Aggressive Construction Company Limited will still be subject to oversight by the government even though court has allowed it to continue operations while appealing its delisting, said Aaron Bok Kwok-ming, former head of the Civil Engineering Office.
The Buildings Department had refused to renew the license of Aggressive Construction, but the court approved a temporary suspension of the delisting during the appeal process.
Bok explained that only companies listed on the register of general building contractors are permitted to carry out construction work in Hong Kong.
The court’s decision means Aggressive Construction will remain licensed until the next appeal hearing but must still comply with regulations enforced by government departments, including the Buildings Department and Labour Department.
He expressed confidence that authorities would closely monitor the company’s construction sites and take action if unsafe practices were found.
The government rejected Aggressive Construction’s license renewal application on May 22 and had planned to remove it from the register on June 20.
The company then filed an appeal and applied for a stay of the decision.
On June 18, the Court of First Instance of the High Court granted a temporary suspension of the delisting. The appeal hearing is scheduled for August 26 and 27.
The appeal hearing is scheduled for August 26 and 27.
The judge Yvonne Cheng Wai-sum ruled that granting a temporary stay would present a lower risk of potential injustice, noting that if the appeal hearing later proves the license denial decision was erroneous, delisting Aggressive Construction now would cause unfair harm to the company.
However, the court emphasized that this interim decision should not be interpreted as any endorsement or assessment of the company's performance or past record.
The Development Bureau said the Buildings Department will study the written judgment to be handed down by the court shortly, together with its legal team, to determine further action. Meanwhile, the department will prepare for the appeal hearing with full effort.
(Ayra Wang)
