First published: 31st March 2009
Politicians at the Subcommittee on Poverty Alleviation meeting held at the Legco Building on 5th March called for the inclusion of internet charges in the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance scheme (CSSA) to enable poor students to use the internet in their studies. However, Principal Assistant Secretary for Labour and Welfare Cheung Doi- ching rejected the idea, emphasising that the CSSA only provides "basic living needs". He pointed out that the Education Department already provides recycled computers for the 21,000 CSSA students who need them, and includes one-year free internet access in the programme.
Legco member Alan Leong Ka-kit said that the CSSA's definition of "basic living needs" was out of date, having not been reviewed since 1996. Deputations at the meeting, including Sze Lai-shan of the Society for Community Organization and Internet Society chairman Charles Mok Nai-kwong pointed out that, at around HK$150 to HK$200 per month, an internet connection costs more annually than a computer, and is beyond the means of half the CSSA students.