Make sure fair's fair as options weighed to amend $2 travel

We can expect changes to the HK$2 transport subsidy for the elderly - it's just a question of how they will be implemented.

The community has been active in suggesting how to cut spending in respect of the transport subsidy. For example, Executive Council member Lam Ching-choi has proposed limiting the use of the scheme for those aged under 65.

The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce has been more specific, suggesting the scheme be capped at 750 trips per year for those aged 60 to 64 - enough for an elderly person to go out and return home by public transport once a day.

Some suggestions are more compassionate.

For example, whether or not acting out of fear that they might lose elderly votes in the legislature's elections later this year, the city's largest political party, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, is among a handful that have spoken against restricting the 60-to-64 age group's access to the HK$2 scheme.

As the debate rages on over the ways to amend the scheme, it is pretty clear that - after having been loose on fiscal prudence for years - it is urgent for the government to tighten financial discipline, as required by the Basic Law. This is regrettably late - but it is never too late to face the necessary evil and do what is right to regain control on spending.

In respect of the debate on the scheme's access for those under 65, it has been suggested by local politicians that the burden may be passed on to public transportation companies so that these operators would bear the cost, rather than taxpayers.

It is understood that at least one major public transport company is finding such a proposal alarming, concerned that the financial secretary may take the idea seriously.

A flashback in history might help to better understand the matter. The HK$2 scheme was first raised by Donald Tsang Yam-kuen when he was chief executive. It was implemented in 2012 to enable citizens aged 65 or above to travel more and live an active lifestyle without fearing the financial burden due to transportation costs.

It was a remarkable policy. At that time, passengers paid HK$2, the government paid HK$3 and the transport operators paid HK$5 for a HK$10 trip.

About 10 years later, Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor lowered the eligible age to 60 in the final months of her term as chief executive.

However, little was said about how the fares were shared. As Lam pushed for the transport scheme to be extended to the younger age group, the government would end up bearing the remainder of the fares entirely after the passengers paid HK$2.

As Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po struggles to bridge the deficits, transport firms face headwinds in the operating environment too, according to an insider. Mounting calls for them to share a greater social responsibility by bearing the difference in bills must be alarming.

In hindsight, Lam had apparently deviated from financial prudence when she decided to lower the age threshold, which may not have been a serious issue when her administration had deep pockets to pay for her ambitious attempt for another term.

As said, there are a number of ways to cut the spending. However this is to be achieved, prudence must be restored in public finance.