News

Consumer Council conducted its specific price survey on diapers on 8 January for the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12 June. 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, and on the Council’s WeChat account page. For inquiry, please call the Council’s hotline: 8988 9315.
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Consumer Council conducted its specific price survey on over-the-counter drugs and infant formula on 8 January for the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12 June. 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, and on the Council’s WeChat account page. For inquiry, please call the Council’s hotline: 8988 9315.
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Macao Post will issue two annual albums on 18th January 2015, which are “Annual Album of Stamps 2015” and “Annual Album of Souvenir Sheets 2015”. Their covers are printed in fluorescent orange and fluorescent pink respectively, and illustrated with a drawing of goat in gold, on which the technical data are printed on the pages. The Annual Album of Stamps comprises the full collection of 17 sets of stamps issued in 2015, each album priced at MOP260.00; the Annual Album of Souvenir Sheets comprises the full collection of 10 souvenir sheets issued in 2015, each album priced at MOP180.00. These two Annual Albums will be available for sale at the Philatelic Shop of Macao Post Headquarters, “Rua do Campo” Post Office, Maritime Ferry Terminal Post Office, Airport Post Office, and the Communications Museum. It is certainly an excellent product, either as a collectable or as an elegant gift.
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For promoting Macao film culture successively, the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) proceeds on the second phase of experimental operation of the Cinematheque  Passion from today. The Cinematheque continues to run the “Temporary Venue Booking Programme of Cinematheque  Passion”. Film industry, filmmakers and film associations are welcome to reserve. During the second phase of experimental operation, a series of activities will be open for the public to participate. Adjacent to Macao’s world heritage icon, the Ruins of St. Paul’s, the Cinematheque  Passion located at the Travessa da Paixão is a three-storey building assembled with multiple functions including video storage, film journals and book loan service and film appreciation. In order to make good use of the spatial resources of the venue, IC continues to run the “Temporary Venue Booking Programme of Cinematheque  Passion” and film industries can make reservation for ticket lobby and screening room as from today. In addition, a series of activities such as seminars and workshops themed with film will be brought for local film enthusiasts and audience, introducing the features of the film industry from various aspects. The Cinematheque started the first phase of experimental operation in last September, and “Temporary Venue Booking Programme of Cinematheque  Passion” was launched. The programme was greeted with great enthusiasm as it attracted entities to make reservation for organising more than thirty film screenings. Several activities including “Digital Screening” Workshop, seminars entitled “Independent Film Production and its Prospects”, “Fusing Sound and Light: Into the World of Film Scores” and “Film Arts – Theory and Application” were held. Local and overseas speakers were invited to conduct talks and shared their experience on film production with the public. In order to prepare for official operation in future, IC hopes to continuously review and optimise the facilities in Cinematheque by holding various activities during its experimental operation. The ticket lobby, screening room and control room located on the ground floor of the Cinematheque is primarily used for screening art and indie films. Local film materials, periodicals and magazines are available for residents in the film information room on the first floor, while the office is located on the second floor. The establishment of the Cinematheque aims to promote Macao film culture by cultivating local film appreciation and providing a diversified choice of movies. For details of the “Temporary Venue Booking Programme” and the latest activities, please browse the Cultural Affairs Bureau website (www.icm.gov.mo) or Macao Cultural and Creative Industries Website (www.macaucci.com). For enquiries, please contact Mr. Leong at 2892 4040 during office hours.
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The Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Leong Vai Tac, said the Government would optimise gaming regulations and strengthen supervision for the gaming promoter sector, in an effort to improve the competiveness of Macao’s gaming industry. Mr Leong made his comments during a meeting with representatives of a local association of gaming promoters (known in Portuguese as Associação de Mediadores de Jogos e Entretenimento de Macau) on Thursday (7 January). He added that the Government saw a need to develop regulations that would further ensure the protection of the rights of consumers while also safeguarding the development of the gaming promoter sector. A healthy development of that sector would help advance a more robust gaming industry for Macao, Mr Leong added. Mr Leong stressed the Government was working to promote the development of non-gaming elements in the city’s integrated resorts, in an effort to establish a gaming industry with distinctive local characteristics and to help diversify the city’s economy. The Director of the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau, Mr Paulo Martins Chan, was also at the meeting. He told the association’s representatives that enhancing gaming regulations and improving the means by which his staff could enforce gaming laws and regulations was the Bureau’s key task in the short term. Mr Chan said the Bureau acknowledged the efforts already made by gaming promoters to promote the sustainable development of Macao’s gaming industry. He added the Government would continue to keep in close touch with the sector in order to assist the healthy development of the industry. A member of the Legislative Assembly, Mr Zheng Anting, who accompanied gaming promoters to the meeting, said some previously overlooked issues might emerge during the ongoing adjustment period of the gaming industry. He agreed with the idea of strengthening communications between the Government and the sector, as a way to alert the Government – in a timely manner – to any challenges and issues in the industry’s development. Representatives of gaming promoters that were present at the meeting expressed some opinions on how to bolster communication with the Government; how to safeguard the development of the sector; and how to strength its supervision via the development of regulation.
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Organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau and the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau, the “Art Fair @5 Outubro Street” will be held this Saturday and Sunday (9-10 January), from 3pm to 8pm, at the Hong Kung Temple Square. Admission is free. Residents and tourists are welcome to participate and explore the charm of original works and creative handicraft. There are 36 booths in the Art Fair, with the theme of original handicrafts and creative food & beverage. Cultural and creative practitioners from Hong Kong and Macao will introduce and sell distinctive and creative products, including leather goods, porcelains, silver accessories, textiles, eco-friendly utensils, and natural beauty products, etc. Some booth owners will also make their creative works on the spot, sharing their passion and talent with the audience. In addition, local singers and bands will hold a mini-concert at the Fair, enhancing the festive atmosphere. Performers include 21g, Eva Lam, Willy, Voicoolics, Ferdinand Feat.Ko Ian, What the AL!?, Ar B, Cheng Un and The Rolling Cat. The 2-day event of “Art Fair @5 Outubro Street” will be held at Hong Kung Temple Square on the second weekend of every month, excluding May and November. It aims to provide a display platform for those interested parties to develop in the cultural and creative industries, thus encouraging and motivating the growth of the industries. The “Art Fair @5 Outubro Street” in February will be held on 13th and 14th, from 3pm to 8pm, at the Hong Kung Temple Square as usual. For details, please visit the Macao Cultural and Creative Industries Website (www.macaucci.com) or Tap Seac Art Fair Facebook page (www.facebook.com/TapSeac.Artfair). For enquiries, please contact Ms. Wong, staff of IC, through tel. 2892 4040 during office hours.
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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 surveys on fresh, refrigerated, and frozen pork on 7 January. Result of the mentioned survey has been uploaded to the Council’s website (www.consumer.gov.mo). For inquiry, please call the Council’s hotline: 8988 9315.
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The Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) has organised the “Promoting Honesty” video contest targeting secondary students and the submission deadline will be on 15th January. Students who intend to take part in the contest should submit the completed application form, copy of student card and the video, on or before the deadline, to the CCAC’s Headquarters at Avenida Xian Xing Hai n.o 105, Centro Golden Dragon, 17.o Andar, Macau, or its Branch Offices in Areia Preta and Taipa at Rua 1.o de Maio, n.os 68-72, Edf. U Wa, r/c, Macau and Rua de Nam Keng, Edf. Nova City, Bloco 4, r/c, Loja C, Taipa respectively. Through organising this video contest, the CCAC aims to encourage students to reflect on the importance of honesty and integrity to individuals and society, as well as to promote these values conveyed in the creative works. Themes of videos could be “fair competition”, “values about money”, “honesty and loyalty”, “incorruptibility” or “trustworthiness”. The contest features two categories of participants, namely Junior Secondary Group and Senior Secondary Group. Not more than 15 entries will be selected from each of the two groups, and those shortlisted will go on to compete for the Champion, 1st runner-up, 2nd runner-up, Merit Awards and a Most Popular Video Award in their respective group. The list of awards will be uploaded to the CCAC’s website in March 2016 and winning students will be notified about prize collection. For details please browse the CCAC’s website www.ccac.org.mo or refer to the contest rules. Enquiry hotline: 2832 6300.
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Consumer Council conducted its second ‘Supermarket price survey’ in January on 6 January for the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12 June. Surveyed locations included supermarkets at Lam Mau, Patane and San Kio 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 six 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 selection of the 2015 Subsidy Programme for Fashion Design on Sample Making held by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC, from the Portuguese acronym) was completed and a total of eight entrants were selected as eligible candidates of the Programme. IC will grant each eligible candidate (individual or team) with a subsidy of up to MOP160,000 for the sample making and production of promotional materials. In order to promote the sustainable development of the fashion design industry in Macao, IC launched the 2015 Subsidy Programme for Fashion Design on Sample Making last year. Among the 22 applicants, the adjudicating panel selected eight finalists after the initial and second reviews, six of whom are individuals and two are teams. The eligible candidates are: Cheang Chi Tat, Peng Yun, Tam Chi Kit, Cheong Kuan Peng & Wong Ha (team), Cheang Man Cheng, Leong Iok Pui, Lo Ka Heng & Choi Wai Leng (team) and Siu David. The adjudicating panel comprised of relevant professionals from Macao and Hong Kong covering various fields such as fashion design, retail, production and training. Members include Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong Fashion Designers Association, Walter Ma; member of the Committee of Cultural Industries of Macao and the President of Rainbow Group, Terry Sio; Senior Manager at the Macau Productivity and Technology Transfer Centre (CPTTM), Victoria Kuan; and Vice President of the Industrial Association of Macau, José Tang Kuan Meng. The Subsidy Programme for Fashion Design on Sample Making was first launched in 2013. Some 50% of the applicants for the Programme in 2015 are new applicants, revealing that the programme has continued to attract the participation of new applicants. In addition, over 60% of applicants have registered trademarks for their brands, a growth of 10% compared with 2014, showing that local fashion designers are aware of brand protection and pay close attention to intellectual property rights. One of the adjudicators remarked that the business planning of 2015’s entries is more mature than that of the past and the applicants have gradually found their market positioning. In terms of design, adjudicators said some applicants focus too much on design details whilst neglecting the practicality of the clothes. They suggested applicants consider the product design and consumers’ needs from the perspectives of their own self of use. For enquiries about the results of the Programme, please call Ms. Lam through tel. (853) 2892 4040 during office hours.
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