Social welfare chief stresses healthy menus
The government’s social welfare chief said yesterday that it is studying the modus operandi of its plan to provide healthy menus for senior citizens in the community in collaboration with the restaurant sector, as it is still gathering opinions on the matter from various segments of civil society including the sector.
Yesterday’s remarks came after the government’s initial plan to launch a pilot programme last month to run Macau’s first-ever community canteen for senior citizens, in Coloane’s Seac Pai Van public housing neighbourhood, with each beneficiary expected to pay 20 patacas per meal thanks to a 15-pataca government subsidy.
However, the government said late last month that it had decided to suspend the programme as it was still working on the canteen’s final modus operandi.
The government’s latest remarks about the scheme were made by Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) President Wilson Hon Wai when speaking to reporters yesterday at Macau Tower after addressing a one-day forum hosted by the Macau Women’s General Association (commonly known as Fu Luen) to celebrate the 76th anniversary of its establishment.
When asked by the media yesterday afternoon whether the government was still planning to stick to a fixed price proposal when pushing ahead with its senior canteen programme, like the 20-pataca-per-meal plan mentioned previously, Hon said that the government was now “open to different possibilities, not restricted to any particular model”.
Hon underlined that regardless of its modus operandi in the future, the ultimate aim of the initiative was to enable the silver generation to gain easy access to healthy menus provided “by the market”.
The government’s proposed senior canteen pilot programme was first revealed in late March when Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Wallis O Lam addressed a Q&A session in the legislature’s hemicycle. O said at that time that the government was planning to create Macau’s first 15-minute “community service circle” for senior citizens in the Seac Pai Van public housing neighbourhood on a pilot basis within this year. As a component of the 15-minute community service circle for seniors, O said, the government was planning to launch a pilot programme in the Seac Pai Van public housing neighbourhood in April to run a canteen for senior citizens there.
The sprawling Seac Pai Van public housing neighbourhood comprises a social rental housing estate and three subsidised home-ownership scheme (HOS) estates.
During the legislature’s plenary session in March, Hon said that a meal was expected to cost 35 patacas on average, and due to a 15-pataca government subsidy, each beneficiary was expected to pay 20 patacas per meal.
However, the government said late last month that it had decided not to roll out the programme in the near future as it was still gathering opinions from different segments of civil society including the restaurant sector. More specifically, during a “tea-break” meeting held by the government late last month to gather opinions from residents concerning various topics, Hon said that since the government first revealed the programme in late March, the government had received feedback from various segments of civil society, including concerns raised by restaurants in the Seac Pai Van community about the possible adverse impact on their operations.
Hon said late last month that the government was planning to switch the programme to one aiming to encourage restaurants “in the market” to offer healthy menus for senior citizens in the community, adding that his bureau was in talks with the Health Bureau (SSM), Seac Pai Van restaurants, and catering business associations on the matter.
When asked by reporters yesterday about the senior canteen initiative’s latest updates, Hon underlined that the government is vigorously listening to opinions from the segments concerned including the restaurant sector. He underlined that the ultimate goal was to encourage the catering sector to offer meal options that meet the health needs of older people, which was also an important part of the silver economy.
Hon said that his bureau was collaborating with the Macao University of Tourism (UTM), the Health Bureau, and chef associations to establish healthy catering standards for seniors, with the aim of developing nutritious and tasty meals suitable for them.
When asked yesterday whether the government was still planning to stick to the 20-pataca-per-meal proposal, Hon said that the government was now “open to different possibilities, not restricted to any one particular model, as we are now reconsidering the proposal”.
Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) President Wilson Hon Wai talks to reporters at the Macau Tower Convention and Entertainment Centre yesterday.
Residents walk in Coloane’s Seac Pai Van public housing community last month. – Photos: Tony Wong
