Welfare houses belie promise

It is shameful that a large number of government-subsidized houses have been left unused in Guiyang, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou province, where many low-income residents cannot afford an apartment at market prices.

Due to the lack of power and water supplies and other basic facilities, the 30,000 low-priced homes built with a government investment of 8.54 billion yuan ($1.34 billion) are visible but inaccessible to those who need them.

When asked for an interview by China Central Television reporters following the problem's exposure by the National Audit Office, Liu Zhu, director of Guiyang's housing authority, denied his official title and rejected the interview demand.