Some 1,000 participants, including private building owners and residents, office-bearers of owners' corporations and mutual aid committees, as well as property management personnel and representatives of professional bodies, will have a chance to share experience with building management officials and professionals in the "First Regional Conference on Private Building Management ¡Ð Hong Kong 2002" organised by the Home Affairs Department tomorrow (July 6).

With "Challenges for Building Management in the 21st Century ¡Ð Private Building Management and Maintenance" as the theme, the Regional Conference has invited building management officials and professionals from the Mainland, Macau, Australia and Singapore to be guest speakers.

The Conference, to be held from 9.15 am to 5 pm in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai, will be webcast live so that members of the public can watch it by simply clicking into the Government webcast homepage http://www.info.gov.hk/webbroadcast.

In the morning session (10 am - 1 pm), the guest speakers will speak on their experiences in private building management and development in their homeplaces. Details are as follows:

* "Prospective Building Management System in Residential Areas in Mainland China" by the Chief Economist of Ministry of Construction, General Director of Housing and Real Estate Industry Department, Ministry of Construction, People's Republic of China, Ms Xie Jiajin;

* "Property Management in Macau" by President of Housing Institute, Macau Special Administrative Region, Mr Chiang Coc Meng;

* "The Housing System in Australia and Measures to Assist Private Owners in Fiscal and Monetary Policy" by the Director of Housing, State of Victoria, Australia, Ms Jennifer Westacott; and

* "Private Building Management in Singapore" by Professor Lim Lan Yuan, past President of Singapore Institute of Surveyors and Valuers.

In the afternoon session (2.30 pm - 5 pm), representatives from local professional bodies and government departments will speak on topics concerning private building management and maintenance issues during panel discussions.

Participants will have chances to share their experiences with guest speakers and representatives of local professional organisations and government departments during the question-and-answer sessions.

End/ Friday, July 5, 2002

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