Briefs | Lawmaker calls for traffic accident fund

Lawmaker Lei Chan U has suggested that the government establish a fund to provide financial assistance to victims of traffic accidents. In a written inquiry to the government, Lei noted that the occurrence of traffic accidents in Macau is high, and that current compensation procedures related to accidents are complex and time-consuming. Additionally, when a case involves a lawsuit, the families of the victims struggle economically and face other challenges. Lei asked if the government has evaluated the effects of these issues and requested that the government explain its findings.

Third fatal traffic accident recorded

Last Sunday, a traffic accident at the Av. dos Jardins do Oceano resulted in the death of a male Macau resident in his 40s. He was riding a motorbike which collided with a seven-seater car driven by a local resident in his 20s. The victim’s death was confirmed in the hospital. The police is still investigating the cause of the accident. This case marks the third fatal traffic occurrence this year.

Ching Ming arrivals up 5.6 percent

Visitor arrivals to Macau during the three-day Ching Ming Festival holidays numbered over 1.02 million, according to data released in a statement yesterday from the Government Information Service. According to the data, just 424,800 of these arrivals were tourists, accounting for 41.5 percent of the total and marking an increase of 5.58 percent year-on-year. Three-quarters of arrivals in Macau during the Ching Ming Festival came via the Border Gate, while about 60,000 arrived via the Lotus Bridge and 84,000 via the Outer Harbor Ferry Terminal. Some 52,000 came via the Taipa Temporary Ferry Terminal and 46,000 arrived via Macau International Airport.

Property price index rises 2 percent

Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the overall residential property price index for period from December 2017 to February 2018 decreased by 2 percent to 252.0 over the previous three-month period ending January 2018. The indexes for the Macau Peninsula (252.0) and Taipa and Coloane (251.9) dropped by 2.3 percent and 0.9 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, the index for existing residential units (265.8) decreased by 1.8 percent, with the indexes for the Macau Peninsula (260.5) and Taipa and Coloane (290.4) falling by 2 percent and 0.9 percent, respectively. Compared to the same three-month period last year, the overall residential property price index grew 9.4 percent, while that of existing residential units rose 8.4 percent.

USJ to hold Open Day this Saturday

The University of Saint Joseph will hold its Open Day on Saturday at its Ilha Verde Campus to advertise its programs, in addition to an art exhibition by students of the Faculty of Creative Industries. The event will also feature, an international student booth with games and international cultural activities, an English corner and a scholarship information booth, according to a statement by the university. The event will run from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.