Reporters are briefed on the Government’s plan to conserve St Augustine’s Church
The Government would step up its inspection efforts in relation to Macao’s cultural heritage sites, in order further to protect those buildings and prevent any recurrence of the sort of incident that led to a collapse of a section of ceiling at St Augustine’s Church. In view of recent rainy weather, with the possibility of more to come, the Government would conduct check-ups on: St Joseph’s Seminary and Church; St Anthony’s Church; the Chapel of Our Lady of Penha; and the OXwarehouse. These four heritage locations, together with St Augustine’s Church, are considered most at risk of damage related to adverse weather. The Cultural Affairs Bureau estimates that restoration of St Augustine’s Church will be completed in three months and will cost approximately one million patacas, said the Director of the Bureau, Mr Ung Vai Meng, on Tuesday (14 June) in a session with the press. The session included a visit to the Church. A partial collapse of a wooden ceiling, along with some roof tiles, occurred at St Augustine’s Church on 29 May. The Bureau said the incident was mainly due to recent rainstorms and turbulent weather conditions. It noted that the Church was inherently fragile as it was several hundred years old. A detailed report on the incident would be submitted to the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, said the Bureau. The Government would conduct at least twice-yearly inspections of the city’s cultural heritage sites. Those inspections would be made not only by the Bureau’s professional staff but also by specialist teams outside the public sector. The Bureau urged on-site managers of Macao’s heritage buildings to pay close attention to weather conditions and strengthen protection measures for each individual building in relation to the threat of adverse weather. St Augustine’s Church is part of the Historic Centre of Macao, a place that is on the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The Church was built in 1591, and is one of the oldest in Macao.
