Shortly after Typhoon Hato wreaked havoc on the city, the city’s six gaming operators announced typhoon arrangements for their staff, organising teams of volunteers to help clean up the city and deliver bottled water to people in need. They also donated cash to the city’s post-typhoon relief effort.
As the city deals with the aftermath of Typhoon Hato that hit Macau on Wednesday where many were left without power, water and telecom services for days and the local government requested the help of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) for the first time since the city’s return to the motherland in 1999, gaming operators SJM, MGM, Melco, Wynn, Sands China and Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG) were quick to show that they support their staff and the city in the wake of the devastating typhoon.
SJM announced on Thursday that it was flexible concerning staff turning up for work late or those who chose not to go to work during the killer typhoon. SJM also said it was ready to give out typhoon allowances. The company also set up a hotline for staff needing assistance at home and opened its staff-only supermarket to the general public.
This was followed by similar actions from MGM, Melco and Wynn offering staff members and their families temporary accommodation.
Meanwhile, Sands China on Thursday announced the cancellation of its 10th anniversary celebration of the Venetian scheduled for today, and instead assigned the resources for typhoon relief.
On Friday when Galaxy announced a typhoon allowance for staff, Melco said it had set up a 30 million-pataca relief fund to help staff, the community and restoration efforts in the aftermath of Typhoon Hato, in addition to halting its Morpheus hotel project and assigning the 2,000 construction workers and 500 Melco staff to clear debris caused by Hato and distribute bottled water to the community.
Meanwhile, SJM also set up a staff volunteer team to help the community, in addition to opening the washroom facilities at the dog racetrack for residents without water and power supply in Fai Chi Kei.
MGM on Saturday also announced a 30 million pataca donation to the typhoon relief effort.
Yesterday, Sands China announced its relief effort included the provision of its hotel facilities to staff families affected by the typhoon.
Meanwhile, Galaxy Macau’s Facebook page was replete with adverse reviews in Chinese and English yesterday, with netizens commenting that staff had to work even though their families were still without water and power at home, and also had to “volunteer” to clean up the resort’s swimming pool when instead they should be helping the community.
GEG last night said in a statement that it was contributing 60 million patacas to post-typhoon support relief efforts in Macau – 30 million patacas from the GEG Foundation and 30 million from the Lui family which founded the company.
The company did not immediately respond to the allegations made on Galaxy Macau’s Facebook page.
However, the statement quoted GEG Chairman Lui Chee Woo as saying that “we can all learn from this traumatizing experience and be better prepared in the future, including GEG,” adding, “I encourage unity within society to work together to rebuild our community.”
General view of casino-hotels on the peninsula with their lights off last Wednesday, the day Macau was hit hard by Typhoon Hato that caused severe power and water supply breakdowns and telecom disruptions. Photo: Monica Leong
