Public consultation on Estoril revamp extended

The public consultation period on Hotel Estoril’s renovations will be extended until September 20, the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Alexis Tam, told Radio Macau yesterday. While it was initially planned to end on August 20, the public consultation period has been extended for an additional month, as not many people have participated in the two recent public briefing sessions.  The Secretary recalled that a total of 19 briefing sessions have been held to ascertain the opinions of associations and experts on the topic of these renovations. However, the general public were not as willing to comment on the subject, he said. The abandoned Hotel Estoril will be transformed into a youth recreation and art center.

Macau Foundation | More funding for the needy, less for the unnecessary

Macau Foundation president Wu Zhiliang stressed yesterday morning that financial support for the region’s at-risk communities and for local education initiatives would not be dampened by the lackluster gaming earnings, while the authorities’ overall budget remained unaltered. Wu added that the authorities would consider reducing grants allocated to other groups if their applications for funding are devoid of a specific purpose, and this judgement will be based on whether the austerity measures earlier hinted by the government are implemented. Two weeks ago, Wu already said that local groups should seek to minimize their “unnecessary projects,” which may include performances and outbound visits. The fiscal reserve at the foundation, sourced from the gross gaming income, has already culminated in a “huge sum” over the years, he said.

Two SARs’ mainland entry permits to be made multi-functional

Mainland travel permits for Hong Kong and Macau residents could see further functions added in the future, according to Lao Ngai Leong, local delegate to the National People’s Congress. He has revealed the authorities’ efforts to make the permit, known as a “home-returning card,” available for ticket purchasing and hotel check-in on the mainland. However, no specific timeframe for the new policy has been set to date. Ngai confirmed to media that the new initiative was met with general approval. It was believed that the permit’s usage could be extended in order to cover a wide range of livelihood-oriented facilities and services.