2015年CRI Failed Project Raises Concern over Lottery Fund Use

 

The massive Starlight Project was launched around 14-years ago.

Three years after its launch, the project was credited with funding more than 30-thousand senior care centers in residential¹ communities across China through some 14-billion yuan, which was raised mostly through lottery² sales.

However, a new expose by China Central Television has revealed the project has since collapsed³.

The plan's designer is Yan Qingchun, who used to be with the Ministry⁴ of Civil Affairs.

"It's estimated that 75 percent of these centers have been shut down. In our original plan, all communities throughout the country would be covered under the project. However, it ended in failure in less than three years."

Local care center operators who managed the project are being blamed.

It's being suggested most of them profited through renting out the rooms.

Money raised through lotteries⁵ in China is designed to promote social welfare.

And with lottery sales shooting up in recent years, lottery-funded projects have also been on the rise.

However, Wang Yukai with the China Society of Administrative⁶ Reform suggests more scrutiny⁷ needs to be done before projects created through lottery sales are approved.

"The first thing is to work out a feasibility plan. Plans which don't meet standards shouldn't be approved. Local authorities need to be consulted as to whether the plan will work for their community. However, it’s also important to ensure local officials don't use the money for their own ends."

Wang Yukai suggests the Ministry of Civil Affairs should be stripped of its duties as both the lottery regulator and the fund manager.

"The civil affairs department itself is in charge of planning and implementing⁸ the projects as well as supervising their implementation⁹. It's impossible for one to play a dual¹⁰ role as an athlete and referee¹¹ at the same time."

A nation-wide audit¹² has found nearly 17-billion yuan raised through lottery sales has been embezzled¹³ or misused¹⁴ over the past 3-years.

For CRI, I'm Yu Yang.

1 residential   

adj.提供住宿的；居住的；住宅的

参考例句：

• The mayor inspected the residential section of the city.市长视察了该市的住宅区。
• The residential blocks were integrated with the rest of the college.住宿区与学院其他部分结合在了一起。

2 lottery   

n.抽彩；碰运气的事，难于算计的事

参考例句：

• He won no less than ￡5000 in the lottery.他居然中了5000英镑的奖券。
• They thought themselves lucky in the lottery of life.他们认为自己是变幻莫测的人生中的幸运者。

3 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

4 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

5 lotteries   

n.抽彩给奖法( lottery的名词复数 )；碰运气的事；彩票；彩券

参考例句：

• Next to bullfights and soccer, lotteries are Spain's biggest sport. 除了斗牛和足球以外，彩票是西班牙最热门的玩意儿。 来自辞典例句
• Next to bullfight and soccer, lotteries are Spain's biggest sport. 发行彩票在西班牙是仅次于斗牛和足球的最大娱乐活动。 来自辞典例句

6 administrative   

adj.行政的，管理的

参考例句：

• The administrative burden must be lifted from local government.必须解除地方政府的行政负担。
• He regarded all these administrative details as beneath his notice.他认为行政管理上的这些琐事都不值一顾。

7 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

8 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

9 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

10 dual   

adj.双的；二重的，二元的

参考例句：

• The people's Republic of China does not recognize dual nationality for any Chinese national.中华人民共和国不承认中国公民具有双重国籍。
• He has dual role as composer and conductor.他兼作曲家及指挥的双重身分。

11 referee   

n.裁判员．仲裁人，代表人，鉴定人

参考例句：

• The team was left raging at the referee's decision.队员们对裁判员的裁决感到非常气愤。
• The referee blew a whistle at the end of the game.裁判在比赛结束时吹响了哨子。

12 audit   

v.审计；查帐；核对；旁听

参考例句：

• Each year they audit our accounts and certify them as being true and fair.他们每年对我们进行账务审核，以确保其真实无误。
• As usual,the yearly audit will take place in December.跟往常一样，年度审计将在十二月份进行。

13 embezzled   

v.贪污，盗用（公款）( embezzle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The clerk embezzled a thousand pounds from the bank where he worked. 那个职员在他工作的银行里贪污了一千英镑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cashier embezzled ＄ 50,000 from the bank. 出纳员盗用了银行5万美元。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

14 misused   

v.使用…不当( misuse的过去式和过去分词 )；把…派作不正当的用途；虐待；滥用

参考例句：

• He misused his dog shamefully. 他可耻地虐待自己的狗。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had grossly misused his power. 他严重滥用职权。 来自《简明英汉词典》