Passes sign of progress

Passes sign of progress

The transport department in Huizhou, Guangdong province, plans to issue special passes for senior citizens later this year. This will allow people above 65 years - who have lived in Huizhou for more than six months - to enjoy a range of free and discounted services. The special passes not only reflect the local government's efforts to take care of the needy, but also its respect and concern for senior citizens, says an article on gmw.cn. Excerpts:

Many Chinese cities have issued passes to senior citizens above 65 years to enable them to travel on public transport for free. But the passes have always been for people with a local hukou, or household registration. Due to such restrictions, those senior citizens living in the city without a local hukou cannot enjoy the same treatment and thus feel discriminated against. It is necessary to break down the hukou barrier.

All citizens are supposed to enjoy the same treatment, no matter whether they have a local hukou or not. The special card for the elderly to be introduced by Huizhou will enable senior citizens to use public transport and public parks for free and obtain a waiver on hospital registration fees. These measures demonstrate the city's human-oriented approach. Hence, Huizhou's example should be followed by other Chinese cities.

The key lies in whether city managers have an open mind and human-oriented approach to governance. It will not put more pressure on public transport to grant senior citizens without a local hukou the same concessions as those elderly who do have a local household registration. On the contrary, it demonstrates progress in city management.

(China Daily 08/14/2012 page9)