Lawmakers call for better protection on food deliverers

Lawmakers have submitted written inquiries to the government asking for better protection and welfare for food couriers, following a deadly traffic collision in Cotai last Friday.

The incident occurred at a roundabout near The Venetian resort on Friday, taking the life of a motorcyclist who worked as a food courier for mFood, a subsidiary of the cashless payment service platform Macau Pass.

Lawmaker Leong Sun Iok sees the need for the executive branch to review the current scale of the food delivery business and protections for food couriers. He proposes a system that manages full-time, part-time and self-employed couriers in an integrated manner. Centralized safety training and vocational guidelines should also be compiled.

Leong argued that couriers have a need to keep moving and often get fines for illegal parking.

On this matter, Leong’s colleague José Pareira Coutinho restated on his social media page that he had asked the government to provide temporary parking areas for food deliverers in January. He also asked if it was possible to designate motorbike lanes, such as those in use on the Sai Van Bridge, to ensure safety.

Director Lam Hin San of the Transport Bureau replied to Coutinho, saying designated motorbike lanes were not part of the bureau’s plan.

Both mFood and the Labor Affairs Bureau have issued statements expressing their concern at the fatal collision. Assistance has been arranged for the family of the victim.

mFood has also stressed that it has a series of training programs for its employees, including operational safety, road safety, vehicle conditions and seven-day personal training for new recruits.

At the time of going to press, no updates on investigations have been announced by the Public Security Police Force on the collision. Following the accident, the police are calling upon eye witnesses to the collision to come forward.