Opinion

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Lets face it, there are some things that Macau does really well.  For starters we have some excellent restaurants and access to the very freshest vegetables, fruit, meat and other produce in our supermarkets.  Our tap water is of the highest quality.  We have some lovely gardens and parks, and some superbly organized festivals and events like the Grand Prix.  And who isn’t charmed at various times of the year by the handmade silk statues dotted around our roundabouts that light up at night – our seasonal decorations in the major public areas are a sight to behold!
 
Then there’s the not so good.  The quality of medical care is questionable as evidenced by the number of locals seeking second opinions and having their operations in Hong Kong, instead of here.  Building maintenance is hit and miss. Our light rail system and long-awaited new ferry terminal… well, I wont even go there.
 
And then there’s the things that are downright ugly; one of which comes to mind is the matter of rubbish collection.  Midday on a Sunday outside the front entrance of Park’N’Shop, and along comes a huge rubbish truck churning and smelling as families promenade the Taipa sidewalks on their day off!  And in one of Macau’s best-loved neighbourhoods Ocean Gardens, directly in front of one of the smartest residential buildings in Macau, sits an ugly pile of overflowing rubbish bins, such an unpleasant and pungent-smelling scene.  And collection time – 3pm on a Sunday.  What’s going on I wonder?  Why isn’t the rubbish collected at night as in most cities?
 
Regarding that ugly pile.  I’ve spoken with the Ocean Gardens Management office on behalf of several of my clients who we’ve housed in the adjacent buildings, and suggested to them that a small refuse ‘house’ be built, as seen in numerous locations throughout Macau, to neatly accommodate the unsightly green bins.  They apparently have requested this of the relevant government authority but had it rejected – twice.
 
A few years ago I was visiting friends living in Hellene Gardens. This was at a time we were being encouraged to separate glass, cans, paper, foodstuffs and the like.  Residents there were diligently separating their rubbish and putting them in the designated bins, so imagine my huge surprise, well more like shock, when we saw the collectors come along and throw the combined contents of all the bins into the one truck!  
 
These days it’s sad but we rarely see the separate refuse bins.  Just as well I suppose, if it’s all going to be chucked in together in the end.
 
When public facilities are really so good in Macau, there seems to be a slippage happening when it comes to handling our trash.  I can’t imagine it’s a money issue as the government surely has sufficient in the kitty.  I’d love to know why.
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