Inquiry dismisses structural issues

The investigation conducted by the Infrastructure Development Office into the public housing complex Edificio Koi Nga, situated in the Seac Pai Van area, found only “quality flaws” instead of possible structural issues, which had been speculated by the general public. Previously, it had been found that there was cardboard stuffed inside some walls in the social housing units, which raised the public’s concerns of the buildings’ structural reliability. However, in response to lawmaker Si Ka Lon’s written inquiry over the issue, the authority has inspected forty-four housing units and has identified no structural problems after the examination. The so-called “quality flaws,” which chiefly involved cracks in the walls and plaster falling off the surface, were reported to be due to workers’ “insufficient understanding” and supervisors’ “negligence” during the construction process. Despite growing public suspicion, the authority has obtained no “formal complaint” so far. In March, the government also denied the public allegation of a lack of official oversight in the project.