Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Alexis Tam Chon Weng addressing Thursday´s Q&A session in the legislature’s hemicycle said that the government was proposing to build four schools on the plot of land where the city’s greyhound racetrack is located.
In July last year, the government told the racetrack operator, Macau (Yat Yuen) Canidrome Co. Ltd., to vacate the property in Fai Chi Kei, a public land concession, within two years.
The company’s concession to run greyhound racing will expire on July 20 next year. The company is headed by gaming executive-cum- lawmaker Angela Leong On Kei.
The government has hinted that if the company finds another venue suitable for dog races, it might be allowed to continue its decades-old business.
Tam made the remarks when answering a question from indirectly- elected lawmaker-cum-unionist Lam Lon Wai, on the first day of the two- day Q&A session about his portfolio’s policy guidelines for next year.
Tam and senior officials of his portfolio attended Thursday’s plenum in the Legislative Assembly’s hemicycle.
The racetrack operator has still not said whether they plan to continue running dog races elsewhere after handing the racetrack in Fai Chi Kei back to the government.
Some local commentators have called for the races to continue since they are a part of the city’s heritage. There have been suggestions that the greyhound races could be held at the Macau Jockey Club in Taipa.
Local animal protection group Anima urged the government earlier this year to allow it to take over the Fai Chi Kei greyhound racetrack for a year, after the operator shuts down its business there next year, so that the group has enough time to rehabilitate the hundreds of greyhounds for adoption overseas.
