Cash handouts from budget should never be taken for granted
The decision to hand out up to HK$4,000 to 2.8 million people identified as not having directly benefited from the budget was necessary. But while the move has met expectations, there surely has to be a better way of meeting community needs
Give-and-take is a reality of politics. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po has been made aware of that by disenchanted citizens since he delivered the budget last month. He gave into their demands on Friday, handing out payments of up to HK$4,000 to 2.8 million people identified as not having directly benefited from the budget. The decision was necessary given that ignoring the pressure could have led to rejection of the plan in the Legislative Council, but there surely has to be a better way of meeting community needs.
Timing was everything with this year’s budget; it was handed down 11 days before a Legco by-election. Those standing and their political supporters sought to increase appeal to voters by calling on Chan to make greater use of the record HK$138 billion surplus.
They were also capitalising on a general sense of disappointment in the HK$50 billion spending plan, despite it being sound by targeting present needs and ensuring our city is on a stronger footing to confront potential challenges. Failure to adequately consider the poll and political expectations were an unfortunate oversight.
The budget hit the right places, increasing recurrent spending in areas including health and education, looking to long-term investment in economic development like nurturing innovative and creative activities and measures to improve lives, among them funding to boost services for the disabled.