Let those who don’t want to retire work to 65

If the government wants to promote later retirement because of an ageing population, it should start with sectors that actually want it, instead of targeting the most vulnerable.

Many university professors and senior academic staff are still at the peak of their mental powers at 60, and want to continue in their jobs. Likewise, the MTR Corporation, which has a retirement age of 60, should lift it to 65.

The government, however, has been unresponsive, even though it almost wholly funds the city’s public universities and owns 75 per cent of the MTR.

Instead, it targets those aged between 60 and 64 to reduce their welfare benefits. Meanwhile almost one in two taxi drivers are over the age of 60, but little is being done to make sure they stay healthy and alert, both for themselves and road safety. Between 2007 and 2017, drivers aged 60 and above involved in accidents tripled from 1,148 to 3,787. Free but mandatory health assessments may be a place to start.

This is, of course, just common sense, which is rather uncommon among government bureaucrats. There is, however, a more cynical explanation. Some universities and the MTR want to rehire their staff after retirement, but at significantly lower salaries with fewer benefits.