XN000022-1993-03-31 — Page 48

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31, 1993

то

MR SO SAID THE $30 MILLION GRANT TO THE SIR DAVID TRENCH FUND PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR ARTS DEVELOPMENT WOULD GO SOME WAY TO MEETING

THIS REQUIREMENT.

ON THE CONCERN EXPRESSED BY MEMBERS OVER THE SCOPE AND APPLICATION OF THIS GRANT, MR SO POINTED OUT THAT ALTHOUGH THIS GRANT WAS AIMED AT PROVIDING SUPPORT TO NEW AND DEVELOPING ARTISTIC GROUPS, ITS AMBIT WOULD BE SUCH AS TO ENABLE IT TO COVER THE LITERARY AND VISUAL ARTS AS WELL.

"BUT FUNDS TO SUPPORT THE VISUAL AND LITERARY ARTS CANNOT BE ALLOCATED UNTIL THE NEW POLICY IS APPROVED AND AN ARTS COUNCIL IS SET UP, REPLACING THE CFPA, IN ADVISING ME ON THE PROPER DISBURSEMENTS OF FUNDS TO THESE ART FORMS FROM THIS GRANT, HE SAID.

"THIS GRANT WILL ALSO BE USED FLEXIBLY AND PRUDENTLY TO DEVELOP THE ARTS IN HONG KONG AND THAT NO DESERVING AND WORTHWHILE PROJECTS SUPPORTED BY THE CFPA NOW, OR THE ARTS COUNCIL IN FUTURE, WILL BE TURNED DOWN FOR WANT OF FUNDS.

"IF NEED BE, THE CAPITAL OF THE GRANT MAY BE DRAWN DOWN ΤΟ PROVIDE THE NECESSARY FUNDING SUPPORT TO THE PROJECT.

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AS REGARDS COMMENTS THAT SMALL AND LESS KNOWN PERFORMING GROUPS ENGAGED IN ACTIVITIES AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL WERE INADEQUATELY FUNDED, MR SO SAID THIS MIGHT BE THE CASE IN THE PAST.

HE ADMITTED THAT ONLY SIX PER CENT OF THE FUNDS ALLOCATED TO THE CFPA WAS SPENT ON THE SMALLER GROUPS IN 1988.

BUT THIS HAD RISEN TO 22 PER CENT IN 1992/93 AND WILL BE FURTHER INCREASED TO 24.8 PER CENT IN 1993/94.

ON THE SPORTS SIDE, MR SO REAFFIRMED GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO IMPROVING AND DEVELOPING SPORTS IN HONG KONG.

OF

FOR

THE

THE $100 MILLION ONE-OFF GRANT PROPOSED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT HONG KONG'S ATHLETES WOULD BE CRUCIAL IN PREPARING THEM INTERNATIONAL SPORTING EVENTS IN THE YEARS AHEAD, INCLUDING COMMONWEALTH GAMES AND THE ASIAN GAMES IN 1994, AND THE OLYMPIC GAMES IN 1996.

LOOK

"I AM SURE WITH THIS ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO SPORTS, WE CAN FORWARD TO MUCH BETTER PERFORMANCE BY OUR ATHLETES IN INTERNATIONAL GAMES IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, AND CAN EXPECT TO SEE THEM COMING HOME MORE MEDALS, THUS RAISING HONG KONG'S PROFILE IN THE INTERNATIONAL SPORTING ARENA, MR SO SAID.

WITH

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