Cagemen bring Christmas cheer and and criticism to Governor

ARMED with a Christmas tree and a card, 16 cagemen marched to Government House yesterday to commemorate the death of seven men in a hostel fire three years ago.

As they handed their gifts to a policeman outside, they took the chance to criticise the Government for leaving the problem of cagemen unsolved.

Chan Yiu-kin, 47, who lost three friends in the Shamshuipo hostel fire on December 24, 1990, said the present criteria for the Compassionate Rehousing scheme was ''too harsh''.

Under present conditions, people can be rehoused only if they are over 50, have savings of less than $20,000, and a stable income of less than $3,000 a month.

He said cagemen did not qualify because they did not get a steady wage.

Kong Siu-wai, a community worker with the Society for Community Affairs Organisation's Cage Home Concern Group, said after the Shamshuipo fire, the Government promised to give 1,000 of the 4,000 cagemen new homes.