It has been nearly three months since the major fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, and there has finally been progress on the long-term resettlement arrangements for the affected residents. The Deputy Financial Secretary, Michael Wong, held a press conference today (Feb. 21) at 3 pm, alongside the Secretary for Housing, Winnie Ho, and the Deputy Secretary for Housing, Estrella Cheung, to announce the long-term housing arrangement plan for Wang Fuk Court.
In the meeting, Secretary Ho introduced that, considering the large number of affected residents and the heavy workload of the current "one social worker per household" service team, the government has decided to form a cross-departmental team of about 100 members called the "engagement team," specifically responsible for explaining the details of the resettlement plan to residents.
"Engagement Team" to Provide Professional Information Door-to-Door in March
Winnie Ho stated that the "engagement team" will consist of personnel from various policy bureaus and departments. Since the resettlement plan involves many complex arrangements, team members will undergo specialized training lasting about one to two weeks to ensure they fully grasp the relevant information and can accurately respond to residents' inquiries. The "engagement team" is expected to begin its work in early March, proactively reaching out to affected households.
She emphasized that residents need not rush; the "engagement team" will be organized through referrals from the existing "one social worker per household" mechanism. To ensure easy identification, all members of the "engagement team" will wear light blue uniforms and carry work identification badges, and residents of Wang Fuk Court are urged to be vigilant.
Additional Support Channels for Residents
Moreover, considering that many residents of Wang Fuk Court are currently living in transitional housing or interim accommodation, the government will establish dedicated consultation counters at these locations to allow residents to obtain the necessary information conveniently.
At the same time, the government will set up a dedicated inquiry hotline, expected to be operational around March 2, with the hotline number to be announced later. Ho described the "engagement team" as a professional team aimed at assisting residents in smoothly transitioning and understanding the future long-term resettlement arrangements.
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