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The Government announced today (November 2) the re-appointment of Dr David Fang as the Chairman of the Committee on Trust Fund for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and the appointment of Mr Jat Sew-tong as the Chairman of the Review Committee on Trust Fund for SARS.
Mr Jat is a lawyer with rich experience in appeal boards. He is currently the Chairman of the Criminal and Law Enforcement Injuries Compensation Board of the Social Welfare Department.
Also announced today were the appointment of Dr Margaret Chung and the re-appointment of three incumbent members to the Committee on Trust Fund for SARS.
Dr Chung is the honorary chairman of a patients' group called the Regeneration Society and a member of the Rehabilitation Advisory Committee.
The three incumbent members re-appointed are Ms Scarlett Pong Oi-lan, Ms Deborah Wan Lai-yau and Mr Benedict Wong.
The two incumbent members of the Review Committee, Professor Richard Yu Yue-hong and Mr Timothy Ma Kam-wah, were also re-appointed.
All the appointments are for a term of two years with effect from November 8, 2007.
Speaking on the appointments, the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, thanked the re-appointees for their hard work and welcomed the new appointees to the two committees. He said he looked forward to the continued assistance of the committees in considering and reviewing applications.
Mr Cheung also thanked Mr Benjamin Yu, the outgoing Chairman of the Review Committee, and Ms Iris Chan Sui-ching, an outgoing member of the committee, for their contribution to the work of the committees during their tenure.
The Committee on Trust Fund for SARS was set up in 2003 to advise the Administration on the operation of the Trust Fund and applications to the fund for assistance. The Review Committee was set up at the same time to consider applications for review of the original decisions. Assistance under the Trust Fund to recovered SARS patients and "suspected" SARS patients treated with steroids is subject to periodic renewals on the basis of their medical and financial conditions. The assistance scheme has been enhanced since January 2007.
Following are the membership lists of the two committees with effect from November 8, 2007:
Committee on Trust Fund for SARS
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Chairman:
Dr David Fang
Non-official Members:
Ms Scarlett Pong Oi-lan
Ms Deborah Wan Lai-yau
Mr Benedict Wong Chung-mat
Dr Margaret Chung Wai-ling
Review Committee on Trust Fund for SARS
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Chairman:
Mr Jat Sew-tong
Non-official Members:
Professor Richard Yu Yue-hong
Mr Timothy Ma Kam-wah
Ends/Friday, November 2, 2007
Issued at HKT 11:47
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