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HK$20 billion allocated to buy properties for welfare facilities will not be enough to fund premises earmarked, Hong Kong government paper reveals
- Social Welfare Department releases list of about 160 facilities in the city’s 18 districts, including 55 elderly activity centres and 28 childcare centres
- Plan drew questions over why high demand for services for elderly and disabled people in certain areas was not addressed adequately
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A staggering HK$20 billion allocated to a government plan to buy private properties for welfare facilities will not be enough to fund all the premises earmarked and critics say the proposal will fail to help the districts most in need of such services, it has been revealed.
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Instead of the 130 facilities announced in February’s budget, the welfare department released a list of about 160 in the city’s 18 districts on Monday, including 55 elderly activity centres and 28 childcare centres.
The plan, submitted to the Legislative Council, immediately drew questions over why the high demand for services for elderly and disabled people in areas such as Tin Shui Wai, Kwun Tong and Wong Tai Sin, was not addressed adequately.
“Although it is envisaged that the ceiling of HK$20 billion [US$2.6 billion] allocation will not be sufficient to purchase premises for all the proposed facilities, we will optimise the use of public funds as far as possible to buy as many premises as we can,” the paper read.
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“Priority will be given to facilities in acute shortage, such as childcare centres and day care centres for the elderly.”
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