News

The Macao Orchestra (OM, from the Portuguese acronym), under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, kicks off its 2016-17 Concert Season with the concert “No. 1 Piano - Yulianna Avdeeva and Macao Orchestra” to be held on 3 September. In tandem with this concert season’s theme “My Time with Music”, the organizer will hold the “Music Hour with Yulianna Avdeeva” on 2 September, at 6:30pm, at the Macao Cultural Centre Conference Room. Admission is free and registrations are now open. Acclaimed by The New York Times for “blending a muscular approach with an ability to tease out Chopin’s singing lines expressively”, Russian pianist Yulianna Avdeeva won the first prize at the 2010 International Chopin Piano Competition due to her outstanding performance. Ever since she has been shining on international stages and her dedication to music led to her recognition as one of the greatest musicians of her time as well as one of the most renowned and acclaimed interpreters of Chopin. In her debut performance in Macao, she will play Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor as well as Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor, offering music fans a rare concert not to be missed. This OM’s concert season featuring various excellent programmes, is themed “My Time with Music”, such as the “Music Hour With Yulianna Avdeeva”, which will allow the audience to understand the perseverance and devotion behind musicians. The sharing session will be held on 2 September, at 6:30pm, at the Macao Cultural Centre Conference Room. Admission is free. All interested parties can register before 29 August telephone number 2853 0782, during office hours, or through OM’s WeChat official account. Seats are limited. Registrations are accepted on a first come first served basis. Tickets for the concert “No. 1 Piano - Yulianna Avdeeva and Macao Orchestra” are available through the Macau Ticketing Network. Holders of the BOC Multi-Currency Credit Card or BOC Card can enjoy an exclusive 30% discount on ticket purchases. Ticketing Hotline: 2855 5555. Macao Orchestra’s 2016-17 Concert Season Programme can be obtained at Macao Ticketing retail shops for free. The electronic version and complete concert season programme can be downloaded at OM’s webpage www.icm.gov.mo.
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Macao Post will issue a Postage Paid Postcard on 24th August, 2016. This postcard with the image of St. Dominic’s Church will be available for sale at the Macao Post Headquarters, all post offices and postal kiosks. St. Dominic’s Church was established in 1587, located at St. Dominic’s Square and has, until today, more than 400 years of history. This Postage Paid Postcard priced at MOP10.00 each can be sent to every corner of the world without stamp.
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To facilitate the public and philatelists for ordering new philatelic products, please note the followings: *Annex Table
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The number of crimes reported in the first half of 2016 saw a year-on-year rise of 1.4 percent. Instances of the most serious forms of crime were either non-existent, or extremely low in number. A total of 3,591 people were transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office for further investigation in the first six months of 2016, an increase of 808 people, or 29 percent, on the prior year. The figures proved police enforcement efforts and strategies were effective, said the Secretary for Security, Mr Wong Sio Chak. He was speaking on Monday (22 August) at a press conference announcing the crime figures for the first half of 2016. The authorities would continue efforts to maintain public order, to use effective crime-fighting measures to ensure the stability of Macao and to update their strategies when deemed necessary, stated the Secretary. The police dealt with a total of 7,125 reported crimes in the first half of 2016, an increase of 100 cases, or 1.4 percent, from the corresponding period last year. The increase was mainly due to enhanced enforcement efforts – starting in the second quarter of this year – against temporary stay permit holders that failed to report to the police on a regular basis as required. The number of such non-reporting incidents rose to 253, compared to the 22 incidents recorded in the prior-year period. The number of violent crimes reported in the first six months of 2016 showed a rise of 14.8 percent year-on-year, to 388 cases. Cases of usury and false imprisonment saw an increase of 52.3 percent and 27.1 percent respectively. The most serious forms of crime, such as murder, kidnap, and grievous assault were either non-existent, or extremely low in number. Mr Wong said the police paid close attention to the recent cases of illegal imprisonment – involving people from outside Macao – which ended with the death of those being held. The incidents could be linked to gaming disputes occurring away from casinos, said Mr Wong. The Government would bolster measures to prevent gaming-related crimes, said Mr Wong. Such measures included: increasing the number of law enforcement personnel; strengthening the monitoring of organised crime; initiating more effective intelligence gathering methods; intensifying the monitoring and investigation of foreign criminal organisations; and strengthening communication with counterparts from neighbouring cities. Additionally, the half-year data showed that infractions relating to unlicensed transportation services went up by 55.9 percent. The Government would closely monitor unlicensed passenger transportation services accessed via mobile applications, said Mr Wong. The Government had issued during the period a total of 100 special licences for taxi services; including for vehicles that can be ordered either online or via telephone. It was part of the Government’s efforts to regulate public transportation services and to protect properly the rights and safety of passengers, the Secretary stated.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that with the summer holidays approaching, visitor arrivals increased by 18.5% month-to-month to 2,794,855 in July 2016, up by 5.5% year-on-year. Overnight visitors rose by 12.4% year-on-year to 1,455,789, representing 12 consecutive months of year-on-year growth since August 2015; same-day visitors dropped by 1.0% to 1,339,066. The average length of stay of visitors remained stable as in July 2015, at 1.2 days; the average stay of overnight visitors and same-day visitors was 2.1 days and 0.2 day respectively. Visitors from Mainland China increased by 4.7% year-on-year to 1,839,397 in July 2016, of which those travelling under the Individual Visit Scheme rose by 6.7% to 879,423. Mainland visitors came mainly from Guangdong Province (824,903), Hunan Province (84,148) and Fujian Province (70,745). Visitors from Hong Kong (618,611) and Taiwan (103,297) increased by 5.5% and 10.5% respectively year-on-year, while those from the Republic of Korea (51,992) soared by 40.3%. Long-haul visitors from Australia (6,736) and the United Kingdom (5,153) increased year-on-year, while those from the United States (15,467) and Canada (4,942) decreased. Analyzed by mode of transport, visitor arrivals by land increased by 4.7% year-on-year to 1,566,618; those arriving through the Border Gate (1,354,142) and the Checkpoint of Cotai (211,115) rose by 3.2% and 15.5% respectively. Visitor arrivals by sea increased by 4.0% year-on-year to 1,015,023, a rebound after 13 consecutive months of year-on-year decline; those disembarking at the Outer Harbour (608,036) and the Provisional Ferry Terminal in Taipa (406,987) rose by 3.3% and 12.5%. Visitor arrivals by air increased notably by 20.5% year-on-year to 213,214, with 212,548 arriving at the airport. In the first seven months of 2016, visitor arrivals totalled 17,559,151, up marginally by 0.9% year-on-year; overnight visitors rose by 8.9% to 8,619,048 while same-day visitors dropped by 5.8% to 8,940,103. The average length of stay of visitors increased by 0.2 day year-on-year to 1.2 days; the average stay of overnight visitors rose by 0.2 day to 2.2 days while that of same-day visitors held stable at 0.2 day. Visitors from Mainland China (11,580,791) rose slightly by 0.3% year-on-year, and those from the Republic of Korea (364,640) and Taiwan (623,331) increased by 10.3% and 11.5% respectively; meanwhile, Hong Kong visitors (3,676,927) decreased by 1.7%. Moreover, long-haul visitors from the United States, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom registered year-on-year increase.
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The Government will step up efforts to help Macao become an efficient platform for cooperation and exchanges among the economies covered by the Belt and Road Initiative, said today the Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, will lead a delegation of Government officials to Guangzhou on 24 and 25 August to attend the 11th Pan-Pearl River Delta Regional Cooperation and Development Forum (also known as “PPRD Forum”). The Chief Executive will attend on Thursday morning (25 August) the opening ceremony of the PPRD Forum. Following the opening ceremony, Mr Chui will witness the signing of several cooperation projects. Officials accompanying Mr Chui to Guangzhou include: the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Leong Vai Tac; the Chief-of-Office of the Chief Executive’s Office, Ms O Lam; the Director of the Government Information Bureau, Mr Chan Chi Ping; the Director of the Protocol, Public Relations and External Affairs Office, Mr Fung Sio Weng; and the President of the Administrative Committee of the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, Mr Cheong Chou Weng. While Mr Chui is in Guangzhou, the Secretary for Administration and Justice, Ms Chan Hoi Fan, will be the acting Chief Executive. The PPRD Forum was proposed in 2003 as a platform for regional cooperation between the nine provinces and two special administrative regions (SARs) located in the Greater Pearl River Delta Region, namely: Fujian; Jiangxi; Hunan; Guangdong; Guangxi; Hainan; Sichuan; Guizhou; Yunnan; the Hong Kong SAR; and the Macao SAR.
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Data collection for the 2016 Population By-census was successfully concluded on 21 August. The Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) attributed the success of the operation to the cooperation of the general public and support of the community and various government departments. The overall response rate reached 90.7%, with 16.9% of the households having completed the e-Questionnaire. For the non-contact households who might be travelling out of Macao, the enumerators have left an appointment card at their home. DSEC will continue to follow up on these cases and encourage the households to call the Population By-census Hotline at 8809 8809 to complete the survey as soon as possible. For evaluating the accuracy of the By-census results, DSEC is going to conduct the Post Enumeration Survey (PES) from 2 to 11 September. Enumerators will re-visit about 660 households to collect basic information on household members for the compilation of relevant quality indicators. DSEC called for the continued support of the selected households to the PES. Preliminary results of the 2016 Population By-census will be available in December 2016, and detailed results will be published in April 2017. In appreciation for the cooperation and support of households, all households who completed the By-census questionnaire will automatically enter the Cooperating Households Lucky Draw, and those who completed the e-Questionnaire will get an extra entry in the E-Questionnaire Lucky Draw. The Lucky Draws, together with the draw for the 2016 Population By-census Online Quiz, will be held on 29 September. Results of the draws will be posted on the 2016 Population By-census website (www.dsec.gov.mo/Intercensos2016) and all winners will be notified individually by DSEC staff.
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Consumer Council conducted its latest ‘Supermarket price survey’ in August on 22 August for the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12 June. Surveyed locations included supermarkets near Horte e Costa, Avenida do Ouvidor Arriaga and Rua da Emenda areas in Santo António Parish. The latest ‘Supermarket Price Survey’ is now available on Consumer Council’s website (www.consumer.gov.mo), ‘Supermarket Price Information Platform’ iPhone and Android apps, and on the Council’s WeChat account page. The survey is also available free of charge at the offices of Consumer Council, IACM’s Iao Hon and S. Domingos Markets, bookstores and libraries. With reference to the local seven parishes and the number of supermarkets in each parish, the Council has divided around 100 supermarkets into 8 areas for price collection. The Council collects prices from these supermarkets for the provision of a more comprehensive database for consumers to check price discrepancies and make price comparisons according to their desired locations. For inquiry, please call 8988 9315.
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The Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) released survey results of Manpower Needs and Wages of the Gaming Sector for the second quarter of 2016. Survey coverage excludes junket promoters and junket associates. At the end of the second quarter of 2016, the Gaming Sector had 55,708 full-time employees, down by 3.0% year-on-year, of which 24,285 were dealers, down by 3.1%. Shift working employees accounted for 92.7% of the total employees in the Gaming Sector. In June 2016, average earnings (excluding bonuses) of full-time employees in the Gaming Sector stood at MOP22,060, up by 2.7% year-on-year. Average earnings of dealers increased by 2.0%, at MOP18,960. Job vacancies totalled 587 at the end of the second quarter of 2016, up by 80 year-on-year. Most of the vacancies were for clerks and service & sales workers. In terms of recruitment prerequisites, 57.6% of the vacancies required working experience; 75.1% required senior secondary education or higher; requirement for knowledge of Mandarin and English accounted for 89.9% and 74.3% respectively. In the second quarter of 2016, a total of 660 new employees were hired, a substantial decline of 66.5% from 1,972 in the same quarter of 2015, bringing the employee recruitment rate (1.2%) down by 2.3 percentage points year-on-year; meanwhile, the employee turnover rate (1.5%) remained unchanged while the job vacancy rate (1.0%) rose slightly by 0.1 percentage point. These indicators suggested a continued slowdown in demand for manpower in the Gaming Sector. As regards vocational training, the Gaming sector had 79,385 participants attending training courses provided by the enterprise (including courses organized by the enterprise or in conjunction with other institutions, and those sponsored by the enterprise), up by 77.3% year-on-year. Most participants (35.3%) attended courses in Gaming & Entertainment Services, followed by Business & Administration (34.1%). The majority of courses were organized by the gaming enterprises, and number of participants accounted for 99.5% of the total.
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