'Hand Out Cash To Less Well-off On A Regular Basis'

An NGO on Sunday urged the Financial Secretary, Paul Chan, to take on the concept of "common prosperity" extolled by President Xi Jinping and roll out more targeted measures in the upcoming budget, including cash handouts to the unemployed and poor people who don't benefit from public housing or receive welfare.

The government earlier announced offering HK$10,000 to individuals suffering from temporary unemployment as part of the sixth round of anti-epidemic relief fund. The Society for Community Organisation's deputy director, Sze Lai-shan, said there should be a separate subsidy for the underprivileged, as many of them do not qualify for the latest financial assistance.

"Those living under the poverty line, everyone should have $10,000 cash to relieve their problems. And we also request that [the government] 'regularise' the subsidy for those non-CSSA (Comprehensive Social Security Assistance), non-public housing people, [who] are living in cage homes, subdivided flats," she said.

Sze also renewed calls for an unemployment assistance fund, especially when many people have lost their jobs amid the pandemic.

A new migrant to Hong Kong, surnamed Chan, was among those who spoke of their struggles. The 50-year-old woman said she has been unemployed since December last year, and barely surviving on her remaining savings for rent and daily expenses.

Another woman, Keirya, who moved to Hong Kong from Africa a few years ago, said she has to work three days a week and takes care of her family at the same time.

She said she had difficulty applying for financial assistance. "I don't know anything about government support, because everything is in Chinese and I can't read Chinese," she added.