Resident Newsletters

[JEFF LAM YUET]

Newsletter of Caribbean Coast Phase 3 Owners’ Sub-Committee – May 2011
(The English version of this newsletter will be displayed on the notice board. You may also collect a copy at the reception front desk at tower lobby.)

1.  The presentation of the fourth Annual Owners’ Meeting (AOM) of Phase III Owners
The Annual Owners’ Meeting of Phase III Owners was held on 14 April 2011, there were 174 quorums during the meeting (including 132 proxies) and it was nearly 11% of the owners of Phase III.  2 voting were resolved as follows:
(a)   96% agreed to resolve the Phase III Owners Sub-Committee to convene the Annual Owners Meeting of Phase III in the consequent years;
(b)   100% agreed to resolve to reduce the management fee for Phase III to $1.51/sq. ft. from June of Year 2011.

2.   The committee expressed regret to the Management Office (MO) not executing the resolution of the reduction of management fee

The Management Office would not execute the resolution to reduce the management fee of management fee of Phase III.  The committee felt regret about the MO ignoring the owners’ opinion.  As per the requirement of the Building Management Ordinance: The total management expenses should equal to the total manager’s suggested expenditure to form the balance budget.

3.   MO insisted to mix the account of the income and expenditure of Caribbean Coast

To reply the requirement from the owners’ committee, MO provided the un-audited report with individual phases and accounts to the members of committee; however, the financial report provided by MO was still as the mix financial account.  Recently, the income and expenditure (IE) of 1st quarter of year 2011 which posted at lobby, the IE of Phase V was mixed into the account of Phase I to Phase IV and thus the accumulated surplus of Phase III was diluted.

An owner is not satisfied with those handling of MO and filed to the Lands Tribunal of the captioned financial problem (Case Ref; LDBM 122/2010).  The case has been scheduled hearing in July of this year.

4.   The Committee’s concerns for the Development of Public Housing near Caribbean Coast

Member, Mr. Jeff Lam point out that the consultation from Lands Department about pre-work of the Lot 56, Construction of Public Housing was only 7 days notice (including public holiday).  He thought that it was a waste of land resources to build public housing near the sea.

The committee supports the government to build the public housing; however, it was really a mis-allocation of resources and planned inappropriately to construct the 47-49 storeys building which will be the highest level of public housing in Hong Kong.  There will be a negative impact for the environment, security and house prices of Caribbean Coast.  The Committee cooperated with the Development of Owners’ Committee (DOC) against the Tung Chung Area 56 for public housing development in the signature campaign of geological exploration works.  The signature forms were placed at each tower lobbies from 29 April and those forms were transferred to Lands Department on 4 May.

5.   Impact of Statutory Minimum Wage to Caribbean Coast
   
MTR is the DMC manager of Caribbean Coast, all contracts of the estate was signed between MTR and the designated contractors.  MO stated that the contract signed was a service contract, so the contractor is the employer of the staff working in the estate.  From 1 May, the Statutory Minimum Wage affected part of cleaning staff and the cleaning contract will expire in May of next year.  The clause 28.2 of the relevant contract stated:
If the cost to the Contractor of the performance of the contract shall be increased or reduced by reason of the passing into law after the date of the Contract of any Ordinance, statutory instrument, order, regulation, bye-applicable to the work to be carried out hereunder, compliance by the Contractor therewith shall not entitle the Contractor to any adjustment in the sum payable by the Employer for the provision of the Services.
DOC called meetings on 7 April and 28 April to discuss the Impact of Statutory Minimum Wage to Caribbean Coast.  Please note the notice for the updated situation.

6.   Good News

The committee received the enquiry of the imbalance of trade-mix in Caribbean Bazaar affecting the social function of the Bazaar.  Member, Mr. Jeff Lam urged the sole owner of the Bazaar through the media.  The Committee also reflected the opinion to the representatives of the Bazaar during the DOC meeting.  The second convenience store will open soon in the Bazaar and the requirement of the residents was fulfilled.  The Committee hopes that the function of Bazaar could meet the resident’s needs.

Caribbean Coast Phase III Owners Sub-Committee
Chairman: Mr. Wing Chi Kong, Albert    Secretary: Ms. Leung Chi Ching
Member:
 Mr. Lui Wai Ching, Aloysius 
 Mr. Lam Yuet, Jeff

[charles]

7. Fire door

the door towards the toilets next to Ricacorp/opposite of Green Cafe/under tower 12 in Caribbean Bazaar has now been missing for about 3 weeks. This is a fire door and a breach of safety regulations. As per usual, not a single person gives a damn

how hard can a door be broken?

[CCCL]

The second convenience store will open soon in the Bazaar and the requirement of the residents was fulfilled.  

Sorry, opening a 'second' convenience store - remember it is only replacing a much larger convenience store that was basically evicted - does not fulfill the requirements of residents. Cutting the number of estate agents in half and replacing them with useful merchants and services would be a start.

And speaking of Green Cafe, how is it that they are permitted to operate a restaurant without adequate any ventilation for their 'kitchen' while keeping their doors open all the time? I don't know what they're cooking in there, but the smell is sometimes enough to knock you out.

[JEFF LAM YUET]

The report is about what we have done and what is around us currently, about the store, we may not be able to get everything in this imperfect reality world, but we tried to get something useful to phase 2,3 residents back rather than Nothing if nobody works for us. We will keep working for everyone of you, your support and understanding or even involvement are highly appreciated. Thx for giving me extra advice here, you can be my eyes, and l am your hands as always. Thx again.

[charles]

but you've never answered if the landlord actually lowered the rent to let Circle K into those premises, or was there simply no interest from any property agency to take that space so Circle  saw a good opportunity after 7/11 left.
I can see why 7/11 didn't want it, as the space seems to be very limited. Not sure what they have done but the Toko used to look reasonably sized

[JEFF LAM YUET]

7-11 has been asked more than double the rent to about 240-300k per month which nobody can afford it so they had no choice but leave cc, also the head office of 7-11 is angry with their asking price and decided not to run the shop in cc, besides this, we received complains from residents and we as resident also feel bad about how the landlord runs the mall, so l work with media to give pressure to the landlord as well as talking to them in meeting, etc. They finally also heard our voice so they offered a relatively reasonable rent to circle k shop so we have a store near us on the east side of the mall near phase 2,3 with bakery in-store. I hope it helps to improve/maintain the balance of shop mixture, and it helps to serve our great residents better by still having a convenient store here, thx.

[charles]

\ They finally also heard our voice so they offered a relatively reasonable rent to circle k shop so we have a store near us on the east side of the mall near phase 2,3 with bakery in-store. I hope it helps to improve/maintain the balance of shop mixture, and it helps to serve our great residents better by still having a convenient store here, thx.

that's what you claim that happened, are they(new circle K) actually paying less rent than other shops?
You're big on making it your achievement, but is it really?

[JEFF LAM YUET]

I can't force the landlord to lower its rent, otherwise somebody may say I helped that shop owner with conflict of interest for some non sense(we should know that some people are using dirty tricks to deal with community instead of hard-working real results), but we did speak and act for residents to demand some "EVERYDAY" shops back/keep in CC.  I did requested the landlord not just focus on financial return but also consider our residents' needs, in order to keep traffic of the mall as well as the value of their own investment, etc. They may understand it then offered a reasonable rent to the store so it exists there now.

To me, it doesn't matter if this is an achievement or not in somebody's eyes, as long as the majority of residents support and understand my work. In contrast, it does matter if we have a balanced mixture of shops that serves our residents well. We all can see what's happened, and what's happening. Thanks.

[JEFF LAM YUET]

Since Charles is very interested in things I do, I invite you to join us and act together for a more constructive way to achieve something for our reisdents. Things can be both positive and negative depends on how we see things and how our mind is set. Same theory applies to the results of community works too if energy is spent in questioning without suggestion, why don't we learn to appreciate what is improved or even join us to do some real works, or please feel free to take your own actions to help others if it is hard for you to be with me on the same side. I look forward to having more active workers to contribute your personal/family time, money and heart to make Tung Chung/CC a better place. Good luck to TC. Thanks.

[charles]

I wouldn't call it 'very interested' but rather a bit intrigued. you could be a quality politician in a real democracy