For the newly launched Commission on Poverty, its top priority is to help people in dire need of assistance -- namely, those suffering as a result of poorly paid employment, children and the elderly, said Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food York Chow yesterday.

Chow is a member of the commission, an anti-poverty initiative announced in the chief executive's 2005 Policy Address. He was speaking prior to the commission's first meeting scheduled for Friday.

Occupational poverty comes as a result of people earning far less than enough to support themselves and their families, Chow explained.

Due to the technical difficulties in locating the neediest people, assistance in the form of education, medical services and traffic fare subsidies will be offered to the children, Chow said.

"People living in occupational poverty are reluctant to approach social workers for help. For this reason, we will provide indirect assistance to their children," he said.

"Apart from education and medical services, we will consider subsidizing their traffic fares, especially for children living in the new towns," he said.

The welfare chief cited Tin Shui Wai, an outlying town notorious for social and family problems, as an example.

"I have visited Tin Shui Wai several times and found that the local community is rather isolated from the urban areas," Chow said.

"This will be no good for young people who live there to integrate with society if they cannot attend social activities or find jobs in urban areas."

Although the form of traffic fare subsidies is not yet determined, Chow was quick to rule out the possibility of direct cash assistance.

It is difficult to decide who will be subsidized, he said. Thought has to be given to the incurring of huge administrative costs and the greater pressure on the system of Comprehensive Social Security Assistance.

"We will carefully consider the subsidy pattern and we haven't got any clue yet, but our basic principle is a simple and straightforward method that will help the children," he said.

"Once we reach a consensus, we will discuss with the stakeholders (including the public transport bodies) and I am quite optimistic about this."

With Financial Secretary Henry Tang serving as the chairperson, the poverty-relief commission aims to provide a forum for different sectors of the community to work together to study and explore ways to help the poor in terms of their financial, employment, education and training needs.

Comprising government officials, legislative councillors, business people, non-government organizations and academics, the commission is also tasked to tackle the problem of inter-generational poverty.

(China Daily February 16, 2005)