Hop On Management Company says it will arrange extraordinary general meeting as displaced owners have requested, but does not indicate time frame

An administrator appointed to oversee the affairs of Hong Kong’s fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court has said it will arrange an extraordinary general meeting at the request of displaced owners, but stopped short of providing a time frame.

In a written statement on Wednesday, Hop On Management Company said it was studying the Lands Tribunal’s reasons for dismissing its application to extend the statutory deadlines for convening and holding the meeting. It did not indicate whether the company would lodge an appeal.

“Hop On is currently conducting a thorough review on the judgment, and will continue with its work verifying owners’ signatures and identifying a suitable venue, with the aim of convening the owners’ meeting while safeguarding the rights and interests of all owners of Wang Fuk Court,” it said.

Hop On, a subsidiary of developer Chinachem Group, stressed it had been doing its utmost to discharge its duties in the aftermath of last November’s inferno, which killed 168 people at the Tai Po subsidised housing estate.

“Hop On’s application to postpone the owners’ meeting was primarily due to the need for more time to conduct extensive preparatory work. It also reflects the intention to ensure that the meeting is conducted in a fair and inclusive manner, allowing all owners, including executors, to participate, while identifying a suitable venue and actively seeking assistance from relevant parties,” the company said.

Hop On was required by law to convene and hold a general meeting for Wang Fuk Court residents after 247 owners, representing more than 12 per cent of its 1,984 households, filed a written request on April 29 for a meeting to allow them to follow up on the company’s handling of matters arising from the disaster.

The proposed agenda includes an update from the administrator on the estate’s finances, the progress of insurance claims, and the handling of contracts involving the contractor and consultant for the estate’s HK$336 million (US$42.8 million) renovation project.

Source: News - South China Morning Post