Press Releases

CSSA under constant review to meet social aspirations: SHWF

        The Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, today (December 3) has promised to keep the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Scheme under constant review to ensure the purchasing power of the payments keeps up with the cost of living and the system meets the needs of social aspirations.

        Dr Chow also said he would identify resources and explore with other government departments and/or bureaus to provide further support to the underprivileged especially the elderly, disabled and children in poverty.

        Dr Chow made the remarks when he met with some 100 representatives of 78 CSSA and poverty concerned groups today.

        At the meeting, Dr Chow listened to the views and concerns of the participants and showed his understanding of the difficulties and feelings of CSSA recipients. He reaffirmed the Government's commitment to helping those who could not support themselves financially by providing a safety net of last resort.

        Since the two phases of downward adjustments in CSSA payments were to offset the over adjustments in the past years (1999 to 2002), there was no reason to reset the current CSSA levels back to the original levels in June, 2003, he explained.

        However, Dr Chow promised the administration would closely monitor the movement of the price index and in case inflation picked up and offset the original purchasing power, appropriate adjustments would be initiated.

        Dr Chow also pointed out cash payouts of CSSA should not be narrowly seen as the only safety net to help the needy.

        "There are other safety nets in place to help the needy in the broader sense," he said. "The Government has developed a comprehensive social service network including public health care, public housing, nine-year free education and other forms of assistance, to meet the different needs of the disadvantaged."

        Dr Chow believed the most effective way to address their problems was to provide facilities and services targeted at their special needs.

        He said the Government's finite resources would target the most needy such as the severely disabled and children in poverty. The able-bodied and non able-bodied categories under the CSSA system would be tackled separately, he added.

        In the coming year, Dr Chow said the Government would continue to review the CSSA system to ensure the payments were sufficient to cover the basic needs of the recipients.

Ends/Friday, December 3, 2004

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