The 22nd Macau Lotus Festival will launch at Taipa Houses today and will run until next Sunday. The Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) will hold multiple exhibitions and ecotourism activities during the festival. The ecotourism awareness activities include visiting the lotus wetlands and learning about the flora and fauna of the wetlands, allowing citizens to observe and understand the growth habits of lotuses. IAM has also placed more than 5,000 lotus pots on the main streets of Macau, at tourist attractions and in green belts, and will hold various activities related to the lotus, such as a lotus festival photography contest and a lotus-themed workshop.
Anima accumulating debt for two months
Anima, the Society for the Protection of Animals, has not yet received grants from the Macao Foundation, while its bills have been accumulating for two months. Zoe Tang, chairman of Anima’s executive committee, said in an interview with Jornal Tribuna that the organization’s financial situation “has never been so bad.” She explained that “as of January this year, our liabilities amounted to approximately MOP1.6 million. For two months we have not been able to pay food providers, veterinary clinics and even the salaries of our staff.” Tang said that they had recently contacted the Macao Foundation, which said that the grants had been approved but that it would take a week or two for the payment procedures to be completed.
Loans to private sector down in April
Domestic loans to the private sector in April, totaling MOP554.2 billion, have decreased by 0.7% compared to the previous month, while external loans have dropped 3.1% to MOP769.8 billion, according to data published by the Monetary Authority. In total, loans to the private sector fell by 2.1% from March to MOP1,324 billion. During the same period, resident deposits dropped 1.9% to MOP653.1 billion while non-resident deposits went down by 3.9% to MOP365.8 billion. Public sector deposits within the banking sector fell 0.9% to MOP260.8 billion, with total deposits in the banking sector dropping 2.3% month-on-month to MOP1,279.8 billion.
