Macau (MNA) – Macau Productivity and Technology Transfer Center (CPTTM), together with the Macao Economic Services (DSE), are offering subsidies for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for installing tidal gates and water pumps in their stores.
During the passage of Typhoon Hato in August last year, many stores located along the Inner Harbour area had suffered severe flooding, with over 14,000 SMEs having applied for subsidies which were rolled out by the DSE for financial support.
The new subsidy for tidal gate and water pump installations introduced on Tuesday would grant each SMEs no more than MOP50,000 (US$6,187) for the installation.
The scheme supports SMEs with up to MOP5,000 per metre square for installing the tidal gate, while the cap for the water pump purchase is set at MOP3,000.
CPTTM stated that the scheme provides subsidies only for a set of installation – both the tidal gate and water pump – ruling out the possibility of installing only one of the items.
Under the Industrial and Commercial Development Fund, Shuen Ka Hung (pictured, second right), the director general of CPTTM, said they expect over 1,000 applications for the new subsidy scheme, given that the activation of the tidal gate and water pump would not affect business.
Last April, the Center also rolled out a scheme to subsidise SMEs to build their own elevating platforms to lift products or machines when flooding strikes.
The director general disclosed that there were merely three applications for the subsidy to build the platform, explaining that many of the SMEs own small stores in which the installation of the platform is difficult.
“[If SMEs are willing] to apply to both schemes [elevating platform and tidal gate and water pump], together they will effectively beat flooding,” remarked Mr. Shuen, adding, however, that the schemes are short-term measures to overcome flood issues.
“The flood problem can only be entirely solved when the anti-flood construction at the Inner Harbour is completed,” he added.
The Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (IACM) has previously announced a public tender for the construction of a rain pump station and box culvert in the northern part of the Inner Harbour.
