Chief Executive Donald Tsang poses for a group photo together with local reporters at the Government House yesterday. Tsang paid tribute to their devotion and hard work in focusing public attention on the plight of earthquake-devastated Sichuan province. GIS

Chief Executive Donald Tsang yesterday commended reporters who had covered the Sichuan earthquake and returned from the province recently.

Meeting about 100 reporters at the Government House, Tsang said he worried about the safety of reporters covering news in Sichuan.

He also said he felt proud of their performance and professionalism.

Tsang extended his appreciation for their work in keeping Hong Kong people well-informed of what happened and helping authorities come up with rescue plans.

Meanwhile, the Hong Kong SAR government has, at the request of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, purchased and arranged shipment of tents at a total cost of HK$3.7 million to the earthquake victims in Sichuan.

The tents will be shipped in different batches with the first batch of 1,000 tents to be delivered next Monday.

The shipment has been made possible by a special mechanism set up by the Disaster Relief Fund Special Committee, but the freight cost will be borne by Dragonair.

To date, the Hong Kong SAR government has donated funds and relief materials that are worth a total of HK$327.5 million to the earthquake victims.

The local community is not lagging behind in donations either.

As at 5pm yesterday, the Social Welfare Department (SWD) had granted 221 applications for raising funds in public places for the victims in Sichuan.

A SWD spokesman said the department would process all applications as quickly as possible and issue permits to eligible organizations.

In view of public enthusiasm in helping the quake victims, the government issued a statement yesterday calling upon Hong Kong residents who are eager to head toward Sichuan to lend a helping hand to stay home.

The government pointed out that the most direct and effective way to help the victims is to donate.

Given the current situation in the earthquake-stricken zones, the government said, it is inappropriate for volunteer groups to go there.

The only parties that should go to the disaster areas are professional rescue groups arranged by relevant mainland authorities, the government added.

Meanwhile the government said it has successfully established contacts with all the Hong Kong residents reported missing during the Sichuan earthquake.

The authorities have received a total of 101 missing reports, 126 requests for assistance and 476 inquiries since the earthquake struck on May 12.

Over the past nine days, the Immigration Department has not received any new requests for assistance.

So far, there has been only one reported case of Hong Kong resident sustaining injuries since the May 12 quake, a government spokesman said.

(HK Edition 05/30/2008 page1)