The plight of the city's jobless and working poor in the spotlight
Falling throughIn the first of a four-part series on poverty, Elaine Yau and Andrea Chen look at how Hong Kong's welfare system is failing the jobless
Former decorator Hung Yiu-wah, 54, is skilled, able-bodied and reasonably fit for his age. Yet he has been on social welfare for 15 years, getting by on the HK$3,500 he gets each month from the government. He applied for assistance in 1998, a year after losing his job, and hasn't been able to get employment since.
Hung's continued joblessness hasn't been for want of trying. As a healthy welfare recipient, he is required to attend two job interviews each month. Clearly, there is something wrong with this picture.
Over the past 15 years, I have not had even one job offer. They all ask me to go home to wait for a call
Not surprisingly, he says the constant cycle of job interviews and rejections has eroded his confidence.
"When you are aged under 50, you must attend four job interviews every month. The government was more lenient after I turned 50," he says. "I've looked for all kinds of jobs - as a coolie [a labourer], vegetable seller and shop assistant. Over the past 15 years, I have not had even one job offer. They all ask me to go home to wait for a call."
Between job interviews, Hung must also perform community service as a condition of receiving welfare.
"You have to work three full days every week," he says. "I work in elderly centres cleaning pipes or sweep the streets. If I don't show up for work, part of my benefit will be deducted."
Although he understands the aim of requiring community service from welfare recipients, Hung doesn't think it helps them; he would rather spend the time attending skills retraining workshops, he says.
