News

Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the average daily wage of construction workers was MOP542 in the first quarter of 2009, up by 3.0% quarter-to-quarter. The average daily wage of skilled & semi-skilled workers rose by 1.5% to MOP557, of which structural iron erectors (MOP707), plant operators (MOP667) and concrete formwork carpenters (MOP643) were earning higher average wages; meanwhile, the average daily wage of unskilled workers (MOP344) registered a decrease of 3.9%. After discounting the effect of inflation, the wage index of construction workers for the first quarter of 2009 was 96.8 in real terms, up slightly by 1.0% over the previous quarter. As regards construction materials, the average price of spiral and round reinforcing steel bars continued its downward trend from the last quarter, falling sharply by 15.9% quarter-to-quarter to MOP5,127 per tonne, and that of concrete declined slightly by 0.6% to MOP317 per cubic metre; however, the average price of cement registered an increase of 4.2%, at MOP651 per tonne. In the first quarter of 2009, the price index of construction materials for residential buildings dropped further by 8.9% quarter-to-quarter to 127.2. Compared with the same quarter of 2008, the price index registered a decrease of 10.8%, owing to a 20.1% and 29.8% plunge in the price indices of steel and electric wires; besides, the price indices of aluminium and concrete went down by 12.4% and 3.6% respectively.
…

Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the value of total exports of goods amounted to MOP642 million in March 2009, down significantly by 51.9% year-on-year, with the value of domestic exports decreasing by 63.9% to MOP277 million and that of re-exports dropping by 35.8% to MOP366 million. The value of total imports of goods amounted to MOP2.73 billion, down by 28.0% year-on-year. A trade deficit of MOP2.09 billion was recorded for March 2009. From January to March 2009, total exports of goods fell by 49.2% year-on-year to MOP2.03 billion, with the value of domestic exports and re-exports declining by 63.5% and 24.0% respectively. Meanwhile, total imports of goods slid by 20.9% to MOP8.21 billion, and the trade deficit for the first three months of 2009 narrowed by 3.2% to MOP6.18 billion. The exports/imports ratio went down by 13.8 percentage points year-on-year to 24.7%. Analysed by the destinations of Macao’s exports, in the first three months of 2009, the value of merchandise exports to the USA, the EU and Mainland China decreased by 70.5%, 61.1% and 35.6% respectively year-on-year. The value of Textile & garment exports declined by 64.0% year-on-year to account for 42.1% of the total exports of goods; meanwhile, the value of Non-textile exports dropped by 27.6%, with exports of Articles of copper falling by 65.8%, but exports of Jewellery rising by 17.6%. Regarding the country of origin of imported goods, the value of imports from Mainland China and Hong Kong dropped by 42.8% and 12.7% respectively year-on-year. The value of imports of all broad economic categories registered year-on-year decreases, of which Raw materials & semi-manufactures dropped by 41.9% and Fuels & lubricants fell by 28.9%; meanwhile, the value of imports of Consumer goods recorded a slower decrease of 6.7%, with that of Food and beverages rising by 10.2%.
…

Chief Executive Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah today attended a briefing by the Influenza Pandemic Prevention Coordination Group, on Macao’s preventive measures against swine influenza and the evolution of the pandemic. The briefing was conducted by the group’s chairman, the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Chui Sai On. During the three-day Labour Day holidays starting tomorrow, the Health Bureau would continue to step up surveillance at all immigration checkpoints. Government health care centres would provide some services during the holidays. Macao would maintain close contact with the World Health Organization, Ministry of Health of the Central Government, and health departments of the neighbouring regions. Based on all available information, the Government deemed that the threat of swine flu exceeded than that of SARS in 2003 in terms of the numbers of infected people and death caused and the speed, scope and mode of the spreading of the virus. Several camping centres, youth centres and youth hostels under the supervision of government departments will be used as quarantine camps when needed. The Social Welfare Bureau has notified all social welfare institutions to implement all necessary preventive measures and store adequate resources. Staff of kindergartens and institutions that provide accommodation have been instructed to check the temperature of people entering their premises. Visitors and staff are also required to register when entering. The Education and Youth Affairs Bureau had also issued guidelines to all schools implement preventive measures, such as taking the temperature of students every morning and activating emergency task force when needed. Overseas students from Macao are urged to take note of the latest developments. The Health Bureau would organise talks for medical professionals in the next few days. In accordance with the contagious disease prevention law, the Influenza Pandemic Prevention Coordination Group could, with the approval of the Chief Executive, direct all public and private entities to adopt measures to prevent and control the disease. Meanwhile, three visitors from Mexico who arrived in Macao today to visit their family were tested negative for the flu. The Health Bureau would follow up on their health situation daily. To date there was no probable or confirmed human case of swine influenza A (H1N1) in Macao. A round-the-clock hotline of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, at 853-28561122, has been set up for enquiries about swine influenza.
…

Macau Government Tourist Office is putting full effort to prepare for the arrival of visitors to Macau during May 1 Labor Day holiday and will advise the travelers to take appropriate precautions. In light of outbreaks of swine influenza A (H1N1) in a number of countries, MGTO urges the travel trade to be vigilant in guarding against the risk of swine flu and remind the employees to keep personal hygiene and take necessary precautions at workplace. MGTO will cooperate with other departments to take precautionary measures and alert visitors to maintain good personal hygiene and consult doctor for any flu symptoms. Local mobile telecommunications service providers has sent out SMS alert to Macau residents (with roaming service) traveling to countries/regions affected by swine flu since April 26 and visitors entering Macau since April 28 to be attentive to the latest news on swine flu, to take all necessary precautions and consult doctor for symptoms of respiratory infection. If necessary, please call the Health Department on +853-28561122 or Tourism Crisis Management Office/MGTO hotline 28333000. SMS alert and updates on swine flu will operate till May 5. MGTO will continue to maintain close contact with the travel trade to collect information on travelers for necessary precautions. To provide more information to the residents and visitors, the website of Crisis Management Office (http://www.ggct.gov.mo) will strengthen connections with related websites. MGTO has also requested its 17 representatives around the world to report the latest development in these source markets. As May 1 Labor Day holiday is drawing near, MGTO has sent out advices to hotels, restaurants, bar and similar establishments on food safety, service quality, fire safety, sanitation standard and code of practice on catering industry. The travel trade is also reminded to abide by regulations to secure the traveling rights of Macau residents. MGTO will strengthen inspection at tourist attractions and checkpoints during Labor Day holiday. Information counters and tourism hotline will operate as usual.
…

The Macau Business Tourism Centre (MBTC) of Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) hosted an Association Executive Seminar in Hong Kong today (29th April), which was tailored for Hong Kong association leaders and decision makers to work hand in hand with Macau to draw more regional and international conventions and congresses to the cities. Highlighting Macau as an appealing partner in the meeting industry for the Hong Kong associations and in terms of regional development, the seminar featured speakers Mr Gary Grimmer, Consultant of MGTO in the area of business tourism and CEO of Gary Grimmer & Company, which is an international convention industry training and consulting firm, Mr Mike Williams, also Consultant of MGTO in the area of business tourism and Senior Consultant of Gary Grimmer & Company, as well as Mr Stanley Mok, General Manager of the Hong Kong representation office for MGTO. The Association Executive Seminar is a partnership program between the MGTO and professional associations in Macau and Hong Kong. During this program, participants learned about hosting international conventions as a tool for building local and regional associations, how to bid for international or regional association congress, how local members can easily manage their congress with professional help which can increase the turnover of the congress and improve the efficiency of the event, what free professional services are available to association executives who want to bid and bring their association congress to Macau, how MGTO makes it easy for association executives to have a successful bid, and what assistance or support is available for association executives once they have secured their association congress to Macau. Participants in the seminar included influential association leaders and decision makers coming from different areas of Hong Kong such as finance, commerce, insurance, medical, education and media. Since the commencement of the Macau Business Tourism Centre in 2006, MGTO has been reinforcing its role to help develop and position Macau as a premier MICE destination within Asia. Benefiting not only the local industry, professional training opportunities are also available for the region from time to time with emphasis on successful development through regional cooperation. An “IAPCO & Macau Regional Seminar on Professional Congress Organization” was organized in joint efforts with the International Association of Professional Congress Organizers earlier in Macau in March.
…

Macao has raised its alert from Level II to Level III and stepped up its preventive measures following reports of swine influenza A (H1N1) cases in Mexico and the United States of America. The Influenza Pandemic Prevention Coordination Group, an inter-departmental task force, held an urgent meeting today. Its chairman, the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Mr Chui Sai On, said Macao had adequate drugs and personal prevention equipment to combat the influenza. He urged the public to follow advice issued by the health departments and maintain good personal hygiene. Mr Chui said the Government would step up surveillance and strengthen monitoring at terminals and crossings. Moreover, hospitals had also stepped up prevention measures and the quarantine wards were already in place. Macao Health Bureau officials will take part in a video conference tomorrow with their counterparts in the Ministry of Health of the Central Government and the Department of Health of the HKSAR to see how they could work more closely together. The Government would also maintain close contact with the Western Pacific regional office of the World Health Organization, Ministry of Health of the Central Government, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, and health departments of Hong Kong and Guangdong Province. The Government had issued tentative guidelines to medical institutions and medical staff to step up prevention and asked them to notify authorities of any suspected cases. The quarantine wards at Hospital Conde S. Januário and a Coloane quarantine centre have been prepared and ready for use. Schools, educational and social welfare institutions were asked to step up surveillance for suspected cases of respiratory tract infection. The Government would continue to issue travel advice and alerts to residents when needed. And subject to developments the Government could introduce measures to widen the areas and form of travel alerts, restrict visitors at hospitals, and take the special measures necessary as prescribed in the pandemic prevention law.
…

Macao and Zhuhai have agreed to work closer together on urban planning and transportation, border crossing and the development of the trans-border industrial zone. The Zhuhai-Macao Co-operation Working Group held its first meeting in Zhuhai today, jointly chaired by Macao‘s Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Mr Lau Si Io, and the Vice Mayor of Zhuhai, Mr Chen Honghui. The meeting was attended by officials from the two places and representing departments of urban planning, transportation, infrastructure, economy, customs, public security, inspection and quarantine, health, culture, education and tourism. They have agreed to set up three sub-working groups under the Zhuhai-Macao Co-operation Working Group to work on the development of the Zhuhai-Macao Crossborder Industrial Zone, the co-ordination on urban planning and transportation network, and the optimisation of their border crossing facilities. The Zhuhai-Macao Co-operation Working Group was established last December after the signing of a memorandum during the Guangdong-Macao Co-operation Joint Conference 2008. The working group was established to enhance communication and co-operation between the two places.
…

According to statistics released today by the Monetary Authority of Macao, on a monthly basis, money supply M2 noted a decrease. Deposits with banks declined slightly whereas domestic loans to the private sector saw an increase. As a result, the loan-to-deposit ratio edged up from a month ago. Money supply
Due to the decreases of currency in circulation and demand deposits, M1 shrank 4.9% month-to-month. Quasi-monetary liabilities also edged down by 0.2%. The sum of these two items, i.e. M2, thus slid 0.8% to MOP192.6 billion. On an annual basis, M1 and M2 rose 13.7% and 2.6% respectively. The share of Pataca (MOP) in M2 stood at 28.9%, down 0.2 percentage points over a month ago or up 0.9 percentage
points over a year earlier respectively. Concurrently, the share of Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) in M2 was 52.3%, up 0.4 percentage points month-to-month or down 2.6 percentage points year-on-year. Deposits
Resident deposits edged down by 0.6% from the previous month to MOP188.0 billion. Of which, MOP deposits, HKD deposits and other foreign currency deposits fell at respective rates of 0.6%, 0.1% and 2.1%. On the other hand, non-resident deposits and public sector deposits with the banking sector rose 0.4% (to MOP72.1 billion) and 2.3% (to MOP13.5 billion) respectively. As a result, total deposits in the banking sector slid 0.2% from the previous month to MOP273.6 billion. The shares of MOP and HKD in
total deposits were 22.7% and 44.8% respectively. Loans
Domestic loans to the private sector grew 0.9% month-to-month to MOP91.4 billion. Among which, MOP18.8 billion was MOP-denominated and MOP67.0 billion was denominated in HKD, representing 20.5% and 73.2% of the total respectively. External loans declined by 1.1% to MOP56.4 billion; of which, loans denominated in MOP and HKD accounted for 1.9% and 55.9% respectively of the total, at values of MOP1.1 billion and MOP31.5 billion. Loan-to-deposit ratios
Due to the decline in resident deposits and increase in domestic loans to the private sector, the loan-todeposit
ratio for the resident sector at end-February 2009 increased by 0.6 percentage points month-tomonth to 45.4%. The ratio for both the resident and non-resident sectors stood at 54.0%, up 0.2 percentage points. Annex Table
For enquiry, please contact:
Research and Statistics Department, Monetary Authority of Macao
(Tel: 83952532; Fax: 28353042)
…

The Health Bureau will give a talk on swine influenza for all medical professionals on Thursday to enhance co-ordination between the authorities and health institutions in preventing an outbreak. The Director of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr Tong Ka Io, and Dr Lam Chong, the co-ordinator of the Centre’s infectious disease control and surveillance department, will explain the epidemiology of the virus and preventive measures introduced by the Government. It will be held from 13:30 to 14:30 at the hall of administration building of Health Bureau. All medical professionals in Macao are welcome. For enquiries, please dial 28713734 or 28713735. According to the statistics of the Health Bureau, as of yesterday, there have been no probable nor a confirmed human case of swine influenza A (H1N1) in Macao. The Hospital Conde S. Januário treated 47 children and 119 adults with upper respiratory tract infections yesterday, which accounted for 14% and 58% of all outpatients. The figures showed no signs of an increase. A round-the-clock hotline of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, at 853-28561122, has been set up for enquiries about swine influenza.
…

Macao health officials held a video conference with their counterparts in Mainland and Hong Kong this morning to discuss preventive measures against swine influenza, which had spread rapidly and claimed lives in several countries. They assessed the developments of the virus, shared their knowledge and discussed quarantine arrangements, drugs, vaccine, and speed test for the virus. They agreed to build a contact list to jointly facilitate information exchanges to help prevent the possible pandemic. The Director of the Health Bureau, Dr Lei Chin Ion, Director of Hospital Conde S. Januário, Dr Chan Wai Sin, and experts from Macao’s Centre for Disease Control and Prevention took part in the meeting. The World Health Organization (WHO) raised the level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 3 to phase 4 today, which meant that the virus could transmit from human to human, and indicated that the likelihood of a pandemic had increased. The health authorities continued to urge the health, educational and social welfare institutions and the public to follow the guidelines issued by the Government. Individuals are also asked to maintain good personal hygiene. A round-the-clock hotline of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, at 853-28561122, has been set up for enquiries.
…