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Facts about USJ and CDSJ Ilha Verde Campus

2015-11-04

04

Nov

04/11/2015

Facts about USJ and CDSJ Ilha Verde Campus – 4 November 2015

In the light of some speculation about the state of construction of the Ilha Verde campus, property of Macao Diocese, which will host part of the Diocesan College of St. Joseph and the University of Saint Joseph (USJ), we would like to remind all benefactors and friends of the project the following facts:

  1. In November 2012, the Catholic Foundation for Higher Education, title holder of USJ, signed the contract with HCCG Guilding and Civil Engineering (Macau) Limited (Hsin Chong) to build the campus.
  2. In June 2015, USJ was approached by a company from Mainland China, sub-subcontractor’s of the construction work, who made serious claims against a subcontractor. The contact took place at the time of some demonstrations by workers at the site reported by the press.
  3. At the present moment, there is an ongoing dispute between Hsin Chong and the subcontractor, Iao Sang, and the agreement between the two companies was terminated by Hsin Chong in October.
  4. However, never have the public funds allocated to this project been at risk. The contract with Hsin Chong is particularly strict in this matter. Payments are made exclusively for work which has been completed. The work is then verified by the technical staff of MPS and the costs claimed by Hsin Chong are checked through in detail and certified by SWEETT, a quantity surveyor based in Hong Kong. These two companies have their own contract with the Catholic Foundation, and are therefore independent of the constructor.
  5. Each invoice submitted by Hsin Chong, accompanied by the technical report from MPS and the certification by SWEETT, is delivered to the donors, Macau Foundation and the Youth Affairs Bureau (DSEJ).
  6. At the end of every phase of the project, the accounts are audited by certified public accounting firm and delivered to Macao Foundation which, for its part, periodically sends its own technical staff to campus to check the information provided.
  7. Over the past months, the construction has never been halted and, according to information received today (4 November), there are currently 400 people working on the site – the activity is clear to any passerby.

The project has suffered delays, but present estimates by our technical advisors continue to indicate that it will be possible for the College and the University to use the new campus for the 2016-2017 academic year.

 

4 November 2015
Public Relations Office
University of Saint Joseph