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SCMP Reporter

There have been many press reports of late about the issue of poverty in Hong Kong.  
The latest statistics show that the number of people living in poverty in the SAR went up by 19 per cent in the first three-quarters of last year and more than one person in nine is living below the breadline.
 While I accept that the government has tried to address the problem of poverty and to alleviate it, its policies have not been effective.
 I agree with critics who say that the policies adopted by the administration have failed to address the problem.  
It has tried to deal with unemployment and the economic problems in Hong Kong, but has failed to do enough for people on low incomes.  
 Over the past few years we have seen improvements in the gross domestic product. But by contrast we have seen the plight of the poor get steadily worse.  Although the government has tried hard to help social enterprises in order to create employment opportunities for the disadvantaged, the wages they get are still too low to enable them to escape the poverty trap.  
In fact, last year there was an increase in the unemployment rate. 
Many underprivileged people are still unable to secure employment. They cannot achieve their goal of getting a job.  
 The welfare offered by the government in the form of the CSSA can only offer a bit of help to poor citizens, and some may not be eligible for it.  
In fact, some people want to be self-reliant and  are reluctant to apply for CSSA because they do not want to be stigmatised. 
Also, some of them want to make a contribution to society instead of taking CSSA payments.  
CSSA will not solve the underlying causes of poverty.
 The government's efforts to help cleaners and security workers through the Wage Protection Movement have been unsuccessful.  
 Very few companies came forward to support the movement, which was voluntary. 
The administration   concluded that there was only so much it could achieve  through voluntary participation. 
Very few poor people were able to secure a job with a reasonable salary. 
This was another government policy that did  not work.  
Given that previous policies have failed to help the underprivileged, the government must do more.  
 That is why I believe we must introduce statutory minimum wage legislation.
 I think such a law could ease poverty in Hong Kong. 
I would like to see officials and the public trying to work together, in a united approach, to try to  solve the SAR's problem with regard to poverty in society.  
So Ying-kin, Wong Tai Sin



Government policies aimed at easing poverty have failed