Briefs | GIT says light rail incident was a drill

Macau’s Transportation
Infrastructure Office (GIT) responded to a video circulating on social media that showed half of a Light Rail Transit (LRT) train’s carriages splitting from the other half. According to the GIT, this was part of a normal simulation. The video generated some interest on social media with netizens mocking what appeared to be an accident. However, in a statement published yesterday, the GIT said that the supposed incident was part of a simulation of a light rail emergency response and that it was normal practice before the light rail is put into operation. The simulation was carried out in the vicinity of Taipa Stadium on Sunday morning. Although an official opening date for the Taipa section of the LRT has not yet been announced, it is believed that the line will open to the public before the 20th anniversary of the Macau handover on December 20, 2019.

Chui calls for tourism continuity from next gov’t

Yesterday, Chief Executive Chui Sai On presided over the 2019 plenary meeting of the Committee for the Construction of the World Tourism and Leisure Center. The meeting focused on the work that began this year on the mid-term review of the first Five-Year Development Plan of the Macau SAR, extending from 2016 to 2020. During the meeting, Chui remarked that he wished to see all government departments continuing to implement the plan regardless of the upcoming change in government this December. In calling for this continuity, Chui referenced what he described as the general direction of all government actions, to “maintain a stable development environment, giving priority to projects that optimize the population’s quality of life, [and] emphasize balanced socio-economic growth.”

Property price index edges up 0.3%

The overall residential property price index for the three-month period between May and July 2019 increased by 0.3% over the previous period (April to June) to 269.3, according to data released by the Statistics and Census Service. The indexes for the Macau Peninsula (271.4) and Taipa and Coloane (260.4) rose by 0.1% and 1.3% respectively. In comparison to the equivalent period a year earlier (May to July 2018), the overall residential property price index saw a decrease of 0.5%. The index for existing residential units also fell by 0.5%, while that of pre-sale residential units dropped by 0.2%.