Tai Po fire: contractor’s 2 directors deny all allegations in witness statements

Two directors of a contractor linked to the deadly inferno at Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court have denied all allegations of bid-rigging, corruption and collusion with consultants, with one saying he was never told the housing estate’s fire safety system had any problems. A district councillor, Peggy Wong Pik-kiu, who has been criticised for her links to the former owners’ committee of the Tai Po complex, also rejected allegations of exchanging “gift bags” for proxy votes and denied soliciting or submitting proxies in a meeting that selected the contractor for renovation works at the estate. Gordon Ho Kin-yip and Hau Wah-kin, directors of Prestige Construction and Engineering, denied bid-rigging allegations in witness statements released on the website of the independent committee investigating the Wang Fuk Court fire on Wednesday night. Ho said that profit margins in the renovations industry were squeezed, and relationships between rival bidders were hostile, making collusion impossible. He “respectfully and verily” denied all allegations that Prestige had tacitly colluded with any other contractors. He also said Prestige had never induced the incorporated owners to assess the merits of its bid “more favourably by means of bribery or coercion”. “In this regard, I would certainly be able to attest to the fact that [Prestige] had no connection or tacit arrangements with other bidders, the consultants and/or the incorporated owners for that matter,” he said. Ho, a director and technical director of Prestige, has been charged with manslaughter and conspiracy to defraud and is under investigation by police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption. At the time of the blaze, Wang Fuk Court was undergoing renovations in a HK$336 million (US$43 million) project, after the owners’ corporation selected the most expensive option, raising suspicions of bid-rigging. The fire last November, which killed 168 people and displaced nearly 5,000 residents, was found to have been exacerbated by multiple safety violations, including the use of flammable scaffolding netting and foam boards to cover windows. Fire alarm and firefighting pump systems were found to have been switched off a week before the tragedy, with no action taken to reactivate them. Ho argued that while Prestige strictly banned its employees from smoking, continuously supervising every worker, especially subcontractors, was practically impossible. “The oversight of a worksite is labour-intensive and therefore imperfect,” Ho said. Although keeping highly flammable materials in light wells was “strictly forbidden” under company policy, Ho said he had to “be fair to the realities of construction work”. “It is sometimes necessary for materials and building-related items to be present in the vicinity while workers install and complete their tasks,” he said. Ho also said he had never received reports that fire systems were malfunctioning, noting that the key to the fire service pump room – where the main alarm switch was located – was held by the Wang Fuk Court management office. Foam boards and scaffolding netting used in the renovation works were supplied by firms of “good repute and with sufficient experience”, Ho said. “As far as I am aware, the majority of the scaffolding nets were of high quality and were priced above the level of standard products,” he said. “It was not foreseeable to me that these materials themselves were the source of the fire.” Fellow Prestige director Hau also denied allegations of bid-rigging in his witness statement, and said the company had no knowledge of consultant Will Power Architects’ bid price during the inspection phase. He denied colluding with four rival bidders and emphasised that all relationships were “strictly competitive” and “standard for the tight-knit construction industry”. Hau also said intense infighting among residents over control of the owners’ corporation led to Prestige’s fees being unfairly withheld, work being obstructed and allegations of project sabotage. “These struggles have, regrettably, manifested in a variety of uncharitable words and actions exchanged during meetings,” he said. In her published statement, district councillor Wong addressed allegations of corruption and soliciting proxies, made by Wang Fuk Court residents who testified at hearings by the independent committee. Wong said she had “no decision-making power” during her tenure as an adviser to the owners’ corporation and only attended some meetings. She also said she never offered any opinions on selecting contractors, reviewing tenders or preparing project budgets. Denying accusations of going door-to-door to collect proxies for owners’ meetings, Wong said she was “under strict public monitoring” at the time. “My team and I have served Tai Po for many years and have friendly relationships with residents and elderly individuals,” she said. “We would never intimidate, shout at, or coerce elderly residents. Kong Cheung-fat’s claim of door-to-door canvassing is pure speculation,” she added, referring to a former member of the Wang Fuk Court owners’ corporation management committee who testified at the hearings.

Tai Po fire: contractor’s 2 directors deny all allegations in witness statements

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Independent committee investigating Wang Fuk Court fire also releases statement by district councillor previously criticised by residents

Independent committee investigating Wang Fuk Court fire also releases statement by district councillor previously criticised by residents