XN000022-1994-03-08 — Page 15

TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 1994

MRS

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SPEAKING AT HELPING HAND "COOKIE CAMPAIGN THANK YOU TEA" TODAY, PATTEN SAID ALL 150,000 COOKIES WERE SOLD WITH OVER $5 MILLION RAISED, WHICH WAS WELL OVER THE TARGET.

SHE SAID: "IT IS A CAMPAIGN WHICH INVOLVES PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE IN CHARITABLE AND VOLUNTEER WORK.

"IN ITS RECENT COOKIE CAMPAIGN, HELPING HAND MOBILISED VOLUNTEERS FROM THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, WOMEN'S GROUPS, STUDENTS AND ELDERLY PEOPLE.

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HELPING HAND IS LAUNCHING THE "WELLNESS PROJECT" THIS YEAR, WHICH HAS INVOLVED A LARGE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS AS "WELLNESS AMBASSADORS", MRS PATTEN SAID.

"THIS PROJECT IS NOT JUST PROVIDING A SERVICE. IT IS REALLY ABOUT CARING FOR ELDERLY PEOPLE AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION," MRS PATTEN ADDED.

DEADLINE CLOSES WITH 207 FUNDING APPLICATIONS

A TOTAL OF 207 APPLICATIONS AMOUNTING TO $1,195 MILLION HAVE BEEN RECEIVED AT THE CLOSING DATE LAST THURSDAY (MARCH 3) FOR THE $180 MILLION ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO BE PROVIDED IN THE 1994/95 YEAR FOR INDUSTRIAL SUPPORT PROJECTS.

FINANCIAL

ASSISTANT

SPEAKING AT A PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY (TUESDAY), DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF INDUSTRY, MR RAYMOND YOUNG, SAID THE BULK OF APPLICATIONS CAME FROM THE VARIOUS TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS, APPLICATIONS, ACCOUNTING FOR $638 MILLION.

WITH 139

THE OTHERS WERE FROM THE INDUSTRY-SUPPORT BODIES (34 APPLICATIONS, $275 MILLION); PRIVATE COMPANIES (14 APPLICATIONS, $148 MILLION); TRADE AND INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS (12 APPLICATIONS, $75 MILLION) AND PROFESSIONAL AND RESEARCH INSTITUTES (EIGHT APPLICATIONS, $59 MILLION).

MR YOUNG SAID THE COST OF THE MAJORITY OF THE PROJECTS WAS IN THE REGION OF SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS, WHILE THE DURATION OF THE PROJECTS RANGED FROM ONE YEAR TO SEVEN YEARS.

OF

HE SAID THE APPLICATIONS, WHICH FELL INTO A WIDE VARIETY INDUSTRIAL AREAS SUCH AS ELECTRONICS, BIOTECHNOLOGY, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, PLASTICS AND SO ON, WOULD BE PRELIMINARILY VETTED BY EXPERTS AND LEADING INDUSTRIALISTS FOR THE PARTICULAR FIELD.

THE APPLICATIONS WOULD THEN BE EXAMINED BY THE PROJECTS VETTING COMMITTEE WHICH COMPRISED THE CHAIRMEN OF INDUSTRY AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (ITDC)'S COMMITTEES AND OTHER ITDC MEMBERS BEFORE SUBMISSION TO THE ITDC FOR DISCUSSION AT THE END APRIL.

/"WE HOPE