HKFP interviews citizens who wonder why civil servants seem to be relatively unaffected by the government’s attempts to reduce its budget deficit. They also question the point of the cuts to older folks’ transport subsidies – and not without good reason…
The transport subsidy scheme cost the government almost HK$4 billion in the previous fiscal year. Under the new budget, the use of the HK$2 flat public transport fare will be capped at 240 trips per month.
For fares above HK$10, the beneficiaries will need to pay 20 per cent of the original fare.
Labour minister Chris Sun said on Thursday that only around 360 people eligible for the HK$2 transport subsidy took more than 240 trips each month, and only around 25 per cent of the beneficiaries took trips that cost more than HK$10 last year.
Given the costs of updating the Octopus card software to accommodate these changes, plus the rising number of over-60s in the population, are there any actual cost savings at all? If so, how do they compare with, say, a 10-year civil service pay freeze?
From Chinafile, Xi Jinping’s urge to purge. Interesting historical context suggesting parallels with Stalin and Mao…
It is no accident that the communist leader’s concentration of power sits at the center this entire cycle. From the perspective of administrative science, concentration of power is necessary for effective management. In the cases of Stalin, Mao, and Xi, however, power becomes ultra-concentrated. The difference here is not only one of degree, but involves deeper institutional elements. “Institutions” here primarily mean the rules with which power is gained, distributed, and exercised. To put it simply, for effective administration, concentration of power must follow explicit rules, but in conditions of ultra-concentration of power the leader remakes rules at his will. Communist politics by nature tends to yield ultra-concentration, which greatly strengthens the leader’s control but inevitably undermines the governance capability of the regime.
If you’re on Twitter, check out Sean Foley’s photos, mostly of Kowloon backstreets. Reminiscent of of Fan Ho in use of light and shadow,
From YouTube, an old newsreel. It’s 1953, and you can now fly from London to Tokyo by jet in just 36 hours (many of them on the ground at a succession of refueling stops). This is a big deal, since such a flight previously took 86 hours. The bad news: you’re on a Comet. Some nice glimpses of old Manila and Bangkok.
The fact that the $2 subsidy changes won’t even kick in till probably September next year leaves one asking why they even bothered with it. Or if they realised the implementation snags till after the budget speech. Why not just raise the fare to $2.50 – which presumably could be achieved without trained staff visiting every Octopus reader in the territory.
@youngwinston: because that makes too much fucking sense
My guess is that many of the 360 multiple trippers are those worn looking folk I see on MTR to Central every week day lugging multiple large and heavy bags full of documents. Some qualify for the disabled not the elderly card.
They are probably paid per item so the subsidized fare is essential to their no doubt meagre and hard earned income.
The changes are being pushed through before the impact of the compulsory use of Joy-U card that excludes visitors from the benefits can be ascertained.
But lets not let this get in the way of zealous legislators scrambling to demonstrate that they have a clue on how to fill the financial hole.
In the city of my birth, when you reach 65 you get
free public transport. A city that i s nowhere near
as wealthy as HK.
The fact that this change won’t be implemented for 18 months is a two fingered salute to those legislators clamoring for the change while picking
up their cheques for rubber stamping what comes
their way
“Pandastic”, “pandacious”, “pandariffic”, “pandazing”, “pandiferous”, Jesus, this will never stop.
Why not just rename the place Panhong Dakong and get it over with.
@ Hemlock: excellent youtube newsreel. Very interesting on many levels. Thanks.
If they really wanted to save cash and balance the budget they’d have:
1. Cut civil service pay.
2. Cut the frivolous, pointless and unnecessary expense that is LegCo and disbanded it.
3. Ditched 4 pandas.
4. Started charging $2500 for parking fines.
5. Ditched the former CE offices.
The current “budget” is just polishing the turds on the Titanic.
If Octopus ever manage to implement the 80% discount reliably the big FU will be to Outlying Island Wrinklies whose only transport option is a comparatively expensive ferry.