One word will hang over the Hong Kong community in the run-up to next month’s anniversary of the dreadful Tai Po fire that took 168 of our fellow citizens’ lives: accountability. By the time we mark the occasion, we will know if we still have a system based on ministers taking political responsibility for failures in their policy areas or whether we must revise our constitutional arrangements.
The fire at Wang Fuk Court, which broke out on November 26 last year, traumatised the whole population of our city as well as devastating the lives of those directly involved, first responders, survivors and victims’ families alike. There was an outpouring of sympathy and support as people everywhere rallied to do what they could to help.
The government established a committee of inquiry, led by Justice David Lok Kai-hong, to ascertain what went wrong. The public hearings revealed a harrowing tale of poor professionalism, shoddy work and missed opportunities. The committee’s full report was handed over last week. Four government bodies – the Fire Services Department, Buildings Department, Labour Department and Independent Checking Unit of the Housing Bureau – were identified as being to some degree blameworthy.