Sin Fong homeowners slam gov’t inefficiency

The Sin Fong Garden saga continues as flat owners are criticizing the government for failing to provide a timeline for the reconstruction of the damaged property.

The 30-storey high-rise building was abandoned in 2012, with some 140 families being forced to evacuate after one of its main pillars burst.

The Macau Tung Sin Tong Charitable Society (TST) and the Macau Jiangmen Communal Society previously pledged to provide financial assistance to the Sin Fong proprietors to rebuild the damaged building.

However, the Jiangmen Communal Society, which has promised to cover 60 percent of the building’s reconstruction costs, criticized authorities for sluggishness in gathering evidence against the building developers.

Other homeowners also criticized the government for failing to address safety issues.

Vicki Lao, head of the Macau Jiangmen Communal Society, asked who would be responsible when windows fall, especially during typhoon season.

“And who will be blamed for any injuries?” Lao asked, as cited in a TDM report.

“Maybe a typhoon will come one day and will blow away all the windows and what if they fall down? Someone walking along the street may get hurt, and who will pay for that?” she added.

Upset homeowners still have no idea what lies in store for their former property.

“Five years have gone by and the government is still gathering evidence,” several upset proprietors shouted.

“I don’t understand what we’re waiting for now,” said a former resident. “Why can’t we kick-start the project?”

“We don’t know when exactly the building will collapse, so let us make ourselves clear right here,” said another homeowner.

Other homeowners warned that they would not be held accountable if any windows were to break and injure passers-by.

“It’s not our fault […] it’s the government’s fault for wasting our time, not even letting us go back home to close the windows,” said another.

Lao made it clear that both money and the construction company is ready, lamented that the delay is “ridiculous and unreasonable” and expressed hopes for an update from the authorities.