Briefs | Free taxi parking policy extended for two months

The Macau SAR government has extended a free parking policy for taxis, according to a dispatch published in the Official Gazette. Taxis can park for free at the western parking lot of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge until September 20 of this year. At the beginning of 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic started, the SAR government decided that, from February 5, the city’s taxis could park at the western parking lot of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge for free. The SAR government adopted the policy hoping to provide temporary pandemic relief for the taxi industry. At the beginning of July, the local authority extended the policy for two months. Yesterday’s extension marks the second in the contingency plan to help the taxi industry.

Dumping construction waste costs 70 patacas per ton

The city’s landfill will charge 70 patacas for each metric ton of construction waste dumped on the site. According to a dispatch published in the government’s Official Gazette, from January 17, 2021, Macau will implement its new management regime on construction waste. Under the new law, the relevant parties will be allowed to dump soil, sand, concrete, and other inert construction and demolition materials that have been properly classified and can be used as filling materials at a price of 70 patacas per metric ton. Special or other construction and demolition materials will cost 200 patacas per metric ton, including asphalt, glass fiber, combustible waste, chemical waste and recyclable materials. All vehicles carrying the materials to be dumped must be approved by the Environmental Protection Bureau. Illegal dumping is subject to a fine of between 50,000 and 200,000 patacas.

Lawmakers ask about exercise facilities and government cars

Lawmaker Agnes Lam has written an interpellation to the SAR government regarding exercise facilities while Sulu Sou has asked about the government’s expenditure on buying cars. Lam wondered if the local government will install more accessible exercise and leisure facilities in town and arrange for helpers to be on site to assist senior citizens using the equipment. She also wanted to know if the government has plans to increase the green areas in both the city and public parks. Sou thinks that the local government is lagging behind in terms of saving public resources when purchasing cars for the civil service. He wants a reform of civil services’ vehicle management and has recommended that public servants take public transportation.