Help seniors to the full

The Social Welfare Department (SWD) announced on Thursday the first group of 290,000 qualified elderly residents will each receive HK$6,550 on April 5 at the earliest under the Old Age Living Allowance (OALA) scheme - a key component of the SAR government's poverty relief policy - which took effect on December 1. Relevant authorities must carry out this program as best as they can because it will benefit over 400,000 senior citizens.

No effort should be spared to ensure all qualified applicants receive their OALA in full, and no one is in breach of the law if SWD officials fail to spot discrepancies in their means test. The scheme is a temporary assistance program and should be treated as such, which means public deliberation should continue on elderly care policies to better protect the welfare of needy senior residents.

Many elderly residents in need are anxious to learn the details of the application process, but have difficulties in accessing or comprehending related documents. The government should make extra efforts to help them out. The OALA represents the government's commitment to caring for senior members of society and, therefore, should be executed well.

The application process is not really complicated, and the first batch of elderly applicants is not required to provide any additional information to qualify. However, many other potential applicants have doubts over the means test. The government must explain the details so that none of them would inadvertently violate the law because they had misunderstood certain words on the application form. The SWD and district councilors' offices can step up assistance for senior applicants, such as offering consultation and providing lectures to them.

The government's funding request for the OALA had earlier been held back by opposition lawmakers using filibustering tactics. Although it was approved in early December, the actual sum to be forked out, as presented in the upcoming 2013-14 Budget, still needs the nod from the Legislative Council. The public should be prepared to see those opposition politicians resort to their dirty tricks again when the time comes to debate and pass the Budget.

This is an excerpted translation of a Wen Wei Po editorial published on Feb 1.

(HK Edition 02/02/2013 page1)