News

In accordance with the Macao SAR government’s vision to provide one-stop services, on 3 November 2015, the Immigration Department of the Public Security Police Force is opening three counters at Zone K, 2/F, Centro de Serviços da RAEM, Rua Nova da Areia Preta. With 11 service items available at our new service point at the Macao Peninsula, more convenient administrative services will be provided to the public. We hope that by setting up the new service point, the public can go through other government procedures and the application and collection services related to the Immigration Department at around the same time at the same location. The new service point will also help in easing the great demand for services at our Immigration Department Office Building at Pac On, Taipa, hence shortening the waiting time of the applicants. In order to ensure our service quality and maintain good waiting order at the service point, a daily service quota will be set for the following two services upon service demand assessment: 1. Receipt of Residence Authorization for persons granted Residence Authorization by the Trade and Investment Promotion Institute 2. Renewal (or reposition) of Non-resident Worker’s Identification Card for professional non-resident workers and domestic helpers For the above 2 service items, applicants can make an online appointment at www.iacm.gov.mo/booking/ or get a tag at our service point. As for the remaining 9 service items, applicants will have to wait for their turn by getting a tag at the service point. Applicants who have made an online appointment should arrive at our service point with all the necessary documents before the appointed time and wait for their turn after getting an appointment tag. The Centro de Serviços da RAEM opens from 9am to 6pm (no lunch break) from Monday to Friday. The Immigration Department Office Building will continue to provide the 11 application and collection services. However, at this stage, the certificate or document applied can only be collected at the same location where the application is submitted. For more information regarding the above services, please feel free to visit our website or call the Immigration Department at 2872 5488. We will constantly review and optimize the operation of the new service point. In addition, we will study the feasibility of providing more service items in the future and seek to enhance cooperation with other government departments, especially in the areas concerning residence and non-resident workers, so as to provide more comprehensive one-stop services to the public at the Centro de Serviços da RAEM. The 11 service items available at the new service point are as follows: Application and Collection 1. Statement to prove the applicant is in application procedure 2. Certificate to prove the document is copied from the applicant's dossier 3. Certificate of limit of stay granted in "Authorization to Stay" 4. Certificate of record of "Special Authorization to Stay" for foreign students 5. Certificate of China resident's employment status in Macao 6. Certificate of personal entry and exit movement record (the certificate can be collected at this service point if the application is made through self-service kiosk) 7. Other certificates issued based on information in dossier 8. Receipt of Residence Authorization for persons granted Residence Authorization by the Trade and Investment Promotion Institute 9. Renewal (or reposition) of Non-resident Worker’s Identification Card for professional non-resident workers and domestic helpers 10. Reissue of password slip of Non-resident Worker’s Identification Card Collection 11. Residence Certificate for “PRC Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao” holders granted Residence Authorization
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Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) is staging a mega roadshow themed as “Experience Macau” in Kuala Lumpur from 27 October to 1 November for locals to get a first glimpse of the destination’s fascinating color. The Tourist Office also partners with local travel agencies to offer special travel packages in the event, encouraging Malaysians to experience Macau firsthand. The six-day mega roadshow is rolled out by MGTO at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, the city’s famous shopping mall, in Malaysia. The venue was decorated to radiate the aroma of Senado Square, in addition to a variety of fun interactive exhibits for visitors to experience the variety of tourism elements Macau has to offer. MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes was present at the roadshow this morning (29 October) to enjoy the fun of experiencing Macau together with local residents. The event features a range of special experiences including personalized caricature portrayed on the spot, enabling locals to take home their own fantastic moment about Macau. The interactive photo zones themed as “UNESCO Heritage Sites Wall” and “Macau 3D Art Wall” also let roadshow visitors to share photos online via social media for a chance to win attractive prizes. Besides, visitors can feel the excitement of racing on the Guia Circuit through a Grand Prix Simulator set up in the roadshow. During the roadshow, MGTO partners with four travel agencies in Malaysia to offer special travel packages to Macau, encouraging locals to make their Macau trip come true. During a trade networking dinner hosted by the Tourist Office tonight, Director Senna Fernandes exchanged ideas with representatives of local travel agents about attracting visitors to Macau. MGTO’s representative in Malaysia will keep in contact with members of local trade and regularly update them on the latest travel news from Macau. MGTO makes a strenuous effort to promote source market diversification and carry out promotional projects targeting characteristics of different markets. The Office also taps into the support of travel trade to attract visitors to Macau and extend their stay at the same time. This event is expected to raise the destination’s profile in Malaysia and encourage potential visitors to embark on their Macau journey.
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The Chief Executive’s Office launched today a free mobile application called “GCE Macao”. The new app gives users a convenient way to keep up with the latest information and updates on the Chief Executive. The app is part of the Government’s efforts to improve residents’ access to the most updated information on the Chief Executive, the Chief Executive’s Office and the Macao Government. Its launch is also in line with the Government’s policy of diversifying its communication channels, taking advantage of the growing use of mobile devices and new technologies to provide information in a timely manner. “GCE Macao” has eight sections including: “News”; “Chief Executive”; “Word from the Chief Executive”; “Photos”; “Videos”; “Comments and Suggestions”; “Policy Highlights”; and “Policy Address”. The app enables users to choose their preferred language among Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese and Portuguese. The bookmarking and sharing functions included in the app allow users to quickly and conveniently share information via email, Facebook, WeChat, Whatsapp and Twitter. “GCE Macao” is available as a free download for both iOS (Version 7 or above) and Android (Version 4.0 or above) systems. Users may search for it on App Store and Google Play using the keyword “GCE Macao”.
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(Macao—XX October 2015) The public exhibition of the "Precious Moments in Macao" 2015 Photography Competition is to be held from 1 to 6 November 2015 at Lou Lim Ieoc Garden Pavilion with free admissions. This year’s competition has received a total of 952 submissions from 220 contestants via its online portal from 22 May to 11 June 2015. These submissions portray the beauty of Macao’s landscape and its people, depicting touching moments of love, happiness and warmth. The winning works of the "Precious Moments in Macao" 2015 Photography Competition will be displayed at the Lou Lim Ieoc Garden Pavilion from 1 to 6 November 2015, during the opening hours from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. All visitors are welcome. There are 53 winning entries in this year’s competition and the top three winners are: First Prize: Lam Sze Chun; Title: Colourful Life Second Prize: Wan Wai Sai; Title: Happy New Year Third Prize: Leong Son Io Antonio; Title: Marching to the Future The special feature prize of this year’s competition is titled “Creative Industries for Economic Diversification” since the Government has been actively promoting the creative sector in recent years, and the fledgling sector has been thriving under a series of supporting policies. This year’s competition is jointly organised by the GCS, eight photographic associations and five media organisations – Photographic Society of Macao, Photography Salon Society of Macao, Macao Association for the Promotion of Photographic Art, Macao Association of Photographers, Macau Multi Media Photographic Association, Macao Association of Photographic Art, Macao Camera Lens Art Association, Macao Digital Photography Association, Macao Media Workers Association, Macao Journalists Club, Macao Journalists Association, Macao Media Club and Macao Association of Sports Journalists.
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Macao residents’ need for cultural facilities has increased with the number of public library service users. Hence, the Cultural Affairs Bureau will commission the University of Macau to conduct the Macao Public Library Survey 2015 to evaluate the general need for public library services from the perspectives of current library service users and Macao residents, from November to December this year. A number of new Macao Central Library venues under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau have been completed and put into service, thus extending the network of public libraries to various districts of Macao. IACM libraries will also be merged with the system under the Bureau. Consequently, the Bureau intends to conduct the relevant survey to collate the statistical information about current and future use of and need for public libraries. The questionnaire comprises two parts – namely, ‘Survey of Public Library Users Needs and Opinions for Library Service’ and ‘Survey of Macao Residents Needs and Opinions on Library Service’. Random sampling surveys will be conducted by telephone, registering needs and opinions on various items, including the use, opening hours, locations, collections, services, facilities, electronic information and promotional activities of public libraries. Personal information provided by interviewees will only be used for statistical analysis and will be kept strictly confidential. The Cultural Affairs Bureau hopes to understand residents’ current use of Macao public library services as well as users’ expectations and needs for the current service and future development, for the analysis of Macao residents’ reading habits and optimisation of current services and facilities. It will also serve as a concrete reference for the future development of public libraries and relevant research into library services. For details, please refer to the Macao Central Library website: www.library.gov.mo; in addition, residents may contact the Bureau through tel. no. (853) 2837 7117 during opening hours for any enquiries about the survey. The opening hours of the Sir Robert Ho Tung Library is 10:00-19:00 (Monday to Saturday) and 11:00-19:00 (Sunday).
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The 29th Macao International Music Festival continues to present brilliant performances. Icelandic musician Ólafur Arnalds presents his first performance in Macao that is highly anticipated by audience; while renowned opera Faust brings the audience to the golden age of French opera. Ólafur Arnalds holds a concert at 8pm on 29 October, Thursday, in the Macao Cultural Centre Small Auditorium. This talented musician’s works blend classical, pop and ambient/electronica influences, creating unique compositions through this genre-crossing technique. Besides, being as the Festival’s closing performance, the opera Faust is to be held for three consecutive evenings, between 30 October and 1 November, at 7:30pm, in the Macao Cultural Centre Grand Auditorium. Interpreted by the Macao Orchestra with its Principal Conductor Lü Jia, together with the Coro Lirico Siciliano and the Lyric Opera of Chicago, it brings the audience to the golden age of French opera. Other remarkable performances include concerts Il Mantovano Hebreo and Lamenti and Love Songs – Italian Madrigals from around 1600, by Israeli vocal quintet Profeti della Quinta, to be held, respectively, on 28 and 29 October, at St. Dominic’s Church; the northwestern China ethnic folk music concert Loess Ballads to be held on 31 October in the Macao Cultural Centre Small Auditorium. Original folk music style is brought out by the original folk songs performance from dazzling singer A Bao and the youthful Wang Erni. Audience are suggested to arrive at concert venues in advance. Very limited tickets are still available for some of the above concerts. Ticketing hotline: 2855 5555. For more information about the programme, please browse www.icm.gov.mo/fimm.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the unemployment rate for July-September 2015 remained stable as the previous period (June-August), at 1.9%; the underemployment rate was 0.5%, up by 0.1 percentage point. Total labour force was 402,500 and the labour force participation rate stood at 73.2%. Total employment decreased by 200 from June-August, at 394,900. Number of the unemployed was 7,600, up slightly by 100 from June-August; fresh labour force entrants searching for their first job accounted for 14.6% of the total unemployed, down by 3.1 percentage points. With an increase in fresh labour force entrants (+400) looking for their first job during the summer holiday, the general unemployment rate (1.9%) and the unemployment rate of local residents (2.7%) for the third quarter increased by 0.1 and 0.2 percentage points respectively over the previous quarter. Total employment decreased by 3,400 quarter-to-quarter. Analysed by industry, the decline in demand for manpower in the Construction sector compared with the second quarter dragged down the employment in Construction (52,900) by 4,600 quarter-to-quarter, while employment in Education (17,800) increased by 1,800 as more courses were held in summer; meanwhile, employment in Hotels & Similar Activities (29,500) rose by 1,100. Median monthly employment earnings of the employed held stable as the previous quarter, at MOP15,000 in the third quarter, with those engaging in Gaming & Junket Activities and Construction earning MOP19,000 and MOP13,000 respectively. Moreover, median earnings of the employed residents stood at MOP18,000, up by MOP500 quarter-to-quarter.
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Every year, the University of Macau (UM) confers honorary doctorates on distinguished individuals with outstanding achievements and significant contributions to society. This year, five distinguished individuals, namely Mario Capecchi, Ma Iao Lai, Pai Hsien-yung, Tsui Lap-Chee, and Zhong Nanshan, will receive honorary doctorates from UM. Mario Capecchi and Zhong Nanshan will receive the Doctor of Science honoris causa degree. Ma Iao Lai will receive the Doctor of Business Administration honoris causa degree. Pai Hsien-yung will receive the Doctor of Letters honoris causa degree. Tsui Lap-Chee will receive the Doctor of Education honoris causa degree. Prof Mario Capecchi shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2007. He received his PhD degree in biophysics from Harvard University in 1967. Prof Capecchi is best known for his pioneering work on the development of gene targeting in mouse embryo-derived stem (ES) cells. This allows scientists to evaluate in detail the function of any gene during the developmental or post-developmental phase of a mouse. He has won numerous awards, including the Pezcoller Foundation-AACR International Award for Cancer Research in 2003, and the March of Dimes Prize in Developmental Biology in 2005. Ma Iao Lai is a renowned entrepreneur in Macao. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in economics from the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1971. Ma is also an active philanthropist. In 2005, he founded the Meng Tak Charity Association, which has initiated and participated in various charity programmes in Macao and mainland China to reduce poverty, help children go to school, sponsor orphans, and care for the elderly, children and women in need. In addition, the association provides financial aid to children with congenital heart disease and funds cataract operations. Ma is the recipient of the Medal of Industrial and Commercial Merit from the Macao SAR government. He is currently a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and deputy director of the Subcommittee of Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan Compatriots and Overseas Chinese of the CPPCC. Prof Pai Hsien-yung is an eminent Chinese writer. He received his master’s degree from the University of Iowa in 1965. Prof Pai has published many works, including short story collections Lonely Seventeen, Taipei People and The New Yorker, the essay collection Mo Ran Hui Shou (Suddenly Turning Back), and the novel Crystal Boys. His works have been translated into various languages and have been adapted into plays and films. Prof Pai is dedicated to promoting Chinese culture. He has produced a youth version of Peony Pavilion, a masterpiece of Kun opera, and it has been performed in different parts of the world. Prof Tsui Lap-Chee received his PhD degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1979. He was the geneticist-in-chief and head of the Genetics and Genomic Biology Programme of the Research Institute of the Hospital for Sick Children and a co-founder (with Dr Steve Scherer) of the Centre for Applied Genomics. He has also served on the editorial boards of over 20 international peer-reviewed scientific journals, numerous scientific review panels, and many national and international advisory committees. Prof Tsui helped build the University of Hong Kong into a world-class institution during his term as its vice-chancellor and president. Prof Zhong Nanshan is a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering in the Division of Medical and Health Engineering. He spearheaded a number of significant research projects in mainland China and holds 38 patents. Prof Zhong is known for his research on the prevention and treatment of respiratory diseases. In 2007, he obtained approval from the Chinese central government to establish the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease. In 2013, he founded a clinical research centre for respiratory diseases. In addition, Prof Zhong has devised medical guidelines on treating asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), cough, severe acute respiratory diseases (SARS), and highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), in mainland China.
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2015 is the anniversary of some important milestones in the history of optical science. The International Year of Light and Light-Based Technologies (IYL 2015) is a global initiative adopted by the United Nations to promote the important technological achievements related to “light” in human history. From the publication of Ibn Al-Haytham’s “Book of Optics” in 1015, to the notion of light as a wave proposed by Augustin-Jean Fresnel in 1815, and also Charles Kao’s achievements concerning the transmission of light in fibres for optical communication in 1965, it is evident that the development of optical science and technology has brought huge advancement for human civilization in just a thousand years. In the International Year of Light, Communications Museum has created a new interactive exhibit - “Optical Phone”. Its concept originates from the photophone proposed by Alexander Bell. After his invention of telephone in 1876, Alexander Bell continued and soon successfully experimented on the photophone, which he regarded it as his greatest inventions. When the visitor takes up the torch of the exhibit, points the light beam at the receiver on the opposite side and talks to the phone, the light beam will change according to the voice. Light signal will be transformed into electric signal through the receiver so that the recipient can hear the voice of the sender on the phone. Therefore, visitors can operate the “Optical Phone” as a “wireless phone”, and share the excitement of photophone invention by Alexander Bell more that a hundred years ago. Schools are welcomed to book the activities of the IYL, including science demonstrations, workshops, electronic courses, talks of Science College and the “SciTech Talk - Optogenetics” by the Macau Society of Biomedical Engineering. The “Halloween Pumpkin” workshop which is part of the “LED festival” workshops for the public, will be held at the Communications Museum in the afternoons of October 31. Participants are welcomed to join by online registration. They will learn the basic principles of LED and make a special festive lamp stand. For details, please visit http://macao.communications.museum.
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The Government has set up a committee to advance the work of transforming Macao to a world centre for tourism and leisure, according to an Executive Order published today in the Macao SAR Gazette. The Committee for Development of the World Centre for Tourism and Leisure will be responsible for drafting a blueprint plan for tourism development for the next five years. The Committee will conduct research and advise on policies to help transform Macao to a world centre for tourism and leisure. The new body will set up a mechanism to annually review the plan. It will also advise on other related topics, according to the Executive Order. The Committee is chaired by the Chief Executive. It includes: the Secretary for Economy and Finance; the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture; the Secretary for Transport and Public Works; the Chief-of-Office of the Chief Executive’s Office; the Government Spokesperson; two representatives from the Chief Executive’s Office; and two members from the Policy Research Office. The Executive Order states that the Chairman of the Committee may invite experts in different fields and representatives from the public and private sectors to join the works of the Committee or its meetings whenever deemed necessary. The Chief Executive’s Office will provide administrative, technical and logistic support to the Committee. The Committee’s budget will come from the Chief Executive’s Office.
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