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Acting on the advice of the Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee, the Government has approved a grant of $5 million from the Disaster Relief Fund for the donation of relief supplies to the Government of Japan.
The Consul General, Mr Yuji Kumamaru, called on the Chief Secretary, Mr Henry Tang, today (April 8) to express his government's appreciation for the donation of relief items by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government. On behalf of the people of Hong Kong, Mr Tang conveyed deepest sympathy to the victims of the disaster and hoped that life in the affected areas would resume to normal as soon as possible. He added that the HKSAR Government is willing to consider any further requests for assistance from Japan.
At the request of the Government of Japan, the HKSAR Government has arranged to procure and ship 30,000 cans of preserved food and 100,000 pairs of socks to Japan to help the victims of the earthquake and tsunami and the subsequent nuclear radiation leakage from the Fukushima nuclear plants. The relief supplies are scheduled to arrive in Japan by batches starting April 9, and preserved food will be distributed to Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture. Free freight arrangements have been offered by Cathay Pacific Airways.
The Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee is responsible for advising the Government on policy and practices regarding the disbursement of funding for disaster relief from the Disaster Relief Fund, which was established in December 1993 for emergency disaster relief outside Hong Kong, as well as advising on specific amounts to specific recipients, and monitoring the use of grants.
The committee is chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration. Members include Professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung, Mr V Nee Yeh, Mrs Sophie Leung Lau Yau-fun, Mr Wong Sing-chi, Mrs Alice Chong Yuk Tak-fun, Mr Leo Kung Lin-cheng, the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury and the Secretary for Labour and Welfare.
Ends/Friday, April 8, 2011
Issued at HKT 19:26
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