  My thoughts on the news report so far... (If you disagree, we can discuss. If you don't like, that's your problem! ) Very strange defense by LTA's lawyer. He claimed that NLC is being thoroughly irresponsible when, Claim #1 - LTA has, as far back as a year ago, pointed out that there is a flaw in NLC's design. It was made known to them but NLC refused to accept. My take - LTA is urlLink The Authority !
And if they can't control NLC, who else can? Claim #2 - NLC's PE allegedly said that LTA should not interfere with NLC's design. My take - And LTA actually swallowed that quietly? Oh! Come on! Claim #3 - LTA has engaged a professor to assess NLC's design in early 2004 and apparently he too concluded that failure is imminent.
My take - Since everyone is so sure of potential failure in the excavation, why didn't LTA stop the work? LTA is the paying master! Claim #4 - NLC has knowingly ignored warning signs given by the inclinometers. My take - Wouldn't the lack of action on LTA's part implied the same? Claim #5 - The warnings signs were picked up in year 2003, yet NLC carried on with the work, despite warnings by LTA. My take - Why just issue warnings?
Why didn't LTA stepped in and put a definite stop to it? Claim #6 - NLC's PE has manipulated the calculations each time the trigger value is exceeded to claim that all is ok and proposed to increase the level of trigger value. My take - That is equivalent to changing the 13A circuit breaker in a 13A plug to say 20A. Why? because it keeps triggering off at 13A, so increase it lor! And LTA accepted it?
If LTA disagree, why then further excavations were allowed to proceed? NLC is liable since the design was "flawed" as confirmed by 17 "experts' reports" and actual site conditions indicated that there was definitely a serious problem at the site. So I don't think NLC can run away from the responsibility. But what's LTA's role? Shouldn't LTA have taken a more pro-active approach? In any contract, the main contractor has to submit calculations to the QP and authorities for approval.
I believe in this site, the QP is also a LTA staff. LTA also has its own supervising staff on site. If LTA'sengineers and supervisors weren't supervising on site, what the hell were they doing? 
