Sing Tao News - Translated article about Post Sandy Forum at Lin Sing Association

restaurant owner Wallace Lai ,HK Station

"After more than 10 years of restraint they now burst out; Chinatown business owners all rise up and howl after the storm"

08^th Nov 2012

Our reporter Wong Dik in New York reports from Sing Tao NY

Improper policies made for Chinatown led to the barely breathing of economy for 10 years. Now it is stricken by the Northeast storm just right after the Storm Sandy. Difficult situations forced peoples’ anger exploded at an event in the Lin Sing Association yesterday (08th Nov), Chinatown business owners howled to the politicians and a representative from non-profit organization.

Yesterday, several business owners were invited to the Lin Sing Association. They expected that they will receive subsidies for their losses however the speakers just gave a bunch of empty words and hastily introduced the procedures of applying for loans and insurance claims on Internet.  The owner of Hong Kong Station (Wallace) Lai Chi Fung was the first to start revolt. He said angrily. "What’s the purpose of invitation? We can fill in the forms on Internet at home! What you these agencies can provide us? If it is wasting time, we’d rather go back and do more businesses!"

Lai Chi Fung couldn’t have sleep for days already. He came to blame with a pair eye bags which are large enough for shopping.  "Chinatown business owners are leading a very hard time after the storm and we have to continue to pay the rents, utilities and wages. The economy in Chinatown is so bad but community agencies are telling their own stories. How to revitalize the economy in Chinatown after all? Who can tell me! "

Lai Chi Fung’s comments are quite strong and the words go to the point. He won applause from everywhere at the scene. Consultant of the Lin Sing Association (Eddie) Chiu Man Sang who was one of the organizer originally had nothing to do with the matter however he had no choice but to meet the trick. He pointed out that it is a long-term problem in Chinatown and lots of other things are involved. But Lai Chi Fung was so aggressive. At last Eddie Chiu Man Sang was completely thrown off by the questions and exclaimed, "I have meetings with the government everyday. I will ask the mayor and governor to come." The business owners expected to receive subsidies at Lin Sing however they got the opposite of what they wanted therefore the atmosphere became more and more intense. Eddie Chiu Man Sang then simply and directly put that “The theme today is to send out blankets!" The boss of Shanghai Asian Manor pleaded with tactful words saying that it is a better choice for the community agencies to take some actual actions.

The Director of Human Resources Center Lee Hong Sing is the only representative from non-profitable organization, however finally he became the target of attacks for no reason. Facing attacks from the business owners, this gentleman was also struggling to cope. He claimed himself is a victim too because the Human Resources Center hotlines went dead. He also turned and threw the question to the ChinatownPartnership Local Development Corporation (CPLDC) saying that it is an organization established for economic development in Chinatown. When speaking about CPLDC, the owner of Man Yau Stationery Lee Kwok Wai whose shop in the Confucious Plaza was filled with pent-up anger. He complained, "We don’t’ want to listen to the truths and theories. Just tell us what we can do for you? And what you can do for us?"

The owner lady of Bayard Street Old Sichuan Mrs. Chu probably ate too much chili so she was especially fierce yesterday. She lashed out directly, "Loans are not what we want, we need direct subsidies, just like those after 911. This time it is even worse than 911. Where are Lau Sun Yat and Councilmember Margaret Chin? Why do politicians come for money for elections and they disappeared when we need helps?" It’s hard to tell for the past 40 years, but Margaret Chin indeed tried to fight for direct subsidies for owners of small businesses, even if there are no actual results. 14:00 today she will also work with other politicians for an aiding event held in the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent.

Finally, Mrs. Chu appeared to be helpless, and raised a suggestion with a no-harm-to try attitude, "Maybe one of you can give 500 dollars to each of our employees, 300 dollars will do anyway! Regretfully the speakers looked at each other and do not know what to do."

Menin’s telling her own story and people don’t bother to hear it

In fact, Julie Menin who is the former chairman of the First Community Board came to donate 500 blankets. She was running for the district head and originally intended to take this event to win people's hearts. However and to her surprise, she was lost to the bewilderment when the business owners threw their complaints in Chinese to her. 

Business owners sitting at the front were exasperated. The elders kept staring at the blankets behind the speakers because they actually came for the blankets.  Ng Aan Sim who is the owner of Amazing 66 Restaurant lost patience after sitting for a while. She kept showing the whites of eyes and finally threw a "Waste of time", left with the owner of the Red Egg David Wan each with a blanket under their arms. 

Some politicians, non-profit organizations and trade unions in Chinatown are still remained at the thoughts of civil rights movement in the 1960s, and not keeping up with the immigrants’ positive objectives of climbing the social ladder. Some of them were driven by the principle of “Weak forces demanding strong non-profitable policies”. As consequences, many wrong population, housing and economic policies were produced in the past 40 years which resulting in poverty and aging problems in Chinatown and therefore pulling out an endless stream of social and economic problems. These parties usually play the role of "A troop representing a just cause", but they sacrifice people’s benefits because the policies are only for their own institutional and political interests. Flushing and the 8th Avenue are also Chinese communities but their practices are widely divergent as they are helping Chinese immigrants to build up wealth. Even though the business owner spoke out of the topic and complained at a wrong event, but this outbreak tells that the business owners have long been aware of the facts thus became unbearable. It is worthy for the community agencies to ponder and introspect.

Ng Aan Sim  (rt) who is the owner of Amazing 66 Restaurant lost patience 

after sitting for a while.

Lin Sing Association, founded in 1900, hosted Gov. Paterson today

Lion dancers and supporters from the Fujianese and Haka community, as well

as Chinatown businesses and residents joined in the "parade" walk from

Lin Sing to Golden Unicorn Restaurant on East Broadway

Lin Sing's Eddie Chiu (left of the Gov.)  and James Wong (right of Gov.) hosted Gov. Paterson in Lin Sing headquarters, also present George Hu  (left) assistant to Gov. Paterson

From City Hall News "Chinatown pushes back against Mayor's reelection"

photo - city hall news



Chris Bragg of City Hall News
Sept. 18th 09

Closing of Park Row, Chatham Square development create backlash for Bloomberg

When he ran for re-election in 2005, Mayor Michael Bloomberg had few bigger boosters than Eddie Chiu.

Chiu, head of the 109-year-old Lin Sing Association social club in Chinatown, allowed Bloomberg to use the group’s six-story headquarters on Mott Street as his Chinatown campaign office—and the mayor proceeded to take upwards of 80 percent of the vote in the neighborhood, winning the overwhelming support of Chiu and other small business owners.

But four years later, Chiu said his feelings have changed dramatically.

Far from allowing the mayor to use his office, Chiu is now refusing to endorse Bloomberg, despite numerous entreaties from his campaign. In fact, he recently allowed an anti-Bloomberg group to hold a press conference at the group’s headquarters blasting the mayor.

“It’s very different from when he was running for a second term, to where he is now,” Chiu said. “A lot of people in Chinatown have had a change of heart. I think they’ll vote for Thompson.”

Bill Thompson has been trying to take advantage of the unrest, making several campaign stops in the neighborhood and holding a press conference at Park Row in late June to receive the endorsement of the Civic Center Residents Coalition. The population flexed its political muscles recently by electing Margaret Chin to the Council and unseating incumbent Alan Gerson.

A bike lane on Grand Street that further narrowed the already tight street is a major concern, but Park Row appears to be the main point of contention for Chinatown voters. The thoroughfare once connected Chinatown with the rest of Lower Manhattan, but was shut down after 9/11 because of concerns about an attack on 1 Police Plaza.

Eight years later, the street remains closed.

Residents say that this has crippled both the economy and the quality of life in Chinatown, choking it from the rest of Manhattan, with traffic often clogging neighborhood streets.

Late last year, the Economic Development Corporation, the Department of Transportation and the Police Department proposed a fix to alleviate the traffic flow problems: a $50 million plan to redevelop Chatham Square, a complicated seven-way intersection south of the Brooklyn Bridge.

Most Chinatown business and civic leaders, however, have objected to the plan since it would essentially make the closing of Park Row permanent.

They also say it was developed without hearing concerns from affected residents.

“We’ve made offers and proposed many alternatives,” said Jeanie Chen, of the Civic Center Residents Coalition, a group that advocates for the reopening of Park Row. “But the mayor’s office wants to do this without community input.”

Bloomberg appears aware of the unrest. In late June, he held a private dinner with 10 leading members of the Chinese business community and members of the Chinese press. Following the meeting, the Chinese press declared that the mayor had indicated he was open to reopening of Park Row.

But when reporters then followed up with the mayor’s office after the meeting, it denied that the mayor had made any such promise.

The Bloomberg campaign did not respond to a request for comments on this or other issues related to Chinatown, or about his standing in the neighborhood.

Justin Yu, head of the powerful Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association business group, attended the dinner. A Bloomberg ally, Yu said that the mayor had promised to delay the start of the Chatham Square development—it had been scheduled to begin in July—and had not specifically promised to advocate for Park Row’s reopening.

Yu, who is considered so influential locally that some people call him the mayor of Chinatown, said that though he opposed the Chatham Square proposal, he would continue to support Bloomberg because of the mayor’s record on education and crime.

“Nobody satisfies people 100 percent of the time,” Yu explained.

Others contend that Yu has divided loyalties because his daughter, Pauleen Yu, is the Chinatown liaison for Bloomberg’s community affairs unit.

And they say the mere fact that Bloomberg is speaking only to the Chinatown elite, rather than seeking input from the community at large, represents the mayor’s attitude towards its residents.

“It’s indicative of a selective, colonial mentality,” said Jan Lee, a Chinatown small business owner and opponent of Bloomberg’s proposal. “In colonial situations, government has chosen to speak only to a select few leaders. They stay away from the masses.”

Others in the community wonder if the unrest with Bloomberg is as deep as some of the rhetoric suggests. During the 2005 campaign, they note, Bloomberg made a concession to the community by allowing bus traffic to again begin traveling down Park Row.

But Lee said that while Thompson has been campaigning often in the neighborhood, Bloomberg had not yet held an appearance.

“He can’t walk down Mott Street anymore,” Lee said. “We will no longer welcome him with open arms. And he knows that.”

--
ABOVE: Bill Thompson has been nurturing support among a Chinatown community unhappy with the mayor’s record, gaining support from local leaders like Jan Lee, a small business owner and executive vice president of the Civic Center Residents Coalition

Norman Siegel on the campaign trail in Chinatown - Lin Sing hosts the public Advocate Candidate

Norman Siegel was hosted by the 109 year old Lin Sing Association in Chinatown at 49 Mott St. on Saturday the 25th.

Eddie Chiu of Lin Sing hosted two candidates on Saturday, Leslie Crocker Snyder for Manhattan district attorney, and Norman Siegel for public advocate.

The Civic Center Residents coalition introduced Mr. Siegel to Eddie Chiu, a man who has been featured in the New York Times as a political powerhouse in Chinatown.

“He’s becoming a regular kingmaker,” said Mei Hua Ru, the political director for Councilman John Liu of Flushing, Queens. “Whoever he touches gets elected.” - NY Times 10/8/08

Norman's approximately 30 minute presentation touched on subjects that included the role of the Public Advocate, what he would bring to the office, and how the public advocate can negate the need for Business Improvement Districts in Chinatown. He also talked about how he personally objects to the undemocratic nature of BID's as a whole.

He talked about how he would bring public advocate volunteers into each and every neighborhood to hear complaints on a regular basis to report to the public advocate.

"Problems that are systemic, those which affect groups of people, we will take that fight on as well and we'll do it by trying to persuade people but if that doesn't work, then I'll take them to court and sue them FOR the people." said Norman.


Norman spent a few minutes to talk about his objection to the Chatham Square plan presented by the D.O.T. and he presented a letter which he personally wrote. It was addressed to the Lower Manhattan Development Committee (LMDC) who would be responsible for 50% of the funding for the City's Chatham Square project.. Norman knew about the controversy surrounding the Chatham Square project and assured the audience that he agreed with the Chinatown community in asking the LMDC to reconsider funding a project that was so ill conceived and unpopular.

Jan Lee, a Chinatown resident and business owner shared with the audience his own experience as a defendant represented by Norman. Jan's employee was the victim of false arrest and Jan's office was illegally searched by a D.E.P. officer. Jan said that although he possessed a valid license to deal in antique ivory, a D.E.P. officer interrogated his employee for four hours eventually gaining entry to Jan's office where he found ivory pieces. This, according to the officer, was enough to handcuff and process the employee due to the dollar value of the ivory. Jan's employee spent a night in jail after being led out of the store in handcuffs, an embarrassing and traumatic experience.
According to Seigel, although the license in the display case at Jan's store showed an expired date on it, a simple five minute phone call would have revealed that Jan possessed an up to date license, but since Jan was away on business the new document was not yet on display.
Jan explained that had it not been for Norman's notoriety and reputation as a fighter and defender of civil rights, the charges against Jan would not have been dropped. Jan said that Norman would bring his expertise, his notoriety, and his professional career to the office and that Chinatown would benefit greatly from this.

The presentation was attended by approximately 75 Lin Sing members, Chinatown business owners, and residents from the Chinatown and lower East side area. Representatives from Chatham Towers, Chatham Green, and Southbridge Towers were also present.

Norman Siegel's words were punctuated enthusiastically by Eddie Chiu's translation. Mr. Chiu's energetic delivery often times caused raucous applause by the mostly Chinese speaking audience.

After the presentation many audience members clambered to pose for pictures with the candidate, Mr. Siegel obliged while answering questions, even pausing to kiss a woman on the cheek.

Chiu and Siegel stood in the middle of the crowd and discussed Chinatown issues, politics, and the race as Lin Sing members prepared the room for the next order of business , the singing club. Within moments after the picture taking the room broke into Chinese folk songs. Siegel was being guided away from the singers with an audience member as they continued to talk about Chinatown.