Encouraging Hongkongers to retire across the border offers an alternative for some but cannot be the city’s solution to poverty, welfare experts and groups have said while calling for a blueprint with long-term strategies. They also urged the government to spend money more effectively on poverty alleviation and supporting those in need amid the city’s surging expenditure on welfare.
Professor Paul Yip Siu-fai of the University of Hong Kong (HKU) pointed out, “The expenditure on welfare has been on the rise while the poverty issue has not been solved. That is because the money was not spent effectively.” Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s recent policy address was criticized for not adequately addressing the city’s poverty issues despite increased welfare spending.
In the 2024-25 financial year, Hong Kong allocated approximately HK$127 billion for social welfare, amounting to about HK$350 million per day. Experts are calling for more efficient use of these funds to truly alleviate poverty in the city and provide long-term solutions to support those in need.
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