Tourism, health chiefs inspect leisure venues about to reopen

The director of the Macao Government Tourism Office, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, and the director of the Health Bureau, Lei Chin Ion, inspected several entertainment venues on Saturday to ensure that the preventive measures designed to curb the spread of the Covid-19 are being implemented. On Thursday, entertainment and leisure venues were told that they could reopen to the public from today. These premises, as well as casinos, were closed following an Executive Order on February 5, and had not been allowed to reopen when the 15-day gaming
suspension expired. Earlier, representatives from the sector had called on the government to allow them to reopen, in some cases seeking assistance from Macau lawmakers. On Friday, a group of six people representing the city’s karaoke establishments, nightclubs, and bars submitted a petition to the government head
quarters urging the refund of tourism tax paid by the industry last year. The representatives want the local government to give them a one-off cash payment as direct financial help. Moreover, these industries want the local government to either extend the exemption of tourism tax or to suspend the tourism tax, together with a full return of that paid in 2019.
Paul M. L. Iec, one of the six representatives who sent a petition to the government headquarters, said that the majority of entertainment clubs spend between 200,000 patacas and 300,000 patacas for a month’s operations. Iec said that Macau has over 100 entertainment clubs, further claiming that approximately 10% of these companies
have decided to close down their businesses. Those entertainment venues that are reopening will have to abide by a set of new guidelines, as determined by the government. All patrons must wear face masks, while those with respiratory symptoms must not be allowed entry. Venues should only accommodate half of their usual maxi
mum capacity and people – both staff and patrons – should stay one meter away from one another as much as possible. Yesterday was the 26th day without a new coronavirus infection confirmed in Macau. The government has warned the public to continue following its recommendations and not to become complacent. DANIEL BEITLER, JULIE ZHU