 放大圖片
■香港某團體的食物銀行，為貧困者提供糧食、食物捐贈貧窮人士。 資料圖片
昨日（12月2日）公布的一項調查顯示，近八成受訪的深水埗基層市民認為，最大的生活負擔是食物開支。通脹轉趨升溫，基層市民受影響首當其衝，食物格價飆升加重基層市民生活負擔和壓力。政府需高度重視扶貧工作，採取相應援助措施，包括提供在職貧窮津貼、低收入家庭子女膳食津貼，確保窮人吃得飽。當局應積極與民間合作，推動超市、食肆捐贈食物，發揚愛心協助有需要的人士。
本屆特區政府高度重視貧窮問題，將扶貧作為「三大任務」之一，早前亦重設由政務司司長掛帥的扶貧委員會。協助貧窮人士，不但是政府的責任，全社會亦應主動施以援手，彰顯人間的關愛和溫暖。政府及社會的慈善團體大力合作，推動「食物回收捐助」善舉，呼籲本港各大超級市場、大型食肆參與捐贈食物行動，由慈善團體派發給有需要的基層人士，既為窮人造福，樹立行善助人的良好風氣，又能減少浪費食物，宣揚環保意識，可謂一舉兩得。
Help the poor ease the pressure of rising food prices
According to a survey publicized yesterday, nearly 80% of the grassroots interviewed in Sham Shui Po thought that the greatest burden in their livelihood was the spending on food. As inflation has reverted to a rising trend, the grassroots have to bear the brunt. The rise in food prices will add burden and pressure on the livelihood of the grassroots citizens. The government has to put great emphasis on working towards poverty alleviation and take specific assistance measures including allowance for the working poor and meal allowance for children from low income families to ensure that the poor people have enough food to eat. The authorities should actively work with non-governmental organizations in pushing supermarkets and eateries to donate food in a bid to show that they care and will help people in need.
Placing great emphasis on the issue of poverty, the present HKSAR government has taken in poverty alleviation as one of its "three major tasks". The Commission on Poverty has earlier been reinstated and will be led by the Chief Secretary. In fact, helping the poor is not just the responsibility of the government, but also the community at large. Everyone should take initiative in lending a helping hand to spread care and warmth in the society. The government and community charities should fully cooperate to promote the charitable act of "food recovery and donation" and to call on major supermarkets and eateries to take part in the food donation campaign. Food donated can be delivered by charities to the grassroots in need. This, on the one hand, helps the poor and builds a culture of benevolence; and on the other, contributes to a reduction of food wastage and promotes the awareness of environmental protection. The benefits are two-fold.（節自12月3日香港《文匯報》） ■Translation by Tung-ming [ tunming23@gmail.com ]
逢周五見報
|
放大圖片
