Lai See | Disquiet at Pokfulam Estate with management committee

We hear of disquiet at Pokfulam Terrace with some of the owners at loggerheads with the management committee. A new management committee (MC) was elected in April last year and minority owners say that problems began to occur with minutes not reflecting what was said in meetings, owners who criticised the MC being subjected to abuse.

The treasurer of the MC complained of not being able to get access to the accounts. She eventually resigned but before doing so sent out a note to all owners saying that she had never seen any bank statements or any bank records since becoming treasurer despite making frequent requests. She also said she was prevented from seeing other important documents such as contracts, and tender documents.

The initial chairman resigned in August and she was eventually replaced by Eunice Tang Kit-ying. Minority owners say that the MC made exaggerated claims about aggressive and threatening behaviour and used this as an excuse to exclude owners from management committee meetings.

In an unusual development owners at the estate were surprised to learn one day that without the knowledge or consent of owners the MC had purchased an insurance policy that interferes with their existing contracts. The policy not only covers the common area, but owners' individual properties.

Lai See contacted Tang who said that the MC had not done anything wrong, and that the actions of the MC were permitted under the terms of the Building Management Ordinance, which is supposed to regulate the actions of owners' committees. More often than not it causes more problems than it solves, and is an increasing source of frustration among owners. The government has yet to summon the political will to deal with the problems in a meaningful way.

Photographer Terry O'Neill who rose to fame in the 1960s documenting the fashions, styles, and celebrities of that period will be in Hong Kong later this month.