Governor Intensifies Fund-raising

HE the Governor Mr. Bruce Dinwiddy recently announced that a private donor has offered to advance $3 million to the National Recovery Fund (NRF). The donor has agreed to waive repayment of $1.5 million if the NRF raises another $3 million.

The Governor announced the offer by the Cayman resident at a recent Government House dinner attended by some 100 current or prospective donors.

The Governor also disclosed that UBS Bank had agreed to match up to $500,000 in donations from its workforce worldwide, adding that other corporations were considering similar drives.

The NRF has intensified its fund-raising efforts in a race to replace 500 roofs before 31 August. This would require an injection of a further $10 million. So far, the fund has garnered nearly $4 million, and allotted about $2 million, which has assisted with house repairs for some 160 families.

The current aim is to enable recipients to return home and/or achieve some minimum standard of housing. Fund officials say that they would very much like to not only raise the number of persons assisted (to around 800) but also expand the level of help beyond its current minimum.

“Unless we can do more (to assist)…, some of the relatively disadvantaged members of our community will soon start to lose hope,” the Governor said.

Mr. Dinwiddy said that corporations which are still pressured by diminished cash flows but which are now on the way to recovery may wish to exercise the option of pledging monthly donations over a period.

The Governor, who has held similar events at Government House, plans to organize more such efforts in the near future.