Print

Mail

wiki links

Subsidy for elderly passes committee

The legislative Sanitation, Environment and Social Welfare Committee yesterday passed an amendment to increase a welfare subsidy for the elderly, although lawmakers didn't reach a consensus on the terms.

The legislative committee was held to discuss 23 different versions of amendments to the Temporary Act for Welfare Subsidies to the Elderly (敬老福利生活津貼暫行條例).

The smallest proposed amendment bill suggested an increase to NT$4,000 per month for people over the age of 65, from the current NT$3,000, while as much as NT$10,000 was proposed.

Before lawmakers debated the proposed amendments, Co-chair Chu Chun-hsiao (朱俊曉) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), scheduled a vote that demanded the committee suspend discussion and send the bills directly to cross-party negotiations.

Seven pan-blue lawmakers favored the motion proposed by KMT Legislator Ho Tsai-feng (侯彩鳳), while three Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers were against it.

Ho argued that referring the amendments to cross-party negotiations could get them through the legislature faster.

After the committee adjourned, DPP lawmakers Huang Sue-ying (黃淑英) and Wang Jung-chang (王榮璋), as well as representatives of civic groups devoted to the welfare of underprivileged people called a press conference condemning the pan-blue camp's move.

Representatives from social welfare organizations described the bills a day earlier as "money pits," accusing some politicians of attempting to "buy votes" through raising the stipends ahead of the year-end legislative elections and the 2008 presidential election.

Wang said the government budget would need to add an extra NT$9.5 billion if the NT$ 4,000 version was adopted, and NT$ 66.7 billion if the NT$ 10,000 version was used.

"We strongly oppose lawmakers deciding such an important policy in cross-party negotiation meetings which are held behind closed doors," he said.

It's "irresponsible" for lawmakers to increase subsidies without saying how they will pay for it and not debating the policy in public, he added.

Huang said that other proposals calling for an increase in subsidies for elderly farmers and elderly Aborigines will surely be brought up as well during the cross-party negotiation stage.

The cross-party negotiation stage is part of the statutory process of lawmaking, taking place before lawmakers submit bills when they can't reach a consensus during the preliminary review in the committee. Lawmakers can put a bill to a vote on the floor if they are still unable to reach a consensus within four months of the beginning of negotiations.

Additional reporting by CNA
This story has been viewed 1250 times.