The head of the HK$10 billion Community Care Fund has questioned the future of the government-business collaboration if it fails to secure lawmakers' support. His comments came after the Legislative Council's finance committee on Friday deferred voting to approve the government's HK$5 billion share for the fund, and ministers admitted that business had so far given only HK$680 million, with another HK$1.12 billion pledged, enough to finance three years of operation. 'If Legco does not approve the funding application, the government should consider carefully whether the fund should go ahead,' said Law Chi-kwong, chairman of the fund's executive committee. 'As an integral part of Hong Kong's [power] structure, Legco's support goes beyond the problem of money - it is also about the political implication.' While he was 'still optimistic' about gaining Legco's financial backing for the fund, he admitted that too few business donations jeopardised operations of the fund - which aims to help people outside existing social security net - in the long run. 'With the HK$1.8 billion already secured from businesses, there will not be a problem for the fund's first three years of operations,' he said, adding that it remained unknown if the HK$5 billion target could be met. Some of the pledged donations will be paid over three years. The chairman of the city's leading business chamber called for lawmakers to approve the government fund to 'take the lead'. 'I believe businesses will go on making contributions after the government has taken the lead to inject HK$5 billion,' said the chairman of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, Anthony Wu Ting-yuk, who has expressed confidence that another HK$3.5 billion will be raised. 'Many are actually getting to understand the operation and beneficiaries of the fund before giving their share.' The government has so far announced 10 schemes costing HK$723 million and benefiting 300,000 people. These include a HK$165.9 million plan to subsidise overseas tours for 240,000 poor schoolchildren.
