The owners’ committee of the fire-hit Wang Fuk Court housing estate in Hong Kong has rejected accusations of poor transparency and accountability as a “baseless smear campaign”, issuing a lengthy report ahead of a legal process to dissolve the group.
In a 183-page report issued on Monday to fellow owners of Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, the group also disclosed that it had paid about HK$180 million (US$23 million) to the contractors for repair and renovation work.
The group added that it helped residents save about HK$15.8 million in project costs after uncovering what members called “duplicate charges” and “unnecessary work items”.
The report also detailed minutes of meetings in which attendees voted to approve the procedures and the works that needed to be done in the renovation.
The corporation said it held 68 meetings since assuming office in September 2024, including four full owners’ meetings, to discuss the HK$330 million repair and renovation project.
“Owners and residents were allowed to attend, speak and ask questions at all of the meetings,” the corporation report said.
“The current term of the corporation has held 68 meetings in 482 days, which is on average one meeting every 7.1 days.
“Genuine owners and residents should have had sufficient opportunities to understand the operation of the corporation.”
The corporation said that their members, like fellow owners and residents, also became homeless after the fire and were equally eager to “find out the truth and hold all those responsible for the destruction of our homes accountable”.
It also said the group was “fearless and undaunted” in the face of the “baseless” smearing by those with “ulterior motives”.
“The corporation members deeply regret this and feel it is our responsibility to report the facts to all residents and owners,” the report said.
Monday’s report came as a call-over hearing was expected to be held at the Lands Tribunal on Tuesday for the government’s takeover of the management of the estate.
Last month, the government announced it had applied to the Lands Tribunal to dissolve the current Wang Fuk Court owners’ corporation and replace it with a property management company under Chinachem Group, Hop On Management, as the provisional manager to help residents handle legal and accounting matters after the blaze.
This is the first time the government has proactively used this legal process, according to officials, stressing that authorities are simply responding to residents’ calls for intervention in the management of the estate.
In November, a fire broke out at Wang Fuk Court, which was undergoing an extensive renovation of the exterior walls of all eight of its residential towers. The fire eventually spread to seven blocks and raged for about 43 hours.
The blaze claimed at least 161 lives and left nearly 5,000 people displaced.
Prestige Construction and Engineering Company, the maintenance contractor, and Will Power Architects, the consultant overseeing the project, are now under investigation by the graft buster the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
Executives and staff from both companies, as well as the current and former chairmen of the Wang Fuk Court owners’ committee, are reportedly among those arrested for alleged graft in connection with the fire. -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
