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The Macao film project selection for the 2016 Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Film Production Investment and Trade Fair (“The Fair”) was completed on 2nd July with seven submissions selected. The applicants of the selected film projects will be invited to attend the Fair on 16th and 17th August, where they can meet with film investors and producers from the three regions, promote selected film projects and have the opportunities for collaboration. Committed to explore potential Macao film projects and broaden the communication channel of local film creators and filmmakers, the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) called for submission of Macao film projects for the Fair. A total of eight applications were received. The adjudication panel selected eligible film projects based on creativity of the story, experience and execution ability of the applicant, the executive producer and production team as well as the rationale of budgeting. After assessment, there are seven eligible applications and all seven applications were passed, they are: Maxim Bessmertnyi, António José Caetano de Faria, Ho Fei, Hoi Kuok Meng, Lou Ka Hou, Fernando Manuel Nunes dos Santos Eloy and Wong Kong Po. Members of the adjudicating panel for this selection include Zheng Dawei, Secretary-general of the Guangdong Motion Picture Industry Association; Agnes Lam, Assistant Dean of Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Macau; Albert Chu Iao Ian, President of the Macau Association of Audio-Visual “CUT” and Chan Peng Fai, Vice President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau. During the assessment process, the panel also offered their advices to each film project. IC will then provide the advices integrated from the panel to the applicants of the selected film projects, hoping them have a better performance during the Fair. The Fair is co-organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, the Hong Kong Film Development Council, and the Guangdong Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television since 2014. It aims to provide a high-level and convenient communication platform for film investors and producers from the three regions. It not only helps to build a channel for film investment and co-operation, but also cultivates filmmaking talents and promotes the film industry in the three regions. Applicants of selected film projects will receive notification from the Cultural Affairs Bureau in several days. For enquiry about the results, please contact Mr. Chong or Mr. Leong of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, through tel. no. (853) 2892 4040 during office hours.
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The Ministerial Conference between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, to be held in Macao later this year, would help take economic cooperation and trade between Cape Verde and Macao to a new level. The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, made the remarks on Thursday (7 July) in a meeting with the former president of the Republic of Cape Verde, Mr Pedro Pires. The 5th Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries is to be held in Macao. Through this event and other steps, the Government would use its utmost efforts to increase the number of business opportunities available to China, the Portuguese-speaking countries and Macao. The Government pays great attention to relations with Portuguese-speaking countries and to Macao’s bridging role between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries, said Mr Chui. The Government is committed to the goals of transforming Macao into, respectively: a commercial and trade cooperation service platform between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries; a business and trade service centre for small- and medium-sized enterprises in Portuguese-speaking countries; a goods distribution centre; and a convention and exhibition centre for economic and trade cooperation between China and Portugal Mr Pires said he hoped his visit would facilitate deeper bilateral exchanges between Cape Verde and Macao. Reinforcing ties with Macao would help Cape Verde strengthen cooperation with China, countries in Africa and other Portuguese-speaking countries, he added. Mr Pires was visiting Macao for the first time, following an official visit to Beijing. He said he was impressed by Macao’s beautiful cityscape and robust social and economic developments. The Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Leong Vai Tac, also attended Thursday’s meeting. Representatives of the Republic of Cape Verde that were are the meeting included: the Honorary Consul of Cape Verde in Macao, Mr David Chow Kam Fai; the wife of the former president of Cape Verde, Adélcia Pires; and the President of the Cape Verde-China Friendship Association, Mr José Correia.
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The 28th Macao International Fireworks Display Contest will be held above the sea area across Macau Tower on 3rd, 10th, 15th and 24th September and 1st October, featuring ten contesting teams ready to dazzle the skyline with spectacular fireworks displays that bring out a special theme each of the five scheduled evenings. The themes of the fireworks nights include “Pyro Fantasia”, “Tribute to Bond”, “Mid-Autumn Harmony”, “Stars from afar” and “Celebration in the Sky”. The Macao International Fireworks Display Contest is organized by Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO). During the press conference today (7th July), MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes unveiled the event program of this year. Looking back, Director Senna Fernandes was glad to see so many prominent fireworks companies coming from across the globe to grace the contest over the last 27 years. The event has, for over two decades, drawn a multitude of visiting spectators to Macao. She stated that in the days ahead, MGTO will carry on with its efforts to stage a wider diversity of fascinating events. In pursuit of stronger collaboration with the tourism and travel-related sectors, the Office will strive to incorporate various elements with tourism as well so that more visitors from around the world would love to come and experience the city in different styles. Its endeavor is in line with Macao’s goal to become a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure. Outstanding fireworks teams The contest has pit a range of globally-acclaimed pyrotechnic companies against each other over the past editions, and without exception, features a strong line-up of competitors this year. A total of ten teams are from different countries as follows (in order of appearance in the contest): Thailand, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Japan, Korea, Italy, Canada, Romania and China. This is the first time for the contest to feature a team from Romania; on the other hand, the Canadian company is making its debut in Macao. The Japanese and Korean teams will present their fireworks shows on 15th September, the Mid-Autumn Festival, whereas the teams from Romania and China will come on stage on 1st October, the National Day. The ten teams are outstanding and well-matched, ready to bring on an array of stunning fireworks displays for residents and visitors. Established in Canada in 1999, Feu d’artifice Orion stages more than 80 fireworks shows over the province of Québec and the world annually, including various displays in celebration of Québec’s National Holiday and Canada Day; in 2015, the company won the first prize in the World Championship Blackpool England. As the contest’s first Romanian team, Pyro-Technic Transilvania Ltd. was founded in 1998 and organizes over 250 fireworks shows for major festivities and prestigious sports events in Romania every year; in 2006, the company won the championship in the Romanian National Fireworks Contest. The other eight teams all shined in the contest in Macao before, with several of them ranking among the top three. Based in Portugal, Macedos Pirotecnia, Lda joined the contest four times in the past and won the first prize in the 12th edition; boasting over 80 years’ pyrotechnic experience, the Portuguese company once presented the then biggest fireworks display in the world for New Year Eve on Madeira Island in 2006, an achievement recognized by the Guinness World Records, and held the record until 2012. Second-prize winner in the 12th Macao International Fireworks Display Contest, the British company Pyro 2000 Ltd. stages fireworks displays in the world-famous Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Scotland each year. Specialized in orchestrating fireworks displays to live music performance, Pyro 2000 Ltd. is among the key players of musical fireworks displays in the United Kingdom. Established in Switzerland in 1967, SUGYP SA brings on over 250 fireworks shows across Switzerland and the world every year, and won the third prize in the 25th Macao International Fireworks Display Contest. Coming from Japan, Marutamaya Ogatsu Fireworks Co., Ltd. won the first and third prizes in the 5th and 19th editions of the contest in Macao before. Taking pride in its over 150 years’ experience in pyrotechnics, the Japanese company is set to enthrall its audience with unforgettable fireworks displays in “Edo-Tokyo style”, which combines modern innovation of Tokyo and traditional techniques of pyrotechnic craft dating from the Edo period in Japanese history. Based in Hunan Province, famed as the “Hometown of firecrackers” in China, Hunan Jingtai Fireworks Co., Inc. has been manufacturing fireworks for over three decades and exporting its products to Asia, Europe, North America and other parts of the world. Taking the Macao contest’s championship back home the year before, the company now comes back to compete against other teams. For the rest of the teams, Thailand Fireworks, Daehan Fireworks Co. from Korea and Orzella Fireworks from Italy all joined the Macao contest before. Music and laser light effects This year, MGTO again requests the teams to choreograph their fireworks displays to both music and laser light projections, not only to bring out their display’s theme and character but also to present a light and sound spectacular. Spectators can enjoy the fireworks shows live broadcast on TDM – Macao TV Channel with their background music streaming from TDM - Radio Macao's Chinese Channel (FM 100.7) as well every scheduled evening. Publicity via various channels The Office will vigorously promote this year’s contest through an array of international, regional and local media and publicity channels, including advertisements broadcast through international media in neighboring regions and promotion via key media and travel magazines in Macao, Hong Kong and Mainland China. Other means include poster and leaflet distribution, etc. The Office will widely spotlight the event in regional and overseas travel fairs and exhibitions, as well as on the Internet as a publicity channel. Side activities bring a lively vibe MGTO strives to organize a variety of vibrant events and activities in partnership with various public departments, entities and non-governmental organizations to encourage participation among residents and bring out a greater synergistic effect. The Office will hence join hands with the General Union of Neighbors Association of Macau again this year to present the Fireworks Carnival, filling the event with fun and colorful dimensions. Last year, the five-day carnival welcomed in excess of 77,000 participants. Applications forms are available starting today (7th July) for the Trophy Design Contest, Photo Contest and Student Drawing Contest of the 28th Macao International Fireworks Display Contest. A prize-giving ceremony was held today (7th July) for winners of last year’s contests. This year, residents and visitors can choose to enjoy the fireworks at “Anim’Arte Nam Van”, the new landmark for leisure, culture and creativity in town, while relishing gourmet delights served at the cafe. It is also a place where they can enjoy different artistic performances with unique color with the craft market alongside cultural and creative shops to stroll around for a relaxing evening. This press release is available at: http://industry.macaotourism.gov.mo/en/pressroom/index.php
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The Government, as always, adheres to Macao’s laws and regulations when handling issues concerning land concessions. In particular, land concessions relating to Area C and Area D in the Nam Van district are being handled in line with the Urban Planning Law, which has been in place since 1 March 2014. In relation to the use of land parcels in Area C and Area D at Nam Van, Order No. 69/2001 of the Secretary for Transport and Public Works states the concession for a plot identified as C7 is to expire by 21 August 2026. Other plots in the area – namely C2, C15, C16, D3 and D4 – are publicly-controlled sites; C2 is for a temporary office of the Court of First Instance. The Government is analysing options for the use of the other four land parcels that are publicly controlled. The Government notes that the company responsible for the construction of the temporary office of the Court of First Instance took the initiative to request – from the respective owners – the use of land plots near to the C2 plot in order to store construction material and equipment. The Government points out it was not involved in that process.
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The CCAC has recently uncovered a case where a chief and a former chief of the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (IACM), for a long period of time, covered up for two subordinates who were late to work and left early from the workplace. Given that these facts constituted a crime of abuse of power under the Penal Code, the case has been referred to the Public Prosecutions Office. According to the investigation, two public servants of the IACM frequently came in late to work and left early between 2011 and 2014. Such tardiness and early departures should be considered unjustified absences under the Staff Regulations of the IACM and the internal attendance policy. However, despite that the said two chiefs of the IACM had come to know from different sources the acts of the two subordinates, they wilfully did not, for almost four years, fulfil their duties and obligations as chief – neither did they take any measures to stop the acts of indiscipline of their subordinates, nor did they inform the superior about the problems. Instead, they continuously allowed their subordinates to be tardy to work and leave early as they pleased. In the course of CCAC’s investigation, one of the two chiefs involved, with the intention to conceal the illegal act of covering up for the subordinates for a long time, accepted several dozen absence records without proper evidence or explanation as justified, albeit with the knowledge that such act would go against the legal procedures. According to the relevant provisions of the public servant ordinance, unjustified absences, besides the disciplinary consequences they may carry, shall always determine forfeiture of remuneration corresponding to the days of absence. Over a period of four years the two public servants of the IACM were found to have over 600 unjustified absences in total. Due to the concealment of their acts by the two chiefs, the IACM improperly paid them the full remuneration, which resulted in a direct loss of some MOP550,000 to the SAR Government.
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Macao’s wet markets will resume retail sales of live poultry tomorrow (7 July), after it was confirmed that poultry imported today was disease-free. The batch of live birds – including a total of 7,500 chickens and 1,920 pigeons – was imported from Zhuhai Prefecture, and is the first such import since a ban in Macao on sales of live poultry was introduced on 22 June. To safeguard public health, the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau has increased its checks, in order to monitor a larger number of the poultry animals that are imported to Macao and are stored in the city’s wholesale market prior to sale in neighbourhood wet markets. All Macao wet market stalls that usually sell live poultry have undergone thorough cleaning and sterilisation since the ban on sales of live birds was imposed on 22 June. Under current policy, all stalls in wet markets must be cleaned after every business day, and via a large-scale sterilisation every two weeks. Additionally, the wholesale market is cleaned thoroughly every two weeks. On 22 June the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau found an environmental sample from a live poultry stall at the Iao Hon Market that tested positive for avian influenza virus; an H7 subtype. A public health contingency response was immediately put into effect: measures taken included a ban on sales of live poultry in markets, and a cull of 9,000 birds at Macao’s wholesale market.
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The University of Macau (UM) Parking Management Rules, published in the Macao SAR Government Official Gazette today (6 July), in the second series of the 27th issue, will take effect tomorrow (7 July). In accordance with the rules, UM on 17 July will begin to charge a fee for parking in any car park on its campus. Non-UM members whose vehicles are currently parked inside UM’s car parks must vacate the car parks before 17 July. External users’ cars that fail to vacate the car parks before the aforementioned date shall be dealt with in accordance with law. UM’s campus, including some of the facilities, has been open to the public since the university’s relocation in 2014. The Parking Management Rules aim to improve the management of the facilities, to ensure the safety of all users, and to provide convenience to all faculty members, students, and visitors. To cover the cost of managing car parks, including the cost of hiring security guards and maintaining facilities, UM has decided to charge a fee for parking in any car park on campus according to the ‘user-pays’ principle. As a government-funded public university, UM is committed to fulfilling its social responsibility and ensuring proper use of public resources. Therefore, in determining the hourly parking rate, UM has taken into account various factors, such as the market price, the demand for parking spaces, and users’ affordability. UM will start charging parking fees on 17 July at midnight according to its Parking Management Rules. In principle, the hourly rate will be roughly the same as that of all public car parks in Macao. Vehicles can be parked in UM car parks for a maximum of eight days at a time. Violators’ vehicles will be impounded by the Public Security Police Force and violators shall be liable for all the expenses incurred, including the parking fee. Parking fees will be waived for all UM staff members and students during a transitional period, which will last until 1 Jan 2017, when improvement of the relevant facilities is completed. All university staff members, students, and holders of a valid campus card will be eligible to purchase a monthly parking permit and enjoy a 50 per cent discount on hourly parking. For enquiries about the Parking Management Rules, please contact the Security and Transport Section at 8822 8651.
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The Macao Museum of Art (MAM), under the Cultural Affairs Bureau, is launching a series of contemporary sculpture exhibitions titled “A Sculpture” this year, aiming to promote the art development of contemporary sculpture in Macao. This exhibition presents the sculpture “Connection with Water” by artist Yang Xiaohua. The vernissage was held today, 5 July, at 6:30pm, in front of the MAM, taking in the lively atmosphere. Born in Guangzhou in 1959, Yang Xiaohua taught at the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts upon graduating from a Bachelor’s programme at the Department of Sculpture in 1992. He studied at the International Art Centre in Paris in 2000, and received the Overseas Studies Scholarship offered by the Ministry of Education to study in Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia in August 2005, where he earned a Master’s degree in Russian Arts in 2007. A sequel to the artist’s “Water Series”, the sculpture “Connection with Water” is composed by three water droplets of different sizes and water ripples. The three droplets in the upper part of the structure represent Macao, Zhuhai and Hong Kong, while its ripple-shaped foundation alludes to the fact that the Pearl River connects Macao, Zhuhai and Hong Kong. The work is superbly finished with stainless steel, with its surface polished, implying the burgeoning prosperity of the three places following the completion of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. The sculpture exhibition “Connection with Water - Yang Xiaohua” will be held from 6 July 2016 to 8 January 2017, in front of the MAM. All are welcome. The Macao Museum of Art is located in NAPE, Avenida Xian Xing Hai, and is opened from 10am to 7pm (no admittance after 6:30pm; closed on Mondays). Admission fee is MOP5.00 and is free on Sundays and public holidays.
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The Government has established a commission to coordinate management and development of the maritime area that is under administration of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR). The Commission for the Coordination in the Management and Development of the Maritime Area aims to use a scientific approach – in accordance with relevant laws – in spearheading development of the 85 square kilometres of waters demarcated by the State Council. The Commission is under the supervision of the Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On. The Government pays great attention to the management of the maritime area. The Government is also drafting a framework law on maritime management, in order to strengthen administration of those waters. The Government will gradually enhance Macao’s relevant regulatory framework, in order to: fulfil the need of maritime management on the mainland; satisfy Macao’s future developments; and facilitate the sustainable socio-economic development of the Pearl River Delta region. Last year, the Government issued three administrative regulations in support of the administration of the maritime boundary. They are: a regulation specifying immigration clearance procedures for crew members of vessels; a regulation on marine dumping of waste; and amendments to the articles of the Marine and Water Bureau. The Government also signed with the mainland authorities three cooperation agreements aimed at strengthening management of those waters. Development of the waters administered by the Macao SAR would accommodate the progress of: the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (known as the “Belt and Road” Initiative); the administrative goals of transforming Macao into a world centre of tourism and leisure and a commercial and trade cooperation service platform between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries (collectively known as “Centre and Platform” policies); the diversification on the city’s economy; and sustainability of regional cooperation. The State Council has approved a new administrative division map for the Macao SAR. According to the map, 85 square kilometres of waters surrounding Macao, and an area of land where the Border Gate with Zhuhai is located, will be placed under Macao’s management. That administrative arrangement was announced in Decree No. 665 of the State Council on 20 December 2015.
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For the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12 June, Consumer Council collects prices of fresh pork and vegetables from wet markets and supermarkets for consumers’ reference. The mentioned data collected during 29 June to 25 July are used for comparing the selling prices of the same products from Zhuhai and Hong Kong. The relevant data has been uploaded to the Council’s website for consumers’ reference. The specific price surveys on fresh pork and vegetables are now available on the Council’s website (www.consumer.gov.mo), iPhone & Android ‘Supermarket Price Information Platform’ app, and the Council’s WeChat Account page. The relevant surveys include selling prices of local fresh pork and vegetables, and comparison on the respective selling prices rom Zhuhai, HK, and Macao. For enquiry, please call 8988 9315.
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