Hong Kong’s Link pledges review of business practices in wake of criticism
The group running shopping malls and parking facilities made pledge at meeting with district council chairmen and deputies
Link Asset Management chairman Nicholas Charles Allen and his top management team have pledged to review their business practices in the wake of criticism over the impact of its policies on small stallholders and the disabled.
They made the pledge in a meeting on Thursday with chairmen and vice-chairmen of the territory’s 18 district councils.
But the chairman of the body that manages Link Reit, which runs shopping malls and parking facilities in Hong Kong public housing estates, was said to be “evasive” and “defensive” under questioning from councillors.
Sha Tin District Council chairman Ho Hau-cheung said a member of the management team even told the councillors not to be misled by political parties and that the situation was not that bad.
“Many of the councillors are from political parties and so they are quite angry. They said they have not been misled. In fact, they used to be supportive of the Link. But now many residents have complained about it,” Ho said.
The meeting came after the Link came under attack over allegations that it was forcing out small shop tenants and replacing them with chain stores, leading to higher prices.