Wang Fuk Court briefing to give residents answers before decisions are made: minister
Home affairs chief Alice Mak says issues can be more easily addressed at briefing, allowing residents to understand the details better
Hong Kong’s home affairs chief has pledged to address concerns of residents of blaze-ravaged Wang Fuk Court at a briefing to be held ahead of an owners’ meeting, saying there will be no clash with the ongoing fire inquiry or with the period in which they will be allowed to return to their flats to retrieve belongings.
More than 300 homeowners petitioned for a general meeting with Hop On Management, a Chinachem Group subsidiary appointed by the government as the Tai Po housing estate’s interim administrator, to address unresolved issues. The complex was undergoing a HK$336 million (US$43 million) renovation when the fire broke out.
Hop On announced on Sunday that it would hold a briefing session in early May for owners and residents to discuss the refund of the renovation fund and various deposits, but it had not yet provided details about the owners’ meeting.
When asked about the meeting’s progress, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen said on Tuesday that authorities would act in accordance with the law, stressing that the briefing would give residents ample time to have their questions answered and understand the details before decisions were made.
“Hop On will organise a briefing session first, because many of the residents’ concerns are quite personal,” Mak said, citing issues such as owners who had not fully paid the renovation fee and flats where ownership transfers had not been completed.
“We believe that a briefing will make it easier to explain the issues to residents and help them better understand the information.”
She said the government would strictly comply with the Building Management Ordinance as it consulted owners and made key decisions at owners’ meetings, but stopped short of revealing further details.