are not doing a dodgy job. So, why would they be covering up for the contractors ? I cannot really see how they would have an incentive to do that.
    They aren't covering for the contractors, they are covering their own arses. Probably understaffed and unable to complete time-sensitive tests in the required time. Failure to meet the testing timeline probably carries huge penalties, given the implications of improperly carried out tests in this setting.

  3. #33

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    Quote Originally Posted by kimwy66:
    They aren't covering for the contractors, they are covering their own arses. Probably understaffed and unable to complete time-sensitive tests in the required time. Failure to meet the testing timeline probably carries huge penalties, given the implications of improperly carried out tests in this setting.
    They can subcontract the time sensitive tests to other labs in HK, if they were really understafed. Faking results on projects of this scale is like suicide. Govt is already adviced to look into other projects handled by this firm.

  4. #34

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    I would imagine they're under quite a lot of pressure to rubber-stamp the tests, not to make a fuss and in particular not to do things which will make the bridge even later and more expensive than it already is. Not too hard to come up with a scenario where they get a significant amount of their revenue from the government, dealing with public works, and jeopardising future contracts would be a career-limiting move...

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  5. #35

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    Quote Originally Posted by kimwy66:
    They aren't covering for the contractors, they are covering their own arses. Probably understaffed and unable to complete time-sensitive tests in the required time. Failure to meet the testing timeline probably carries huge penalties, given the implications of improperly carried out tests in this setting.
    To be fair, it could well be a group of rogue employees and not the whole company.

    I can imagine that the supplies of high grade concrete / construction equipment is low, some suppliers might be pushing second tier product and incentivising contractors appropriately.

  6. #36

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    Quote Originally Posted by shafiq:
    They can subcontract the time sensitive tests to other labs in HK, if they were really understafed. Faking results on projects of this scale is like suicide. Govt is already adviced to look into other projects handled by this firm.
    I'm sure we could come up with 1000 ways they could have avoided doing what they did. Without the specifics of their contract and the tests it is all pointless speculation. Suffice to say, they fucked up.

    Should be noted that it is not the contractor who built the bridge being caught out; it is not an issue of the bridge having been structurallycompromised by shady dealings. However, there is currently no way of being 100% confident in the strength of the concrete, hence why they are now conducting new tests. It is a bit poor of the initial press release on behalf of the aniti-corruption people not to clarify who the contractor was and what their role entailed.

  7. #37

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    Quote Originally Posted by shri:
    To be fair, it could well be a group of rogue employees and not the whole company.
    Obviously, given the size of Jacobs internationally, and here in China, it is not the whole company. Testing would be a relatively small component of their work also. Although, the arrest of 'senior executives' does take it up the chain somewhat. Arse-covering, face-saving idiots, but nonetheless employees of a major company. These things often have a way of being symptomatic, at least regionally.
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  8. #38

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    These things often have a way of being symptomatic, at least regionally.
    True. Have heard all sorts of stories about the testing industry and mansions that belong to their senior management responsible for China QA.

  9. #39

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    Original Post Deleted
    Would give the whole thing a nice mediterranean feel - just like Sicily...

  10. #40

    The efficiency of private enterprise. Faster test results and better pass rates.

    chuckster007 and hullexile like this.