In a letter last October I asked why the government did not set an official poverty line. Many others had asked the same question. The reply I got from the government was disappointing, quite feeble, saying in essence that 'it was too difficult for Hong Kong'.
Therefore it came as no surprise when I read the article 'Defining poverty impractical, says chief' (January 14). Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa did not give a clear answer about where the poverty line should be drawn and also said '120,000 children are living on welfare payments'. This figure, as any social worker or charity NGO will tell you, is well understated. The true number is at least three times that - 350,000 children live in dire poverty. That's one in four Hong Kong children and is a cogent reason why most of them suffer from malnutrition, much to the abashment of Mr Tung and cohorts.
What concerns me most, however, is the reference to a radio programme and comments made by Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food York Chow Yat-ngok, which are pure bunkum. He was quoted as saying: 'Many countries have spent years trying to draw a poverty line, but have failed to come to any conclusion.' This is entirely a subjective opinion.
Just about every country produces a poverty line and from this they come to many conclusions. And I think this is where the crux of the matter is. Hong Kong already is reputed to have the biggest rich-poor gap in the world and this would only confirm it.
PAUL GIFFORD, Yuen Long
Hub display usual glitz
