LettersAs Covid-19 hits Hong Kong jobs and earnings, can CLP, Towngas and HKT do more for struggling families?

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Lights on at one window at a Hong Kong hotel on March 25. The city’s tourism and hospitality sectors have been struggling to cope with the loss of business following the coronavirus outbreak. Photo: Reuters

Published: 8:00am, 30 Apr 2020Updated: 8:00am, 30 Apr 2020

In view of job losses and the loss (or reduction) of income for some Hongkongers, and the hardship facing many in the tourism and related industries, including restaurants, the government is providing relief in a number of ways. This is commendable. Hopefully, such steps will help those in distress caused by the Covid-19 outbreak.

Apart from these, I would also like to ask what concessions, if any, are being offered by public utilities and internet/broadband service providers?

Public utilities and broadband companies have a virtual monopoly over the goods and services they provide in Hong Kong. The MTR has offered fare concessions. What about other service providers like CLP, Towngas (Hong Kong and China Gas) and HKT?

Given our increasing reliance on online services, HKT needs to consider what concessions it can offer to relieve the financial pressure some families may be under in these difficult times.

These service providers have shown themselves to be conscious of their social responsibility in the past. As a concerned taxpaying Hong Kong resident, I hope that they will continue to be so responsible.

M. Shah, Tai Po

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