Emergency relief for cyclone and flood victims in Pakistan
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    The Government had accepted the advice of the Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee and approved a grant of $880,000 from the Disaster Relief Fund to Mercy Corps Limited for emergency relief to cyclone and flood victims in Pakistan, a government spokesman said today (July 24).

     To ensure the money would be used for the designated purposes, the spokesman said Mercy Corps Limited had been asked to submit an evaluation report and an audited account on the use of the grant after the relief project had been completed.

     The Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee is responsible for advising the Government on the 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 in places 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 Mr Jasper Tsang Yok-sing, Mr Andrew Liao Cheung-sing, Mrs Sophie Leung Lau Yau-fun, Dr Kwok Ka-ki, Mr Michael Lai Kam-cheung, Mr Irving Koo Yee-yin, the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury and the Secretary for Labour and Welfare.

Ends/Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Issued at HKT 18:00

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