Hong Kong government pensions meeting cut short after bubble gun protest
The consultation on retirement protections, chaired by Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng, ended slightly early after protesters rushed the stage
The last public hearing session on the government’s retirement protection consultation in Tai Po was cut short by a few minutes on Saturday, after the chief secretary’s speech was interrupted by protesting calls from the audience.
“This session was better than the previous four ... I hope we started well and can end well,” said Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor at the last of five public hearing sessions. Unfortunately, her comments were made too early, when protesters rushed towards the stage – one with a bubble gun spraying bubbles around – which caused Lam to abandon the meeting without finishing her speech.
The six-month public consultation over retirement protection slated to end in June had caused controversy, with the public sessions often becoming heated protest sites.
Cheng continued the government rhetoric that a universal pensions scheme is “unaffordable” and would be a waste of public funds as the money would be spread across all elderly citizens, instead of targeting the poor ones.
Much of the argument comes from groups who advocate for a universal scheme, opposed to the government suggestion of distributing around HK$3,300 a month for elderly Hongkongers who have assets of HK$80,000 or less.
Members of the public in turn criticised the government’s harsh criteria, with one saying that HK$80,000 in assets “isn’t even enough to deal with funeral expenses” and expressed disappointment at the government’s attitude and suggestions.
Many of those who attended the meeting supported a retirement protection scheme without any asset limit or test, while others complained that the government-suggested asset limit was too low, which would exclude most elderly people.
In the consultation document, a means-tested pension scheme with the asset limit at HK$80,000 was suggested – which meant only 23 per cent of all elderly people in the city would qualify.
