Central District Community Service Consultative Council members urged the government yesterday to strengthen and promote the importance of fire safety awareness and responsibility during a regular meeting of the government-appointed body at the Patane Activity Centre in Avenida de Demetrio Cinatti yesterday.

Council members Ao Ieong Kuong Kao and Tou Mio Leng said that the government should further promote the new Legal Regime of Fire Safety in Buildings and Enclosures to the public. According to Ao Ieong and Tou, the new law, which took effect on August 16, aims to protect and safeguard people’s lives and property, as well as to lower the impacts brought by fire hazards to the environment.

Ao Ieong and Tou said that the public should show more responsibility for their own fire safety. They also noted that the current building management situation is rather  complicated because fire safety equipment varies from one to another.

Ao Ieong said that the government should develop fire command training, educate the public about fire safety responsibility and awareness, and conduct more fire drills, while Tou said that the government should promote fire safety awareness in conjunction with civil organisations and building management firms. Tou added that the government could use infographics so that the public can understand the new fire safety law better.

Fellow council member Chang Ka Wa said that “three-nil” buildings could lead to management issues because property owners are not sure who is responsible for possible fire hazards in their buildings. “Three nil” buildings refer to those which don’t have an owners’ corporation (OC), no tenants’ organisation, and no property management company (PMC).

Chang suggested the government provide support and resources so that the public can set up property owners’ organisations for their buildings. Chang also suggested that the government refer to Hong Kong’s “joint management” strategy. This strategy uses bundled management. Chang said that the government could appoint a management firm to provide cleaning and facility maintenance services for the “three-nil” buildings” collectively.

Smart tourism

Meanwhile, fellow council members Lam Wai Hou and Tai Ka Peng underlined that smart tourism brings constant development to Macau. According to Lam, the open-air fair in the peninsula’s “Herbalists’ Street”, near Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro, is using augmented reality (AR) technology as a new element to foster local tourism. Lam said he hoped that the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) and the Economic and Technological Development Bureau (DSEDT) could further explore and examine the use of technology to promote tourism.

Tai said that the concept of “tourism +” greatly attracts tourists such as the ongoing “Herbalists Street” fair. Tai said the government should further increase the use of “tourism + technology” at local heritage sites to attract more tourists. 

The Central District Community Service Consultative Council members meet at the Patane Activity Centre in Avenida de Demetrio Cinatti yesterday. Photo: Ula Cheang