In a long open letter published in two major newspapers in Hong Kong, the Catholic Church requests that the executive branch curb the increase in the price of houses and put in place a real welfare policy: "a society that neglects the rich-poor disparity is not worthy of being called an advanced or civilized society".

Hong Kong (AsiaNews) - the Hong Kong Government "must intervene to guarantee lower housing prices, better education and more sustainable welfare policies. It is not possible that a million people live in the territory below the poverty line due to economic distortions that have cause prices to soar without improving the lifestyle of the citizens". So writes the Roman Catholic Diocese of the former British colony, in an open letter published in the South China Morning Post and in the Ming Pao - the two major local newspapers - and addressed to the new government of Hong Kong.

The letter covers two pages and is entitled "Some proposals for the New Government of HKSAR from the Catholic Church". In February, the diocese had conducted a similar operation to urge the government to embark on the road to universal suffrage: at present, the territory's electoral law does not provide for a true democratic system but relies on "electoral colleges" chosen by companies or even linked to the Communist regime in Beijing.

In the text, the Church asks the government to "help people find a home at a time when prices are soaring and it becomes difficult to find a place to stay, not to mention live well. The government must also prepare a scheme of subsidies for the working poor who do not receive social assistance". The situation is urgent "because more than a million Hong Kong residents living below the poverty line".

This crisis represents "an abnormal phenomenon in which prices of real estate have grown enough to exceed economic growth. And the latter has failed to improve the quality of life of residents. But a society that chooses to ignore the rich-poor disparity is not worthy of being called advanced or civilized."

In conclusion, the letter calls on the government to "formulate as soon as possible a long-term policy for the population, promote social mobility and take better care of ethnic minorities living in the territory". Dominic Yung Yuk-yu, Director of the office of social communications of the diocese says that the letter "is not directed specifically to Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, but is for everyone's attention".

According to Yung "the diocese could soon publish a third letter, and even if a copy of the last letter was delivered to Leung's office, it is not a challenge but a hand of friendliness to the government".

 

 

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