$200-- enough for disabled commuters?

(a news story which will soon be published in The Young Reporter- 2008 Issue 6)

It focused on the needs of people with disabilites and in what ways the transportation fares influence their daily life. It also investigated the differences between increasing the amount of Disability Allowance by $200 a month and offering half-fare Octopus Card, in terms of achieving the goal of helping them to intergrate into the society.

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Written by Chloe So

While Financial Secretary John Tsang has won the applasue of the public for the "wealth to people" policies in his first budget, the disabled, who have been fighting for half-fare transport services for years, are disappointed with it.

The Legislative Council, in the past four years, passed the motions of calling for the offer of concessionary fares and improvement of transport facilities to the disabled, helping them to integrate into the society.

But the government didn't take any actions until this year.

According to the finacial budget released on 27 Feburary, instead of launching half-fare scheme or offering half-fare Octopus Card to the disabled, the government will give $200 more a month to the recipents of Disability Allowance, and recipients of Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) with 100 per cent disability..

It is estimated that it will involve an expenditure of $230 million a year and benefit 96000 people with diabilities.

Mrs Lee, a 45-year-old blind woman, who depended on the Disability Allowance and his son for living, criticised that the government did not face up their needs.

"I try not to go out unless it is necessary. I go out usually becasue I need to go to hospital to see doctor or visit my old mother. The transportation fares are expensive to me," she said, adding that she mainly travelled by bus.

"I don't have a job and my son does not earn much money, our life is hard. Sometimes, I want to join some activities like job training held by disabled concerned groups, but I think I can't afford transport fares," she continued.

Mr. Chan, a 50-year-old man with his legs disabled, who has a 15-year-old daughter and depended on CSSA to support their living, said giving $200 more would not help.

Chan, who lives in Tin Shui Wai, said he needed to go to rehabilitation centre and see doctor regularly and his transport expense was around $450 a month.

"If the government really wants to help us or encourage us to go out more often, it should continue to discuss with the transport corporations and provide us with concessionary fares, but not giving us a little more money," he said.

"Sometimes I want to to go out and spend more time with my daughter, but the transportation fares are expensive."

Chan also said that the high inflation made their life harder than before and he needed to save money in different aspects.

Legislative Council member of social welfare constitutency, Dr. Fernado Cheung Chiu-hung, said the government "was not giving what the disabled needed".

"When we call for the offer of concessionary fares to the disabled, our meaning is to encourage them to use public transport more often and create a more assimilated society, but it cannot be achieved by simply giving them more money," said Cheung.

"Without the participation of public transport coporations, it loses the meaning behind. They should bear the social responsibility," he continued.

Cheung said that some disabled may choose to spend the increased amount on other aspects like food and medical expenses.

Mr Wong Chiu-yeung, 48, whose legs became disabled after an accident, depended on Higher Disability Allowance ($2340 a month) and his two sons for living.

He said he preferred increasing the amount of Disbility Allowance to half-fare transport services.
"For me, I spend most of the time at home. There are some disabled like me who seldom go out or cannot go out becasue of disabilites, not becasue the transport is expensive," he said.

He said, if the government offered concessionary fares, it would not benefit him too much.

"It [increasing the Disability Allowance] is more direct and flexible, becasue we can decide how to use it by ourselves. When we do not need to spend on transport, we can save some money for future use."

"If I can choose, I hope the government help us in job training or provide some job opportunities to us, so that we can support the living ourselves," he said.

Among all kinds of public transport, only ferry companies offer concessionary fares to the disabled.

It was previously reported by the media that, the government tried to persuade the transport coporations to offer half-fare scheme or half-fare Octopus Card to the disabled when the plans were still worked out. But they didn't becasue it was not ecomomical and it would result in high administration costs.

The MTR Corporation refused to comment on the issue.

(End)

More photos:

Some disabled concerned groups also call for the improvement of facilities of public transportations and public areas to create a no-barrier society for the disabled.