Wang Chi House owners may return, but next subsidy payment will stop; legislator says authorities should have explained earlier
宏志閣業主倘回遷 下期補助將停 當局曾稱領補助不可返回 議員指早應仔細解釋
A No. 5 alarm fire broke out at Tai Po’s Wang Fuk Court last month. When applying for rent subsidies, owners of unaffected Wang Chi House units were required to sign a declaration confirming that they would not live in their units or rent them out while receiving the subsidy; false statements could lead to criminal prosecution. The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau said in a Facebook post the night before last that the declaration was intended only to prevent abuse of the assistance, stressing that “if the building is subsequently unsealed, Wang Chi House owners may still choose to move back even if they are receiving the subsidy, but the subsidy for the next period will not be issued”. Legislative Councillor and lawyer Eunice Yung said the government’s online announcement also had legal effect, but believed the authorities should have considered and explained the matter carefully from the outset rather than providing clarification afterwards.
大埔宏福苑上月發生五級火，未受波及的宏志閣業主申請租金補助時需簽署聲明書，確認領取補助期間不會居於宏志閣單位或把單位出租，若陳述虛假將有遭刑事檢控之虞。民青局前晚於facebook專頁發帖文解釋，聲明只為防止濫用資助，強調「若之後大廈解封，宏志閣業主即使正接受補助，仍可選擇搬回單位，惟下一期補助將不會發放」。立法會議員兼律師江玉歡表示，政府的網上公布亦具法律效力，但認為當局應一早仔細考慮及解釋，而非事後補充。