Government departments will cover their own expenses related to post-disaster work following the Wang Fuk Court fire and will not seek reimbursement from the residents’ support fund, Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration Warner Cheuk Wing-hing said.
Speaking at the first meeting of the new term of the Legislative Council on Wednesday (Jan 14), Cheuk, who leads the Task Force on Emergency Support and Fundraising, said the Support Fund for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po will be used entirely to assist affected residents.
He added that the fund’s accounts will be audited by the Director of Audit, and a report will be submitted to the Legislative Council.
Cheuk said the task force aims to carry out its work comprehensively and efficiently and has already provided financial assistance, including subsidies, condolence payments, and allowances, to residents.
Emergency accommodation has also been arranged for about 4,400 affected people, while various support measures, including fee waivers, simplified procedures, and expedited approvals, have been put in place to help residents replace lost documents.
He added that the government, in collaboration with the information technology sector, has set up an online donation platform to match donated supplies with residents’ needs.
So far, more than 60,000 items of daily necessities have been distributed to multiple locations to support affected families.
