Hundreds of residents living in Coloane’s Seac Pai Van public housing estate Sunday took part in a rally opposing the government’s plan to build warehouses for hazardous materials near their homes.
The outdoor rally took place at the massive public housing estate.
Representatives of Seac Pai Van residents told reporters the government had failed to consult the residents about its plan to build warehouses for hazardous materials in Coloane’s Concordia Industrial Park.
About 20 residents from the Seac Pai Van public housing estate petitioned the government late last month against its plan to build two warehouses for hazardous materials on two plots in the Concordia Industrial Park area that is near the sprawling public housing estate and other residential buildings in the area.
The petitioners at that time said that one of the planned warehouses would be located less than 200 metres from their homes. They also pointed out that on the mainland warehouses for hazardous materials must be located at least 1,000 metres from residential buildings.
Initially, one of the government’s proposed plots for the storage of hazardous materials was to be located near the Seac Pai Van public housing estate, luxury residential estate One Oasis, and THE 13 Hotel. The other proposed location, which is next to the Coloane Wastewater Treatment Plant, is a bit further away from residential buildings.
Responding to the resident’s opposition, Chief Executive Chui Sai On told lawmakers last Thursday during a Q&A session of the legislature that after further study, the government was now proposing to first build a warehouse for hazardous materials close to the waterfront in the Concordia Industrial Park – the plot next to the Coloane Wastewater Treatment Plant – one of the government’s two initially-proposed plots.
Chui did not specifically mention whether the government has given up the other location that is nearer to residential buildings in the area.
During Sunday’s rally, representatives of the residents told reporters that the two proposed locations are near residential buildings, adding that the residents are opposing the setting-up of any warehouses for hazardous materials in the Concordia Industrial Park.
The representatives also slammed the government for failing to explain the reasons why it chose to build warehouses for hazardous materials in the Concordia Industrial Park.
The police said in a statement last night that about 260 residents took part in the rally.
Meanwhile, employees of gaming operator Melco Resorts & Entertainment took part in a protest march on Saturday night, urging the company to improve their working conditions and fringe benefits and pay them 14 monthly salaries a year.
The New Macau Gaming Workers’ Rights Union, the protest organiser, told reporters that about 3,000 people had participated in the demonstration which went from City of Dreams to Studio City in Cotai.
The police told the media that about 850 people took part in the protest.
The protestors also urged the company to strictly enforce the government’s anti-smoking rules in casinos.
The union held a protest march over the same demands in Cotai on August 1.
( Photo from TDM news)
