His remarks came as authorities plan to submit legislative amendments to the Legislative Council within this year to reform the building maintenance and renovation system, as well as combat bid-rigging activities.
Speaking on a Commercial Radio programme, Lam said dishonest contractors should be driven out of the market.
“In today’s large-scale building maintenance, there is an objective fact – an unfortunate and unacceptable fact – that the ‘fat of the meat’ is too rich, and the market was almost monopolised by bad actors,” he said.
“A friend of mine in law enforcement put it very well: bad money drives out good. Genuinely decent maintenance workers and professionals were not willing to take part in the market. People have no choice – it’s all bad actors.
“So the first step is to drive the bad actors out of the market, so that the highly professional and honest people will be willing to re-enter the market.”
Lam said authorities should also assist home owners in finding suitable contractors and professionals, and ensure that construction works are carried out in a safe and lawful manner.
Speaking on the same show, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Algernon Yau said bid-rigging involves complex issues including price-fixing and market sharing.
He believes criminalising such activities would enable greater powers to combat bid-rigging, expressing hope that the amendments could be passed by April next year.
