The government will offer financial assistance to vehicle owners whose cars were damaged by floods during the typhoon, according to Financial Bureau Director Iong Kong Leong, who announced the policy in a joint government department press conference yesterday.
Only those who purchase a new vehicle to replace a damaged one will be eligible for financial assistance.
Those buying a replacement car which operates on clean energy (including gas, solar power, or electricity) will not have to pay taxes on their new vehicle. Additionally, the government will provide a 100 percent tax rebate to people who have already paid to repair their damaged cars.
Those purchasing cars that do not run on clean energy will be refunded 80 percent of taxes paid for damaged vehicles.
“Cars [damaged as a result of the floods] need to have their registration canceled by the Transport Bureau,” said Iong.
Since the financial assistance program involves taxes, which fall under the authority of the Legislative Assembly (AL), Iong said the program will have to wait until the next AL to be approved.
The program will be immediately discussed by the new AL once it commences operations.
Transport Bureau (DSAT) Director Lam Hin San issued a reminder that the government has already reached an agreement with towing companies about towing fee standards, and that the city’s towing companies will maintain the same prices for their services.
He suggested that the corporate owners of jointly-owned properties hire only one company to manage issues in private parking lots.
Meanwhile, acting director of The Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG) Leong Ka Cheng said that there is a low chance of SMG hoisting a Signal 8 on Sunday in response to a tropical depression that is approaching Macau.
However, the SMG advised that it would raise Signal 1 within several hours after the press conference at 4:30 p.m. yesterday – Signal 1 was hoisted at 7 p.m. – and warned that there is a relatively high chance that Signal 3 will be raised between tomorrow and Sunday.
Due to the uncertainty of the tropical depression’s trajectory, the likelihood of raising Signal 8 will increase as the storm approaches Macau.
According to Leong, rainfall is expected to occur on Sunday, and SMG does not exclude the possibility of light flooding in some places.
As noted by Leong, since the depression is estimated to arrive east of the Pearl River, there is a low chance of storm surge.
The Director of the Health Bureau (SSM), Lei Chin Ion, is advising the public to pay close attention to hygiene, as gastroenteritis cases are on the rise.
Some 40 to 100 people are typically diagnosed with gastroenteritis daily, but the daily number surged to 200 immediately after the typhoon. Specifically, 226, 204 and 223 people were diagnosed with gastroenteritis on August 28, 29 and 30, respectively. JZ
DSAT introduces changes at Border Gate bus stops ahead of new school year
The Transport Bureau (DSAT) has changed several bus routes in the Border Gate area to meet higher demand for public transport, which is expected to increase with the start of the new school year.
“Taking into account the displacement of students and their parents and the road situations of the public streets around the Border Gate area and after an evaluation and coordination meeting held by DSAT with the Traffic Department of the Public Security Police Force (PSP) and the three bus operators, we will once more adjust the bus stops that serve Border Gate in order to meet the bus service requirements at the beginning of the school year, making an appeal to drivers to pay attention [to such changes],” DSAT said in a statement.
The changes will affect seven bus routes. Of the major changes, Routes Number 9 and 9A will stop at the new bus stop at Jardim Triangular; Numbers 3 and 3X will stop at Istmo Ferreira do Amaral; Numbers 1 and 25 will stop at Av. Artur Tamagnini Barbosa; and MT4 will stop at a temporary bus stop set up at Parque Municipal Dr Sun Yat Sen.
“The three bus operators will mobilize buses at rush hours to provide special bus services to meet the needs of passengers at the busiest stops, as well as accelerate the frequency,” said DSAT.
The bureau added that PSP will closely monitor traffic intersections and congested areas and, if necessary, will reduce congestion by redirecting private vehicle traffic at busy sections. It will alert the public to such changes. RM
