The Social Welfare Department (SWD) of the Hong Kong government
said a fund initiated by Hong Kong's business community has so far
raised 17 million HK dollars (some 2.2 million US dollars) to aid
families of SARS victims, and applications for the fund opened
Friday.
The SWD, which administers the fund said that the fund will be
handed out to the families five days after the application,
according to a local government radio news report.
Should both parents of a family die of severe acute respiratory
syndrome (SARS), a lump sum of 200,000 Hong Kong dollars (25,641 US
dollars) of aid will be meted out to the family members Friday.
The fund is also available for application by SARS convalescents,
who will be given a maximum of three months' living expenses of
between 3,000 dollars (384.6 US dollars) to 8,000 dollars (1,025.6
US dollars) per month.
Director of Social Welfare, Carrie Lam, told reporters that the
department would take a generous approach in handling all
applications in a swift manner.
"There needs to be a simple interview and quick look at the
documents concerned before meting out the fund. I hope this will
satisfy the demand of the business community and the Legislative
Councilors that the applications will be processed generously, and
the money will reach the families swiftly," She said.
Meanwhile, 24 minors whose parent or parents has been killed by
SARS will be aided by a separate fund set up by the civil servants
in Hong Kong.
The Hong Kong government is still working on the means of handing
out the fund to the needy families.
(Xinhua News Agency May 2, 2003)