News

The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, will attend a plenary session of the Legislative Assembly on 22 April and answer legislators’ questions on Government policy and social issues. The session will start at 3pm and will be broadcast live on television and radio channels of public broadcaster Teledifusão de Macau (TDM). Members of the public also have the option of watching the proceedings online via: the website of the Legislative Assembly (http://www.al.gov.mo); the Macao SAR Government Portal (http://www.gov.mo); the website of the Office of the Chief Executive (http://www.gce.gov.mo); the website of the Government Information Bureau (http://www.gcs.gov.mo); the official channel for Macao Government news on YouTube (www.youtube.com/macaogcs); and Government apps for mobile devices. The Chief Executive pays great attention to communication with the Legislative Assembly. Besides attending plenary sessions of the Assembly in November every year in order to deliver the Policy Address relating to the following fiscal year, the Chief Executive also attends similar sessions in April and August each year. This is in order to update the public with the progress of Government work; to enhance communication with legislators; and to optimise administrative transparency.
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Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) held a “Quality Tourism Services Accreditation Scheme Promotion Seminar for Travel Agency Industry” today (7 April) to invite licensed travel agencies in Macao to apply for the Scheme in 2016. Quality Tourism Services Accreditation Scheme (QTSAS) is rolled out in Macao for the third year. While QTSAS will once again target the catering sector, the Office now opens up the Scheme to travel agencies as well for the first time. Travel agents can submit their applications between 18 April and 18 May, as part of the Office’s aim to encourage sustained improvements in service quality among travel trade and other related sectors. The promotion seminar, held at Tourism Activities Centre, unveiled the Scheme’s assessment criteria and application procedures to travel agents. MGTO Deputy Director Cheng Wai Tong; Representative of Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau, Cham Iu Van; Representative of the Institute for Tourism Studies, Dr. Connie Loi Kim Ieng; Assistant Director, Market Research and Subsidiary Operations of Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency, K T Ting; President of Travel Industry Council of Macau, Andy Wu; Vice Chairman of Association of Macao Tourist Agents, Tsui Wai Man; Vice President of Travel Industry Council of Macau, Wong Fai; Representative of Macau Travel Agency Association, Lao Mei Kuan; President of the Association of Macau Small and Medium Enterprises of Catering, Ieong Weng Seng; President of the Supervisory Committee of Macau Hotel Association, Noel Wong, and Vice Chairman of the United Association of Food and Beverage Merchants of Macau, Lo Kam Kuan, were present at the promotion seminar among others. As the entity which offers technical support, Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency introduced the assessment criteria on travel agencies during the seminar. In his speech, Deputy Director Cheng Tai Tong remarked that with the changing travel trends around the world, the local sector of travel agencies is faced with various challenges and opportunities. He believed that industry partners, by continuously upgrading and innovating on their service as well as being well prepared at all times, can seize new opportunities and offer more professional, attentive and convenient service for both visitors and residents, creating remarkable travel experiences and garnering a stronger reputation. He invited local travel agencies to join the Scheme actively and together enhance service quality across the sector. Any MGTO-licensed travel agency’s head office which has operated its business in Macao for two years or above is eligible for participation in QTSAS in 2016, with a quota of 30. Interested travel agencies can submit their application to the Training and Quality Management Department of MGTO between 18 April and 18 May. For application form and details, please browse Macao Tourism Industry Net: http://industry.macaotourism.gov.mo Participating travel agencies have to undergo three types of assessments namely “Mystery Shopping Assessment”, “Service Management System Audit” and “Traveller Satisfaction Survey”. The merchants whose overall assessment results meet the prescribed standard will be given a “Star Merchant Award” accreditation certificate, valid for 2017 and 2018, for display in their premises. Moreover, to commend travel agencies which provide high-quality service in Macao and beyond for their patrons, the Office will confer the “Service Star Award – Inbound Service” and “Service Star Award – Outbound Service” to the “Star Merchant Award” winners which meet the prescribed standard with the highest total score for “Inbound Service” and “Outbound Service” respectively. By joining QTSAS, travel agencies can take the opportunity to self-evaluate their service based on the assessment criteria and apply the given guidelines in their business operation for steady improvements in their service. MGTO keeps supporting and assisting the tourism and other related sectors to organize training activities. In the days ahead, the Office will study the feasibility to widen the scope of QTSAS, hoping to progressively extend it to other tourism-related sectors as well such that tourism service quality can be enhanced overall in Macao, in line with the SAR Government’s goal to transform the city into a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure.
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A fuel farm exercise was carried out this afternoon (07 April 2016) at Macau International Airport, simulating a fire in the farm to test and assess the capacity of the government entities and the operators in handling a fuel farm emergency when a case arises. All entities involved cooperated closely with each other in resolving the crisis. The exercise was deemed smooth. The “Fuel Farm Exercise 2016” started at 14:30 and ended in one hour. The scenario was of a fire incident taking place in a fuel tank top due to static electricity. Nam Kwong Petroleum & Chemicals Co. Ltd., the fuel provider, immediately activated the safety systems according to their internal procedures and moved away the vehicles that were parked in the area. Simultaneously, they informed all concerned entities involved in the emergency in accordance with the Airport Emergency Plan. The airport fire fighting station delivered their trucks to the spot at once to put off the fire. Although there were no injuries, the commander-in-chief asked for additional support from the Fire Services Headquarters and evacuated the staff in the vicinity of the incident, considering the high critical degree of the incident area. The exercise was coordinated by the Administration of Airports, Ltd. The communication between all personnel involved and the delivery of fire fighting facilities were all carried out efficiently; the staff were evacuated in a timely and orderly manner. About 300 people took part in the exercise, who represented the Unitary Police, the Public Security Police Force, the Fire Services, the Civil Aviation Authority of Macao SAR, CAM-Macau International Airport Company Ltd., the Administration of Airports Ltd., Nam Kwong Petroleum & Chemicals Company Ltd., the Macau Security Company Ltd., Menzies Macau Airport Services Ltd., MCS-Macau Catering Services Company Ltd., Air Macau Company Ltd. and Jet Asia Ltd.
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Philip Chen, dean and chair professor of the Faculty of Science and Technology (FST), University of Macau (UM), has been elected as an academician of the International Academy for Systems and Cybernetic Sciences (IASCYS), in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of systems and cybernetics. Prof Chen is the first scholar from Macao to be elected academician of the IASCYS. Founded by the International Federation for Systems Research in 2010, the IASCYS has 37 academicians worldwide, 7 of whom are from China. Its main missions include carrying out academic research, promoting education in systems science and cybernetics, and creating an audit process through coordination of the actions of IFSR member associations for a globally accepted framework curriculum. Prof Chen was the president of the Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Society of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics (IEEE). He is currently the editor-in-chief of the IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics: Systems; a Distinguished Lecturer of the IEEE Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Society; and a fellow of the IEEE, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the Chinese Association of Automation (CAA), and the Hong Kong Institute of Engineers (HKIE).
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For the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12 June, Consumer Council conducted its specific price survey on fresh pork, ribs and lean meat from wet markets and supermarkets on 7 April. Result of the mentioned survey has been uploaded to the Council’s website (www.consumer.gov.mo) and is available in the Council’s ‘Supermarket Price Information Platform’ iPhone and Android apps, as well as on the Council’s WeChat account page. For inquiry, please call the Council’s hotline: 8988 9315.
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Organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau and the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau, the fourth “Art Fair @5 Outubro Street” of this year will be held on Saturday and Sunday, 9 and 10 April, from 3pm to 8pm, at the Hong Kung Temple Square. Cultural and creative entities from Hong Kong and Macao are invited to participate and to perform in the Fair . Admission is free. The public is welcome to participate and buy their favourite creative products, while enjoying music performances at the same time. 28 cultural and creative entities from Macao and 8 from Hong Kong will display and sell over one hundred creative products at the Fair. Some booths offer on-site creations for those who appreciate unique personalised items. This Art Fair features various distinctive and creative products, including jewellery, silver accessories, clothing accessories, porcelain, hand-painted items, paintings, knitting, home furnishings, mini bonsai, hand-made soap, eco-friendly products and creative food. The Fair also feature a mini-concert featuring music bands from Hong Kong and Macao including Willy, Fredinand, Ar B, Serrini, Eva, Lok@Match Box and the Voicoholics . The “Art Fair @5 Outubro Street” is held at Hong Kung Temple Square in the second weekend of every month, excluding May and November. It aims to provide a display platform for interested parties to develop the cultural and creative industries, thus encouraging and motivating the growth of these industries. The “Art Fair @5 Outubro Street” in June will be held on 11 and 12 of that month, from 3pm to 8pm, at the Hong Kung Temple Square as usual. For more information, please visit the Macao Cultural and Creative Industries Website (www.macaucci.com) or the Tap Seac Art Fair page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/TapSeac.Artfair). For any enquiries, please contact Ms. Wong, staff member of IC, through tel. no. 2892 4040, during office hours.
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The First University of Macau (UM) Sports Day was held today (6 April) in the UM Stadium. Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Tam Chon Weng announced the opening of the event. In addition to Secretary Tam, who served as the judge for the cheerleading competition and officiated at the gun-firing ceremony for the track and field events, other officiating guests at the UM Sports Day included Ip Peng Kin, chief of the Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture; Heidi Ho, advisor of the Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture; Lam Io Pak, advisor of the Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture; Lam Kam Seng, chair of the UM University Council; Wei Zhao, rector of UM; Lionel Ni, vice rector (academic affairs) of UM; Rui Martins, vice rector (research) of UM; Haydn Chen, vice rector (student affairs) of UM; Kou Mei, vice rector (administration) of UM; Tommy Ho, vice chairman of the Board of Directors of the UM Students’ Union; and Qiu Yuxuan, chairman of the General Assembly of the UM Postgraduate Association. ‘Today is a historic day because it is the first time that UM has held its first Sports Day on the new campus,’ said Rector Wei Zhao in his opening speech. Rector Zhao added that the university implements a ‘4-in-1’ education model in order to provide holistic education to the students, and it also places a great emphasis on sports development through acquiring various sports facilities. He noted that the university hopes to gradually reach world-class standards in various areas, including teaching, research, student quality, and administration. Rector Zhao added that all participants in the UM Sports Day were lucky, because they would have the opportunity to set the first athletic records in UM’s history. He also expressed hope that the participants would give their best and demonstrate good sportsmanship in the competitions. ‘I’m very happy to have the opportunity to participate in a sports competition where I work. It increases my sense of belonging,’ said Lantz, a staff member from the Chao Kuang Piu College who won the championship in the 1500-metre race in the male staff group A category. Lantz also thanked the college for its support and expressed hope that more students will cultivate the habit to exercise regularly. Ng Weng Ian, a second-year student who won the championship in the female students’ 100-metre race, said that the UM Sports Day felt like a carnival and the participant all enjoyed themselves very much. One of the highlights of the UM Sports Day was the cheerleading competition among teams from six residential colleges. The team from Choi Kai Yau College won the championship. ‘The training was very hard, but it was worth it,’ said the captain of Choi Kai Yau College’s cheerleading team. ‘We learned the importance of persistence in the process.’ This year’s UM Sports Day attracted more than 600 participants, competing in 24 events in five categories for men and 24 events in five categories for women, including 100-metre race, 1500-metre race, 3500-metre medley relay, high jump, long jump, and shot put.
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The Government was committed to enhancing measures to protect the health of Macao’s citizens, said the Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On. Mr Chui’s comments were made on Tuesday (5 April) during a meeting at Government Headquarters with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Regional Director for the Western Pacific, Dr Shin Young-soo. The Government’s measures for protecting local people included ensuring there were sufficient facilities – geared to WHO standards – to monitor and if necessary control infectious diseases. The Government would act in line with WHO guidelines and would continue to strengthen local facilities for the prevention and control of infectious diseases, said the Chief Executive. These would help minimise the risk of diseases spreading to Macao and around Macao, and enhance the city’s capability to deal with any dangerous new virus that might emerge around the world, he added. Mr Chui also thanked WHO for its support of Macao’s development regarding healthcare and medicine during the 16 years since the establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region. He cordially welcomed the visit of Dr Shin and other WHO experts, a trip designed to review the latest developments in Macao’s healthcare system. Dr Shin stated that Macao’s planned new unit to monitor and control infectious diseases – and the city’s existing facilities for disease prevention and control – were aligned with WHO standards. He made the remarks after visiting those facilities and meeting with local healthcare professionals. Key in controlling the spread of disease was the application of a sound model for its management, rather than other factors such as the distance between a control centre building and nearby properties, said Dr Shin. WHO had no guideline on the distance issue, Dr Shin added. Dr Shin said it was necessary to plan disease prevention and control facilities to cope with the spread of diseases, even if such measures were expensive. This was because – according to the experience of WHO and of countries around the world –outbreaks of a disease might occur unexpectedly or the disease develop into a new form. He said he was impressed by the Government’s input in healthcare and by Macao’s use of high-standard medical equipment. These facts demonstrated the Government’s vision: to see an expansion of health protection for the public during a time of strong economic performance locally, Dr Shin said. Dr Shin spoke highly of the Government’s efforts in enhancing health services; WHO paid great attention to the city’s medical development, given that Macao was an important member in the Western Asia region, he stated. Macao officials attending Tuesday’s meeting included: the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Tam Chon Weng; the acting Chief-of-Office of the Chief Executive’s Office, Ms Lo Lai Heng; and the Director of the Health Bureau, Mr Lei Chin Ion. WHO’s Director, Division of Health Security and Emergencies for the Western Pacific Region, Dr Li Ailan, was also at the meeting. Additionally on Tuesday, the experts from WHO held a meeting with medical professionals from respectively, the Health Bureau, Kiang Wu Hospital and University Hospital (Macau University of Science and Technology), to exchange views on issues relating to the prevention of infectious disease. During Dr Shin’s visit to Macao he toured a recently-launched infectious disease rehabilitation centre in Coloane. A four-member WHO team had visited the city between 23 and 25 March at the Government’s invitation, to study and analyse Macao’s facilities for the prevention and control of infectious disease. The team concluded that such facilities at Conde S. Januário Hospital – Macao’s main public medical complex – were in line with WHO requirements. The team took a close look at the hospital’s efforts on disease control, including the work of a committee for prevention of communicable diseases; a plan for promotion of community awareness; a system for monitoring global health issues; the supply of personal protective equipment; and the hospital’s management of its medical waste. The WHO’s team also studied the proposed new unit to monitor and control infectious diseases, a building near Conde S. Januário Hospital. The planned building’s disinfection facilities for the filtering of emissions and waste, and the design of its planned isolation wards were found to meet WHO-recommended technical standards.
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The Government would promote further collaboration with top international institutions, as a way to nurture greater numbers of talented young people, according to comments made at the Talents Development Committee. The Committee held its first ordinary general meeting of 2016 on Tuesday (5 April) at Government Headquarters. The meeting was chaired by the Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On. Addressing the meeting, Mr Chui said he recognised the efforts made by the Committee over the past year. They included a scheme to offer subsidies for talented young Macao people to study for a master’s degree under the “Global Leaders” programme at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom; the implementation of a ‘one-stop’ mechanism for training, accreditation and employment to promote public-private partnerships for in-service training and for skills accreditation; research into manpower demand in five major industries; and optimisation of the talent information registration system. Mr Chui welcomed two new members of the Talents Development Committee: Mr Zhang Shuguang and Ms Ho Teng Iat. In the coming years, the Committee would conduct more studies regarding enhancing the professional capacity and skills accreditation of residents, as well as expanding research on manpower demand to cover a wider range of industries. Members attending the Committee’s meeting included: Mr Chui Sai On, Mr Tam Chon Weng, Ms O Lam, Mr Tam Ka Wa, Mr Lao Pun Lap, Ms Leong Lai, Mr Zhao Wei, Ms Vong Chuk Kwan, Mr Chan Chi Fong, Ms So Ying Suen, Mr Liu Liang, Mr Yu Wing Yat, Mr Lao Chi Ngai, Mr Fong Ka Chio, Mr Tai Wa Hou, Mr José Manuel de Oliveira Rodrigues, Mr Iu Vai Pan, Mr Ip Sio Kai, Ms Tai Wong Kuai Leng, Mr Leong Heng Kao, Mr Wu Zhiliang, Mr Liang Baijin, Ms Van Iat Kio, Mr Ma Chi Ngai, Mr Ung Choi Kun, Ms Lou I Wa, Ms Chan Mei Yi, Ms Sio Un I, Mr Wong Chi Hong, Mr Mi Jian, Mr Yeung Tsun Man, Ms Ho Teng Iat, Mr Zhang Shuguang and Mr Sou Chio Fai.
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To be in line with the policy of the Macao SAR Government and with a view to facilitate and simplify the lives of local residents, the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) is implementing the SME Outreach Scheme, by making regular visits to Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) and by means of “door-to-door service”, provides local enterprises with different types of advisory and support services. Recently, IPIM´s staff, along with the representatives of the Consumer Council, visited several SMEs, to help them with their applications for inclusion on the Consumer Council´s “Certified Shop” list. The initiative received very positive feedback from the enterprises. At the same time, under the outreach Programme, IPIM´s staff visit enterprises (“door-to-door”) to promote exhibitions and workshops organised by IPIM, in a bid to provide inspiration and assist local specialty shops explore new business potentials. IPIM´s Door-to-door Service helps SMEs Prepare Their Applications on Consumer Council’s “Certified Shop” List For many citizens and tourists, the Consumer Council´s “Adherents” and “Certified Shop” are symbols of identity and the signs are considered a symbol of “Attractive Appearance, Good Quality and Reasonably Priced”. Therefore, many local SMEs want to be associated with this scheme, including the “Tong Iec Pak Fa Fui Cheong Un Company Limited”. Third-generation owner of the business, Ms. Jennifer Loi said, “We have always been aware of the Consumer Council´s “Certified Shop” scheme, and also thought of joining, however, we did not know how it operated nor did we have specialised staff to handle the application procedures. Now, thanks to the support of IPIM, the enrolment procedure was completed through simply and easily.” When visiting the enterprises with the “door-to-door service”, IPIM learnt that Ms. Loi wanted to join the scheme, so along with the Consumer Council; IPIM´s staff helped her to complete all the procedures through its “one-stop” service. Helping SMEs to Solve Their Problems Like a Friend To operate a business in Macao, SMEs need government support. According to the Marketing Director of LemonCello Gelato, Ms. Nikita Fu, IPIM´s support is particularly important. “Even if IPIM does not come to our store, I can simply make a phone call and IPIM´s staff will help us solve all sorts of problems as if they were our friends”, she said, with a smile. She thinks that the delegations and workshops organised by IPIM can help local SMEs join together to become a network, and provide them the opportunities to learn from each other. Furthermore, the exhibitions organised by IPIM also helped LemonCello Galato expand abroad, making their products more famous and appreciated. Exhibitions Have Become the Best Platform for SMEs to Showcase Their Products “Thanks to audio-visual advertisements, many cleaning products on the market look powerful, but they are in no way credible.” Mr. William H. K. Chu, Managing Director of Ecolite Environment Products Ltd. (agent of ionised water technology from Japan) feels that the effectiveness of a product cannot be sufficiently expressed with just two or three sentences, and therefore, unlike other products which use exaggerated claims to highlight their features, Mr. Chu decided to skip advertising campaigns and instead participate in trade fairs, to meet his prospective clients face-to-face. His company is a frequent participant in the Macao International Environmental Co-operation Forum and Exhibition (MIECF). Through participating in trade fairs, the company not only promotes its environmental protection concept, but also showcases their products on-site and conducts business with integrity. In 2011, when he joined IPIM to participate in the Eco Expo Asia – International Trade Fair on Environmental Protection in Hong Kong, the Kwong Wah Hospital in Hong Kong, immediately showed interest in their products. Upon approval by the Hong Kong Hospital Authority, these products are now being used for the environmentally friendly cleaning of kitchens in the hospital’s Department of Dietetics. Merchants Gathering at the “Macao Ideas” Trigger the “Green” Drinks Concept This year, three young entrepreneurs who founded the “Long Prosperity Company Limited”, F. F. Si William, K. K. Chan Quincy and Chen Ren Yung decided to set-up their own shop for freshly brewed drinks – the Gathering, to avoid restrictions imposed by franchising. Applying their own ideas to the making of drinks, they carried out research and developed formulas combining different flavours, given that a introducing a new brand would be more challenging, though providing an opportunity to pursue an innovative and creative path. During the “Gathering of Macao Ideas Exhibitors”, organised by IPIM, they met a local environmental protection enterprise, and learnt that the company has developed technology that can break down plastic cups into small pieces for recycling. Mr. Si said, “We want to take into account environmental protection, for instance, a paper bag costs seventy times the price of a plastic bag, however, we have decided to use paper bags. If cups could be recycled, then the whole thing becomes more meaningful”. In view of this, in their visits to enterprises, IPIM immediately invited them to participate in the Macao International Environmental Co-operation Forum and Exhibition 2016 (2016MIECF), hoping that they could develop more green business opportunities. IPIM will continue to promote the SME Outreach Scheme, by regularly providing support to SMEs at their establishments, as well as planning to collect information and opinions on the difficulties encountered by SMEs when doing business in Macao. The scheme aims to work in line with the development of the SMEs, by providing them with services that they need, as a mean to promote Macao´s economic diversification.
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