Housing Minister, David Lee says long-standing weaknesses in procurement, vague contracts and poor project oversight would no longer be accepted, as Government tightens accountability across the public construction sector.
Speaking at a HDC Construction Law Workshop, he said weak systems and poor procedures drive project delays, cost overruns and public distrust, particularly in Housing developments funded by taxpayers.
Minister Lee outlined Government’s expectations going forward and noted that it would apply uniformly across every agency involved in state construction.
“The HDC sits at the center of one of the largest public investment programmes in this country. That means one thing. Every dollar spent must be justified. Every contractor engagement must be defended. Every decision must stand up to scrutiny, because we are not spending private funds. No, we are spending the people’s money. And this is where construction law becomes critical.”
Minister Lee said poor contract drafting, uncontrolled variations and weak oversight were creating opportunities for abuse and exposing the State to financial risk.
He said construction law was a critical safeguard rather than a technical formality.
“Every contract you handle, every procurement decision you make, every clause you approve, must be able to answer one simple question. Can they stand up to scrutiny? If the answer is no, it should not proceed. Because at the end of the day, this is not just about contracts, this is about protecting the public funds. So I urge you to take this seriously. Engage fully over the next two days, because when you leave here, the expectation is not improvement. The expectation is a higher standard.”