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The Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Raymond Young, today (October 29) attended a completion ceremony for De Yang City Youth and Children's Palace in Sichuan. The establishment is one of the Sichuan reconstruction projects supported by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
The "Trust Fund in Support of Reconstruction in Sichuan Earthquake Stricken Areas (Trust Fund)" approved a funding of approximately HK$10.45 million in December 2008 to the Scout Association of Hong Kong to reconstruct De Yang City Youth and Children's Palace, which was damaged during the Sichuan Earthquake. The reconstruction project was monitored by the Home Affairs Bureau.
Completed in October this year, the establishment will be open for public use in phases. It will be fully open in March 2012, benefiting some 44,000 youths living in Deyang City and the nearby earthquake-stricken areas in the next five years through the provision of facilities and activities such as camps, day camps and classes.
Speaking at the completion ceremony, Mr Young said, "The HKSAR Government applied for a total injection of HK$9 billion into the Trust Fund from the Legislative Council in three phases in 2008 and 2009. Agreement was signed with the Sichuan authorities to take forward 151 reconstruction projects, covering infrastructure, Wolong Nature Reserve, education, medical and social welfare facilities.
"In order to realise the 'Government-led, full community involvement' spirit of Sichuan reconstruction, the Trust Fund also approved funding for 33 projects from non-governmental organisations."
Mr Young said that the HKSAR Government was pleased to see the successful completion of the De Yang City Youth and Children's Palace reconstruction project. He hoped the Scout Association of Hong Kong and the De Yang City Youth and Children's Palace would continue to work together to provide quality training courses for young people living in earthquake-stricken areas to help them rebuild their minds, regain confidence to face adversity and challenges, and grow up healthily.
The Trust Fund also approved a funding of about HK$28.3 million to support the Scout Association of Hong Kong to reconstruct the Mian Yang City Youth Activities Centre. Construction work is expected to be completed by the end of this year and the centre will be open for use in March 2012.
Ends/Saturday, October 29, 2011
Issued at HKT 15:18
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