By Bernama,
Yangon: Myanmar has denied making deduction from foreign exchange currency donation for cyclone victims, saying that such donations were fully spent for the relief and rehabilitation efforts, a local daily reported Wednesday.
Some foreign broadcasting stations have accused the Myanmar government of making a tax-cut of 10 percent on foreign donations in foreign exchange currencies to the storm-affected areas, China’s Xinhua news agency quoted the local media as saying.
Myanmar has opened three such accounts with the state-operated Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank under the name of Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Sub-Committee for U.S. dollar, Euro and Singapore dollar respectively.
Meanwhile, the Myanmar authorities said it allows direct personal donation right down to specific persons and regions in cyclone-hit areas, advising donors to seek assistance from the National Disaster Preparedness Committee at different levels.
“Individuals and organizations wishing to do so may go right down to the storm-hit towns, wards and villages of their choice so that the donation operation can be carried out more effectively,” the committee said.
The committee also said the donations are being delivered to the storm victims in a speedy and systematic manner.
Wellwishers from across Myanmar have made or are continuing to make donations in cash and kind out of generosity to storm victims individually or in groups.
Donated aid supplies including foodstuff, consumers goods and construction materials have been or are being transported to 21 cyclone-affected townships in southwestern Ayeyawaddy division and 3 such townships in Yangon division, the authorities said.
Meanwhile, the Myanmar government has also increased spending for several times reaching up to over 70 billion Kyats (US$63.63 milion) for relief efforts from 50 billion Kyats last allotted.