Briefs | Consumer Council encourages use of less plastic bags

With the new plastic bag bill now effective, each plastic shopping bag offered by retailers to consumers will be charged except under specific situations exempted from the law. The Consumer Council calls on retailers to ask consumers if any plastic shopping bag is needed and calls on consumers to reconsider whether one is needed and clearly express their wish to retailers. The Council indicates that retailers should explain clearly to consumers about the cost and reason for charging plastic shopping bags until they become accustomed to the new law. Retailers should also provide plastic shopping bags in reasonable sizes to consumers when necessary.

Property price index declines on islands dip

The overall residential property price index for the three-month period August to October 2019 decreased 0.1% over the previous period, July to September 2019, to 267.4. According to the information released by the Statistics and Census Service, the index for the Macau Peninsula held stable at 268.6, while the index for Taipa and Coloane dropped 0.3% to 262.3. The overall index for existing residential units (288) went up by 0.1%, while the index for pre-sale residential units (279.6) decreased by 0.9% from the previous period. In comparison with the August to October 2018 period, the overall residential property price index fell by 0.5%, with the index for existing residential units falling 0.8% and the index for pre-sale residential units increasing by 2.3%.

Macau Int’l Parade held to celebrate 20th anniversary

The 2019 Macau International Parade, organized in celebration of the 20th anniversary of Macau’s handover to China, was held last Sunday in the city center of Macau. This year’s Parade kicked off with an opening ceremony at the Ruins of St. Paul’s, before the groups meandered through the Historic Center of Macau. In the closing performance, local and foreign performing groups jointly presented different kinds of dance and percussion performances. The participating groups gathered at the Sai Van Lake Square in the evening for a celebration event accompanied by a fireworks show and a ceremony officiated by the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Alexis Tam. According to a statement from the Cultural Affairs Bureau, the Parade showcases the cultural and artistic characteristics of countries and regions along the Belt and Road Initiative, highlighting cultural integration and promoting the Parade as an exchange platform for culture and the arts.