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PRESS RELEASES
| 1/30/2002 |
LOTTERY FUNDING AND THE SPCA - THE FACTS |
| The recent barrage of criticism levelled against the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF) and the subsequent slanderous statements by the SPCA and supporters of animal rights is unfounded and deserves clarification.
1.Adverts calling for applications for funding from the proceeds of the National Lottery were published in March 2001. 2.In the advert, prospective applicants were advised that those organisations that were scaling down operations or facing closure would be given preference. 3.Organisations were also asked to provide their last three years’ audited financial statements so that the adjudicating committees could satisfy themselves that the applicants were indeed facing financial crises. 4.The National office of the SPCA took it upon itself to issue a press statement in which they erroneously commented that animal rights groups were excluded from benefiting from the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund. 5.When this error was brought to the attention of the Media Liaison person of the SPCA, it was fully accepted. 6.The SPCA, however, did not find it prudent to withdraw the statement. 7.The National office of the SPCA did, however, submit an application for funding whereas many other animal rights groups did not apply for funding based on the statement and allegations made by the SPCA. 8.All applications for funding are adjudicated by the publicly-nominated members of the different beneficiary categories. The adjudication is based on merit and on the criteria advertised. 9.In the Charities category, the applications had to show signs of financial difficulty. This information was gathered from the last three audited financial statements. 10.The application of the National office of the SPCA on behalf of its affiliates was not favourably considered as it was evident that, financially, each affiliate operates as a separate entity. It was for this reason, and because the application was submitted by the deadline, that the National office of the SPCA was requested to get the affiliates on whose behalf they applied to submit individual applications together with the last three years’ audited financial statements by Friday, 15th February 2002. 11.Once processed, the individual applications will be presented for adjudication to the Charities Distributing Agency. 12.All applications will be judged on merit and in terms of the advertised criteria. |
