XN000022-1994-07-02 — Page 3

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SATURDAY, JULY 2, 1994

"THE THREE RELIEF ORGANISATIONS HAVE SUBMITTED THEIR RESPECTIVE PROPOSALS ON PROVIDING RELIEF SERVICES FOR THE FLOOD-AFFECTED PEOPLE IN CHINA FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, HE SAID.

"THE COMMITTEE IS SATISFIED THAT THE THREE PROPOSALS ARE IN LINE WITH THE GUIDELINES FOR GRANTS FROM THE FUND. IT CONSIDERS THAT EACH PROPOSAL HAS ITS OWN MERITS AND CAN CATER FOR DIFFERENT NEEDS THE AFFECTED POPULATION."

OF

THE

HAVING REGARD TO THE NATURE OF THE RELIEF SERVICES AND LIKELY NUMBER OF BENEFICIARIES OF EACH PROPOSAL. THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED THAT THE FOLLOWING GRANTS BE MADE:

HONG KONG RED CROSS

WORLD VISION HONG KONG

MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES HONG KONG

$12 MILLION

$ 5.5 MILLION 2.5 MILLION

APPROVAL WILL NEED TO BE OBTAINED FROM THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FOR THE GRANT TO HONG KONG RED CROSS. THIS WILL BE SOUGHT AT THE COMMITTEE'S NEXT MEETING ON JULY 8.

ON THE

"THE COMMITTEE BELIEVES THAT THESE GRANTS ARE AN MEANS ΤΟ EXPRESS SYMPATHY AND OFFER ASSISTANCE BEHALF TO THE FLOOD VICTIMS.

APPROPRIATE COMMUNITY'S

"THE COMMITTEE HOPES THAT THIS WILL STIMULATE FURTHER FROM THE PUBLIC AT LARGE, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

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RESPONSE

TO ENSURE THAT THE GRANTS WILL BE USED FOR THE DESIGNATED PURPOSES, HONG KONG RED CROSS, WORLD VISION HONG KONG AND MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES WILL BE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AN EVALUATION REPORT AND AN AUDITED ACCOUNT ON THE USE OF THE GRANT.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THAT GRANTS BEEN MADE FROM THE FUND SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT IN DECEMBER 1993.

HAD

LAST MONTH, A GRANT OF $2 MILLION WAS MADE TO OXFAM HONG KONG IN SUPPORT OF ITS RELIEF PROGRAMME FOR THE RWANDAN REFUGEES.

THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT PUBLIC DONATIONS AND APPROPRIATIONS FROM THE GENERAL REVENUE WERE THE MAIN SOURCES OF THE FUND.

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE WELCOME TO DONATE TO THE FUND FOR GENERAL RELIEF PURPOSES, HE SAID.

ENQUIRIES CAN BE MADE OF THE SECRETARY TO THE DISASTER RELIEF FUND ADVISORY COMMITTEE IN ROOM 553, EAST WING, CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES OR ON TELEPHONE 810 3503.

THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS CHAIRED BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY. OTHER MEMBERS ARE MS ROSANNA WONG, DR RAYMOND CH'IEN, MRS ELSIE TU, MR HUI YIN-FAT, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE AND THE SECRETARY

FOR

THE TREASURY.

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