Govt task force to convene meeting to look into XDX saga
發佈日期: 2025-08-19 19:58
TVB News
Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui says price is not the only or even the prime consideration in the selection of water suppliers.
A dedicated task force will convene a meeting this week to look into the matter.
Meeting the press for the first time three days after the incident came to light, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui says the government is going to undertake a comprehensive review into the case and examine ways to improve their procurement system.
He adds that the inter-departmental task force established to look into the incident will meet this week and submit a preliminary recommendation report in three months. The Audit Commission will review the tendering process. The Government Logistics Department will handle the scandal's aftermath.
The saga began with the government switching bottled drinking water suppliers for government use. The administration awarded three contracts worth a total of 166 million dollars, saving 16 million dollars a year.
For the first time, the government procured bottled water from the mainland. Apart from Xin Ding Xin Trade, another company is the Dongguan-based Professional Trade International, which supplies bottled drinking water to government offices in the New Territories.
Hui says bidding prices were not the only criterion in the selection of suppliers, other issues such as technology are also considered.
He says the government has reached out to the company supplying drinking water to the government at the New Territories and liaised with the stated manufacturer of the company to confirm their relationship with independent tests to ensure water quality meets drinking water standards.
As for whether the government has paid Xin Ding Xin for their services, Hui says the relevant contracts have been terminated, and the Government Logistics Department is following up on the case.
