The new head of Hong Kong’s Legal Aid Department has pledged full support to residents affected by the deadly Tai Po fire while vowing to answer society’s needs with “professional, efficient and empathetic” services.
Chan Chak-ming, who assumed the post as director of legal aid on Thursday, also revealed that his department would launch a string of measures to help affected residents.
“I will ensure that the Legal Aid Department makes every effort to provide all necessary legal assistance to eligible persons who are affected [by the fire],” Chan told reporters on Friday, his first day on the job.
The catastrophic 43-hour blaze at Wang Fuk Court, which broke out on November 26, claimed at least 161 lives and left nearly 5,000 residents displaced.
Hundreds of lawyers have signed up to provide free advice to residents left homeless by the fire, including members of the Bar Association, the Law Society, non-governmental organisations Equal Justice Hong Kong, SidebySide and Pro Bono HK, as well as law students from the University of Hong Kong’s clinical legal education programme.
Chan said his department had set up a dedicated task force and would soon launch a series of measures to help disaster victims and other affected individuals in applying for legal aid according to statutory requirements.
