Emergency relief for earthquake victims in New Zealand
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     The Government has accepted the advice of the Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee and approved a grant of $6.15 million from the Disaster Relief Fund to the Salvation Army Hong Kong and Macau Command to undertake relief project work for earthquake victims in Christchurch, New Zealand.

     Announcing the grant today (March 14), a government spokesman said that the Committee hoped that the grant would help provide relief to the earthquake victims in Christchurch, New Zealand.

     "To ensure that the money will be used for the designated purposes, the relief agency has been asked to submit an evaluation report and an audited account on the use of the grant after the relief project has been completed," the spokesman said.

     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 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 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/Monday, March 14, 2011
Issued at HKT 18:33

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