The acting chief of the Municipal Affairs Bureau’s (IAM) Hygiene Supervision, Leong Cheok Man, announced yesterday that the Horta da Mitra wet market will close today for a renovation project starting next month, during which all stallholders will suspend their business operations.
All stallholders will move out of the market by today, Leong added.
The Horta da Mitra Municipal Market (Jeuk Jai Yun – “Little Bird Garden” – in Cantonese), built in 1939, is located near Rua do Campo.
Leong told the media outside the wet market yesterday that a number of briefing sessions were held with the market stallholders over the past few months to update them about the upcoming renovation project and temporary arrangements, adding that the stallholders agreed to suspend their business operations during the renovation so that the work could get off the ground “in full swing”.
Leong made the remarks during a media briefing about the wet market’s renovation project.
According to Leong, after the renovation, the number of stalls will be adjusted from 13 to 18, and some of the stalls will be increased in size. He added that in order to make the wet market “drier”, fish and meat stalls will have new designs, with backup areas and clear partitions to be set up.
Leong noted that the renovation project, which was expected to be finished within this year, would cost around 11 million patacas.
Leong did not specify when he expected the renovation project to be completed.
For more details about the wet market’s renovation project, readers may refer to The Macau Post Daily’s report on Monday: https://www.macaupostdaily.com/article17045.html.
When asked about the reasons why it had not been arranged for the stallholders to continue operating in other wet markets during the renovation, Leong said that schedules to renovate other wet markets may overlap with the Horta da Mitra renovation, adding that some stallholders also informed the bureau that it would be difficult for them to run their business in other wet markets.
Meanwhile, Mak, who has operated a stall in the wet market for over 35 years, told reporters yesterday that he agreed with the government’s renovation of the Horta da Mitra market, the condition of which was “worse” than other wet markets, hoping his business will improve after the project.
Mak was quick to add he hoped that the government will provide a “basic” living allowance of at least 3,000 patacas a month to each stallholder during the suspension.
Mak also pointed out that among the renovation projects in the city’s wet markets, the Horta da Mitra market is the only one without a temporary relocation project for its stallholders.
Mak said he estimated a business loss of 3,000 patacas to 5,000 patacas each month during the renovation.
A stall owner surnamed Mak talks to reporters yesterday at the Horta da Mitra Municipal Market, which will stop operating today for a months-long renovation project. – Photo: MPDG
Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) Hygiene Supervision Department Acting Chief Leong Cheok Man speaks to the media during yesterday’s briefing about the Horta da Mitra Municipal Market renovation project. – Photo: Yuki Lei
