29th January 2023 – (Hong Kong) The Budget will be announced next month, and people from all walks of life are anxious to know whether the government will continue to distribute consumption vouchers. Legislative Councillor Bill Tang Ka-piu attended an event today (29th) and said that the epidemic situation is gradually returning to stability. He believes that consumption vouchers can stimulate local spending power. He also pointed out that the government can distribute “electronic livelihood consumption vouchers” to help citizens maintain their basic living needs.
Tang said that although Hong Kong had a fiscal deficit last year, its financial situation in the past was satisfactory. He believes that the current epidemic situation is gradually returning to stability. He is of the opinion that the government needs to maintain the existing GDP level, in the case of declining exports, it is even more necessary to maintain local consumption. He continued that not all citizens want to “eat, drink and have fun”, and some citizens want to maintain their basic living, so he advocated the distribution of “electronic livelihood consumption vouchers” to pay rates, rent, electricity bills, etc., but he has reservations about giving out cash. Tang also hopes that the government can expedite the cancellation of the Mandatory Provident Fund hedging arrangement, strengthen primary medical care, and raise the minimum wage level.