My Hong Kong | Hey, Hong Kong – how about we stop being racist and include foreign domestic workers in the consumption voucher scheme?
- Hong Kong’s consumption voucher scheme has been extended to non-permanent residents – but that does not include the 400,000 foreign domestic workers in the city
- This move is class-conscious and, to be blunt, racist. The positive impact these overseas workers’ contributions have on our economy should not be overlooked
When I heard the news that the Hong Kong government would be extending the consumption voucher scheme to non-permanent residents, I thought “Great! Finally, they are being more inclusive.”
It became clear, however, that the extension would not include some of the most deserving residents in our community: the 400,000 foreign domestic workers, most of whom are from Indonesia and the Philippines.
The consumption voucher scheme, dispensed in two instalments worth HK$5,000 (US$637) each, is intended to boost spending in the local economy.
The first instalment was disbursed in April this year.
And to add insult to injury, these eligible non-permanent residents require no minimum period of stay to qualify for the bursary (they could have arrived in the city only days earlier).
