The government-appointed Central District Community Service Consultative Council held its monthly regular meeting yesterday, where various concerns were raised, including traffic arrangements for the National Games and Macau Grand Prix periods.
The first part of the meeting was open to the media, during which the councillors raised various issues in their speeches. The meeting then proceeded behind closed doors. It included presentations by two government officials about the ongoing preparations for the 15th National Games, as well as the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and 9th National Special Olympic Games, which will be held in November and December respectively.
The two-hour meeting was held at the Patane Activity Centre on Avenida de Demétrio Cinatti (爹美刁施拿地大馬路).
Councillor Mok Chio Kuan said in her speech that the government, based on the actual conditions around the National Games venues and the Grand Prix Guia Circuit, should increase public bus frequency and optimise their routes. Additionally, shuttle buses to the competition venues should be free of charge, coupled with strengthening the timely release of the latest traffic information during the event periods.
Fellow councillor Wong Chi Choi said that while the convergence of multiple major events would help stimulate the economy, it would also test Macau’s traffic capacity. He urged the government to strengthen cross-departmental coordination, focus on notorious traffic congestion blackspots, and utilise both historical passenger flow data and real-time monitoring data to pre-deploy manpower and transportation resources.
In the post-meeting press briefing, Mok and the council’s deputy convenor Pui Seng In pointed out that the first batch of tickets for the National Games and Special Olympics went on sale on August 28. Members of the public are required to register with their real names before purchasing tickets, they reaffirmed.
According to the post-meeting press briefing, the two government officials encouraged local businesses to launch special products and services themed around the various events to boost the vitality of the city’s community economy. Volunteer recruitment and training have already begun, with services being refined through test events, both noted during the briefing. Promotional efforts are underway both online and offline, aiming to foster an atmosphere of public participation and support Macau in demonstrating its capability to host international sporting events, Mok and Pui said.
The 15th National Games will take place from November 6 to 22 in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau.
The Macau Grand Prix (MGP) will be held from November 13 to 16.
Central District Community Service Consultative Council Deputy Convenor Pui Seng In (left) and fellow councillor Mok Chio Kuan pose during yesterday’s press briefing after the government-appointed council’s closed-door meeting at the Patane Activity Centre on Avenida de Demétrio Cinatti. – Photo: Armindo Neves
