Help urged for supermarket arsonist Alex’s reintegration into society

The attorney representing Alex Feng, the man responsible for starting a fire at a local supermarket, is seeking the support of NGOs and human rights organizations to help reintegrate his client into society.

Feng was released from prison earlier this year and has been living at the Navy Base in Coolidge due to his lack of a passport and independent housing.

However, his attorney, Wendel Alexander, is concerned about the lack of a viable plan for Feng’s reintegration into the community.

Alexander believes that the authorities should collaborate with NGOs and other relevant organizations to create a plan that would allow Feng to be reintegrated back into society.

In a statement aired on Observer Radio in St John’s Antigua, Alexander expressed his disappointment with the lack of suggestions on how to support Feng’s livelihood and reintegrate him back into the community.

Tianzhao “Alex” Feng, a 31-year-old Chinese national, was brought to Antigua via St Lucia, where his passport was subsequently taken away from him.

During court proceedings, it was revealed that Feng had suffered from inhumane working and living conditions, coupled with physical abuse.

Feng was one of nine Chinese nationals employed at the store who lived on the premises.

He had been employed for four years as a warehouse clerk and resided in living quarters at the back of the supermarket that were said to be infested with rats and cockroaches. Despite working 12-hour shifts, Feng was being paid just EC$900 per month.

The incident that led to Feng’s arrest occurred in the early hours of the morning when he allegedly set his bed alight while drunk before accessing the store and starting a fire.

Despite the severity of his charges, Alexander believes that Feng deserves a chance at a normal life and should not be condemned to a life of isolation.

While Alexander has not yet approached the government on the matter, he hopes that NGOs and other organizations will come forward with proposals to help Feng reintegrate back into society.