Hong Kong government slammed as poverty figure hits six-year high
Administration summit hears 20,000 more people were impoverished in 2015 than in previous year, bringing the total to 1.34 million
The government’s efforts to alleviate poverty came under renewed criticism on Saturday as it was revealed that the number of impoverished Hongkongers surged to a six-year high.
The Hong Kong Poverty Situation Report 2015, the last study unveiled by the current administration at the Commission on Poverty summit on Saturday, is also regarded as an indicator of the performance of Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, who placed particular emphasis on tackling poverty in his election manifesto four years ago.
Social workers said on Saturday that Leung had failed the task as they argued his administration had not got to the root of the problem over the years.
The poverty line, first set up by the government in 2013, is drawn at half the median household income according to household size.Those living below it are considered poor.