星空传媒

0.78m

The size of the fine (in pounds Sterling) that Briggs Roofing & Cladding did not receive last month for working with cartels in the Midlands, North East and Scotland.

The contractor avoided the heavy fine by co-operating with the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) in a major investigation that saw 18 other companies exposed and fined. (See 鈥楽hop your mates, save your skin鈥� in Rules, Regulations and Guidance on page 16.)

The investigation,which began in 2002, found that schools, civic buildings, and commercial properties were among the victims of collusive bidding organised by flat-roofing contractors.

Having developed something of a taste for the sector, the OFT is now targeting other areas in construction, and expects to announce other significant fines soon.

1m

In Malaysia, the estimated number of illegal immigrants, mostly of Indonesian and Filipino origin, currently employed in construction and other sectors that Malaysian nationals avoid. Or rather the number was one million before the Malaysian authorities renewed a campaign last month to eject them for 鈥渃ausing crime and other social ills鈥�, according to the BBC.

Around half of the immigrants appear to have left the country, frightened by threats of jail, fines and whipping. 鈥淎round 11% of the workforce are foreigners,鈥� said Shamsuddin Bardin, director of the Malaysian Employers Federation.

鈥淭he foreign workers employed in Malaysia do the 鈥榯hree D jobs鈥� that Malaysians themselves don鈥檛 want - dirty, dangerous and difficult - especially working on plantations and in construction.鈥�

4m

The total amount of VAT in pounds that a South London school avoided paying on a new sports centre. How? By demolishing and then rebuilding its existing facility.

The drastic action was taken by Haberdashers鈥� Aske鈥檚 in Lewisham. VAT Legislation on refurbished buildings means that it actually worked out cheaper for the school to start from scratch. Andrew Large, director of external affairs for the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has described the legislation as 鈥渁bsurd and a waste of public money.鈥�

The FMB has been campaigning for some time that VAT on refurb be reduced. Large said he could not criticise the school for trying to save money, but that the blame lies 鈥渨ith the government for not cutting VAT on refurbishment when all the evidence shows a range of benefits to public sector building projects鈥�.

14m

The amount of cash it has cost to build the startling new Jubilee Library in Brighton. The building has been described as one of the most energy-efficient in the country and was constructed with the principles of sustainability in mind. The building emits 50% less carbon than a conventional building and 90% of the glazing has built-in solar shading. Natural ventilation, instead of air conditioning, is used. The building has a striking south-facing glass frontage and there are wind towers on the roof.

The Jubilee Library was designed and built as the centrepiece of a 拢50m PFI scheme that will regenerate the south coast city鈥檚 famous Jubilee Square. The development will include a hotel, almost 70 flats, shops, offices and restaurants.

20m

The amount of CASH in pounds reportedly demanded by extortionists threatening to shoot crane drivers on Multiplex sites. Multiplex, which is building the new Wembley stadium, confirmed that it had received an extortion demand in February carried in a letter sent to its Sydney office.

Multiplex is liaising closely with the police in relation to this situation. All staff were informed of the threat and were given the opportunity to determine whether or not they wanted to continue working. A spokesman said: 鈥淯ltimately the safety of our workforce is paramount and we continue to monitor the situation in consultation with police, our employees and the unions.鈥� The threat did not specify a particular site, he added.