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Brian Wong
Senior Reporter, Hong Kong
Former head of Housing Bureau’s Independent Checking Unit acknowledges that old supervision mechanism had created ‘blind spot’.
Te Chi-wang, deputy director of the Home Affairs Department, and ex-ICU head Lau Fu-kwok take stand at hearing into Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades.
Senior maintenance surveyor thought wooden boards used to cover temporary openings at Wang Fuk Court designed to protect ‘broken’ windows.
Nick Yung, senior maintenance surveyor of the ICU, takes the stand after his colleague Andy Ku testified a day earlier.
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Senior surveyor becomes first member of Housing Bureau’s Independent Checking Unit to testify at hearing into city’s deadliest fire in decades.
Committee’s lead counsel presses Independent Checking Unit officer on its responsibilities and whether it had properly overseen key safety issues.
Prosecutors allege Simon Sadler and Daniel La Rocca used confidential information about planned block trade to sell more than 1.7 million Esprit shares.
Lawsuit alleges school ignored gender identity and subjected student to ‘public humiliation and rebukes’, causing distress and embarrassment.
Li able to speak naturally as he gives brief answers to judge’s questions during 10-minute testimony delivered via video in damages case.
Urban Renewal Authority officials tell hearing that body lacks resources to combat bid-rigging linked to estates’ renovation projects.
URA director says independent consultants it hires cannot intervene if contractors collude to recommend unnecessary renovation works.
Society’s council intervenes in the practice of Raymond Lam & Associates, which will cease operations with immediate effect.
Magistrate reduces Wong Wah-kwong’s sentence by a third after 63-year-old pleads guilty to inciting others to avoid voting in last year’s election.
Court says deterrent sentence needed to reflect society’s abhorrence of crimes committed against the girl from age 11 to 18.
Wong Pui-shan approved withdrawals from company accounts after being contacted by man claiming she was subject of Beijing national security office probe.
Government surveyors were following outdated guidelines that didn’t require them to examine renovation works in person at Wang Fuk Court, committee hears.
Buildings Department can act against contractors over ‘inappropriate’ use of materials but Wang Fuk Court not under its purview, witness says.
But Director of Fire Services Andy Yeung insists authorities have clear divisions of work for supervision of renovation projects.
Andy Yeung tells committee that Fire Services Department will amend laws, tighten oversight of fire services installation contractors.
System, which triggers high-pitched alarm on mobile phones, would have offered little help as it takes up to one hour to activate, officer says.
Judge David Lok urges distinction between firefighting and fire prevention, says officers at the scene had to make many difficult decisions.
Testimony by fire services officials shows departments split over handling complaints on Wang Fuk Court renovations.
Fire service official Michael Yung says responsibility for flagged hazards lies with Housing Bureau’s Independent Checking Unit and Labour Department.
Panel chairman questions whether interests of workers and residents are at odds under existing regulations.
Secretary for justice has applied to the High Court to seize Lai’s assets linked to national security offences.
Labour Department found that no workers smoked on site, safety officer says, suggesting that those repeatedly seen smoking eluded inspections.
Ex-committee member Jason Kong says proxy votes kept predecessors in power until controversial HK$336 million renovation led to their ousting.
Committee member also admits owners’ corporation failed to follow through with threats to fine contractor for workers’ persistent smoking on site.
Former management committee chair says residents felt ‘helpless’ and ‘couldn’t find anything in Hong Kong law to justify our demands’.
