Stage 3 ***

The policy that can used nowadays world-widely to eliminate poverty can be classified to 3 groups.

A. Short-term Financial allowance

eg. CSSA

B. Long-term policy

eg. Provide better education, MPF

C. To protect the interests of the labours

eg. Minimum wages

A. Short Term Policy: For the poor in Hong Kong, they can enjoy the following allowance or can be subsidized in the following way. 1.Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA)(Exist in HK)

This scheme is aimed to provide a safety net for the low-income people, this let them to meet the prescribed standard.However, the applicants must willing to seek for a full-time job. Also, the applicant must satisfy the financial test and residence requirement.

2..Social Security Allowance (SSA) Scheme(Exist in HK)

This scheme is aimed to provide a more comprehensive help to 65+ people or disabled person. Also, there is no need to process the financial test for the applicant except Normal Old Age Allowance.

3. Free Wavier For Medical Services( (Exist in HK)

In order to provide essential medical services, so it is designed for low-income earners.

4. Unemployment subsidy

The government give unemployment subsidy for those people who are out of job temporary. This can help people to maintain their costs of livings during the unemployment period. This also allows them to have long time to find a better job. A lot of political parties in Hong Kong have suggested this policy.

B. Long Term Policy: The Government is trying to do better in different ways, trying to improve the living condition of the poor.

1. Raise the education level (Exist in HK)

The government helps to raise the education level of the poor people. This can help the people to have higher chance to find a better job with more income.

2. Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) (Exist in HK)

HK has MPF which can help the people to save some money for the use after their retirement.

3. Medical insurance scheme

For the old people, they may spend more expenses on medical treatments. If the government can set up a medical insurance scheme for them, this can help them to cover the medical expenses under the insurance cover. It has suggested to implement this policy before, but the reponse from the people and mass media were not really satisfactory. As a result, the suggestion was failed.

C. To protect the interest of the labour

For a capitalist society, the employer may deprived their employees from normal wages or working hours. This affect the living standard of the labour very much.

So, the government must use some ways to protect their interest.

1. Minimum wages

This can help the people to have reasonable income to improve their living standard. HKGOV has promised to form a group to look into the standard of the minimum wages.

2. Maximum working hours

This can help to create more job opportunities and get rid of being deprived. It has been still discussing in HK.

Written by: Chan Kei Fung Edward

Leung Ho Yin Joe