PLEDGED FUNDS NEEDED vs

INTERNATIONAL RELIEF AGENCIES ARE ASKING PRIVATE AND CORPORATE DONORS WHO HAVE ALREADY PLEDGED MONEY TO HELP VICTIMS OF THE ASIAN TSUNAMI, TO EXPEDITE TURNING IT IN. NEARLY $2 BILLION IN INTERNATIONAL AID HAS BEEN PLEDGED. IF THE DONOR GIVES ON A CREDIT CARD THE MONEY IS MADE READILY AVAILABLE, BUT UNTIL THOSE WHO PLEDGE CASH OR CHECKS ACTUALLY DELIVER IT TO THE AGENCIES, THEY CAN NOT HELP VICTIMS. U-N UNDERSECRETARY GENERAL FOR HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS, JAN EGLAND, CONCLUDED HIS DAILY TSUNAMI BRIEFING TODAY WITH THE PLEA. "IT WOULD BE THE ULTIMATE IRONY IF WE STARTED THE YEAR WITH UNPRECEDENTED GLOBAL GENEROSITY, AND WOULD END THIS YEAR WITH NO MONEY."