D. Investing for a Caring Society
66. The progress of a society is measured not just in terms of per capita income, air quality and cultural and creative activities, but also in interpersonal relationships. This includes how people care for the disadvantaged and whether they are good Samaritans. These are social benefits that should be brought about by economic development.
67. While our economy is back on track, the extent to which different sectors of the community share the fruits of prosperity varies. Some low-income families are under pressure, and the onset of inflation only makes them more anxious. I fully appreciate their worries and will try my best to alleviate their problems.
68. Experience elsewhere indicates that the most effective way to tackle the poverty problem in the long run lies in reducing inter-generational poverty. The key is to provide the younger generation of low-income families with favourable conditions for upward mobility. To this end, the Government intends to implement a 12-year free education programme and provide more opportunities for retraining. Coupled with the Pre-primary Education Voucher Scheme, these measures can help children of low-income families grow and learn from early childhood to adolescence. We want to enhance their ability to improve themselves and to lay a solid foundation for their future.
69. We will make substantial investment in infrastructure, help our economy power ahead, attract more quality migrants, and provide more training and retraining opportunities for aspiring individuals. All these are essential to create jobs. The Government will actively adopt a multi-pronged approach in dealing with issues concerning people's livelihood, in particular the economic hardship faced by people at the grassroots level.
