GGCT raises travel alert for Nepal

The city’s Tourism Crisis Management Office issued a travel caution yesterday afternoon, warning local citizens to ditch trips to the quake-ravaged country of Nepal. The office said it has so far received no requests for assistance made from there. The authorities also urged Chinese nationals currently in the country to exercise caution and adopt appropriate safety measures, as the area still remains vulnerable to aftershocks with inadequate resources and paralyzed traffic. Locals can dial a 24-hour travel hotline – (853) 2833 3000 for assistance. The contact number of the duty officer at the Embassy of China in Nepal is 00977-9801029888, and is also available for consular protection and assistance.

Donations for quake rescue efforts

The Macau Red Cross has donated MOP300,000 from its disaster relief funds to support the aid efforts in Nepal, which was struck by two massive earthquakes over the weekend. The donation has already been remitted to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Another local charitable group, Caritas Macau, also sought financial support by organizing fundraising activities at its own store, the Good Fortune Charity Shop. The group appealed to society to make financial contributions in support of the rescue operations in Nepal. Additionally, the two institutions have also created bank accounts for citizens who wish to make donations to the devastated nation. Separately, the World Vision of Hong Kong and Macau branches have funded a total of HKD 1.56 million to the relief operation underway in the affected areas of Nepal. The sum is expected to benefit 50,000 refugees. The city’s branch has created bank accounts to collect local donations for the humanitarian efforts.

Costs may halve with local crematory facilities

The head of the commerce chamber for the sector of interment services, Cheung Chi Wai, expects that the current costs associated with funeral services may halve if the city were to introduce facilities and venues for cremation to dispose of human remains in future. At present, the average cost required for dealing with a corpse could reach around MOP40 or 50,000, with around MOP15,000  spent on body preservation and transportation to the mainland for cremation, revealed the chamber president, adding that neighboring regions’ environment-friendly funeral practices could serve as good references. Last week, Secretary for Administration and Justice Sonia Chan expressed the government’s intent to build crematory facilities in new reclaimed areas, on a current affairs program hosted by Lotus TV Macau. In mid-February, some representatives from the commerce chamber also petitioned the authorities to erect local crematory venues and government-run funeral parlors, to meet the growing demand for local cremation and to avoid monopoly in the industry.