Government Publishes Tai Po Wang Fuk Court Fire Independent Committee Report and Launches Disciplinary Investigation

The government publishes the report of the Independent Committee on the Tai Po Wang Fuk Court fire, submitted by the committee on 22 October, with the Chief Executive thanking Chairman Mr Justice Lui Kai-hong and others for completing it in about 10 months. The report says the works were suspected of passing non-flame-retardant mesh nets off as flame-retardant ones, and identifies shortcomings in the Independent Audit Panel, the Buildings Department, the Fire Services Department and the Labour Department. The government will implement reforms, including legislating to prohibit bid-rigging in building maintenance and establishing a Building Maintenance Support and Services Bureau, and will refer the matter for disciplinary investigation under the Public Service Commission (Investigation) Regulations, to be completed within 3 months.