Gov’t spots defect in Hengqin crossing facility

The Macau SAR government has discovered defects in the Macau immigration facility of the future Hengqin port, according to Secretary for Security Wong Sio Chak.
Yesterday, Wong revealed to local media that he had noticed the problems during his previous visits to the new Hengqin port immigration building in Macau.
He added that various government departments are still in the process of making improvements. The local security authority will work with the public works secretariat to repair the defect.
The construction of the new Hengqin port building was supervised by the Zhuhai Government. Commenting on the quality of the building, Wong defended the Zhuhai government, saying that they had built the Macau immigration facility in accordance with the SAR’s requirements.
In August 2018, the Macau government reached a consensus with the Guangdong government to build a new Hengqin port. The newly completed Macau immigration facility, which was handed over to Macau on March 18, already needs to be “fixed.”
The secretary indicated the new facility might be operational within the year, although it depends on the “small-scale repair[s]” that need to be done.
The port includes an immigration checkpoint building, an entry-exit platform, and the main body of the lotus flower bridge. The SAR will acquire more facilities during and second and third phases of the transfer.
Meanwhile, besides reporting on the border facility, Wong also commented on special rewards for the security authority’s frontline workers in the battle against Covid-19.
Wong will follow the Chief Executive’s order to expand the reward scheme to include frontline security force workers.
At the end of this year, security force workers’ performance during the Covid-19 period will become one of the criteria for the special merit reward for police officers. The reward will be either cash or holidays.
Wong himself will make the final decision as to the number to be awarded. JZ