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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that a total of 2,180 establishments were operating in the Transport, Storage & Communications Sector in 2012, up by 37 year-on-year; number of persons engaged increased by 1,196 to 16,700. Total Receipts reached MOP 23.34 billion and Total Expenditure was MOP 20.44 billion, up by 12% and 14% respectively year-on-year. Gross Value Added that measures the sectoral contribution to the economy amounted to MOP 6.73 billion, up by 6% year-on-year; Gross Fixed Capital Formation decreased by 9% to MOP 988 million. A total of 2,149 establishments were operating in the Transport & Storage Sector, up by 38 year-on-year; number of persons engaged increased by 1,134 to 14,668. There were 1,686 establishments operating in Land Transport, and 435 in Supporting & Auxiliary Transport Activities, including 197 travel agencies and 12 warehouses. Total Receipts of the Transport & Storage Sector increased by 9% year-on-year to MOP 16.25 billion. With an increase in passenger traffic volume of sea and air transport, Receipts from Passenger Transport increased by 15% year-on-year to MOP 7.27 billion; meanwhile, Receipts from Services Rendered totalled MOP 5.65 billion, up by 7%. Total Expenditure increased by 8% year-on-year to MOP 14.92 billion, of which Operating Expenses (MOP 7.10 billion), Purchase of Goods & Commission Paid (MOP 4.93 billion) and Compensation of Employees (MOP 2.42 billion) rose by 9%, 3% and 15% respectively. Non-operating Expenditure (e.g. depreciation of fixed assets, interest paid, etc.) amounted to MOP 465 million, down by 7% year-on-year. Gross Value Added of the Transport & Storage Sector totalled MOP 4.14 billion, up by 16% year-on-year; Gross Fixed Capital Formation dropped significantly by 39% to MOP 336 million. There were 31 establishments operating in the Communications Sector, down by 1 year-on-year; number of persons engaged increased by 62 to 2,032. Total Receipts went up by 21% year-on-year to MOP 7.09 billion, of which Sales of smartphones and information products reached MOP 3.29 billion, up by 64%; moreover, Receipts from Communications Services rose by 4% to MOP 3.29 billion. Total Expenditure amounted to MOP 5.52 billion, up by 35% year-on-year, with Purchase of Goods & Commission Paid (MOP 3.74 billion) and Compensation of Employees (MOP 626 million) rising by 53% and 27%, while Operating Expenses (MOP 714 million) falling by 2%. Non-operating Expenditure amounted to MOP 436 million, up by 4% year-on-year. Gross Value Added of the Communications Sector decreased by 6% year-on-year to MOP 2.59 billion; Gross Fixed Capital Formation amounted to MOP 652 million, up by 23%.
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Consumer Council conducted its third 'Supermarket price survey' for December on 10th December for the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12th June. Surveyed locations included 8 supermarkets in Toi San, Ilha Verde and Fai Chi Kei areas in N. Sra. de Fátima Parish. The latest 'Supermarket Price Survey' is now available on Consumer Council's website (www.consumer.gov.mo), and the 'Supermarket Price Information Platform' iPhone and Android apps. 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. Consumers may also access the resources through WAP channels on their mobile phones. 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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(Macao—11 December 2013)The Government Information Bureau (GCS) will introduce tomorrow (12 December) an updated iOS version of the Macao Yearbook App and its Android version following the launch of the Macao Yearbook 2013. The App allows users to freely download the 2002-2013 editions of Macao Yearbook. In addition, the App offers individual sections on Macao Facts; Highlights of the Annual Policy Address; Major Events; and Principal Officials to give users a quick glance at Macao. The section on Macao Facts provides tables and charts for easy comparison of data in different years. The App is available for free download at the App Store and Google Play in three languages, namely Chinese, Portuguese and English. Users can search the App with the key word "Macao Year Book" or "Macau - Livro do Ano". The Macao Yearbook is a reference book published annually by the Government Information Bureau. It outlines major events and changes made in the course of Macao's political, economic, social and cultural development. It aims to promote Macao and provide detailed information and data for all who wish to study and understand Macao.
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In its latest issue of Consumer Report no. 242, Consumer Council publishes the results of a test co-tested by the Council and Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (IACM) on the hygienic condition and quality of bottled water. The current issue also features the contents and functions of the newly launched 'Rankings for supermarkets with lowest prices in Macao'.
Each year, the Council and IACM work together to test the hygienic condition and quality of bottled water, the annual test of this year reveals satisfactory results for all tested samples. Details of the report can be found in Consumer Report no. 242.
Different bottled water brands are tested each year according to their availability in the market, the Council indicates that the test ensures the quality of bottled water and the two departments will continue to work together to safeguard the health benefits of consumers.
Consumer Council expanded the scope of its supermarket price survey work this October and now collects prices of 340 products from over 90 supermarkets in different areas of Macao. Results of the price surveys are now not only available on the 'Supermarket price information platform' and its smart phone apps but also available as a list of ''Rankings for supermarkets with lowest prices in Macao' on the Council's website. The Council compares the over 27,000 price data collected from over 90 supermarkets each month to list out the top 5 supermarkets for their most number of lowest price items. Consumers may visit the Council's website to access the list of 'Rankings for supermarkets with lowest prices in Macao'.
The latest issue of Consumer Report also reports about the signing of protocol between Consumer Council and Direcção Geral do Consumidor of Portugal, and the highlights of the newly revised 'Consumer Protection Law' of China. Consumer Report is now available free of charge at Consumer Council (Av. Horta e Costa, N.º 24-A, Edf. Cheung Heng, R/C), and the service counter of Consumer Council at Macao SAR Government Service Centre (Rua Nova da Areia Preta, Nº52), Public Information Centre at Vicky Plaza, libraries and bookstores. Consumers may also access the resources online on the Council's official website (http://www.consumer.gov.mo). For enquiries, please call 8988 9315.
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The University of Macau (UM) (7 December) held the Congregation 2013 on the new campus. Cheong U, secretary for social affairs and culture of Macao SAR, presided at the ceremony on behalf of Chui Sai On, chief executive of Macao SAR and chancellor of UM. Cheong U expressed his hope that UM members could seize the opportunity brought by the new campus to further improve the university in both "software" and "hardware" aspects to nurture creative, high-calibre specialists. It was the first time UM held its congregation on the new campus. At the ceremony, PhD degrees, master's degrees and bachelor's degrees were presented to fresh graduates. Honorary doctorates were presented to Prof. Jiang Shusheng, Prof. Sérgio Machado dos Santos, and Prof. Yu Kwang Chung. Members of the University Assembly and the University Council, government officials, donors, scholarship sponsors, representatives from the education sector, prominent community figures, students' parents, and UM staff members also attended the ceremony. Cheong U expressed his hope that UM members could seize the opportunity brought by the new campus to further improve the university in both "software" and "hardware" aspects, and to continue to implement the innovative "4-in-1" mode of education (which consists of discipline-specific education, general education, research and internship education, as well as community and peer education) to nurture creative, high-calibre specialists. He mentioned that the biggest event of this year for UM was the inauguration of the Henqin new campus, saying that the new campus project was the first pilot collaborative project between Guangdong and Macao and represents a system-wise innovation. He remarked that one of the basic philosophies guiding the SAR government this year is "building a better Macao through education", and thus the SAR government will continue to provide unreserved support to UM. Rector Wei Zhao noted that it was the first time the congregation was held on the new campus, which made the occasion all the more special for the graduates. He added that UM members will make good use of the new campus to significantly enhance the university's soft strengths. He also mentioned the concrete measures geared towards this end, which include implementing the innovative "4-in-1" mode of education, opening new faculties and new disciplines for greater industrial diversity and better quality of life in Macao, launching more international-standard scientific research projects, establishing international-standard teaching and research systems, enhancing the university's management system, engaging academic staff in governing the university, upholding academic freedom, and rewarding academic excellence. Prof. Jiang Shusheng, representative of this year's honorary degree recipients, pointed out that under the leadership of the SAR government, Macao has not only enjoyed fast economic growth and social harmony and stability, but has also made marked progress in education, citing UM as the best example. He added that UM has attained impressive achievements in scientific research and educational reform over the past three decades. It has nurtured many outstanding graduates for society and is now progressing steadily towards the goal of becoming a world-class university. Tam Hou Kuan, a graduate of the Faculty of Science and Technology, gave a speech on behalf of all the graduates. He thanked all faculty members for their teaching, inspiration and encouragement as well as all the administrative staff for their support. He talked about the new campus, saying that the new campus provides a better environment for teaching and research, which he believes will allow the university to nurture more outstanding graduates to serve Macao, China, and beyond.
This year UM graduated more than 1,700 students through the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, the Faculty of Business Administration, the Faculty of Education, the Faculty of Law, the Faculty of Social Sciences, the Faculty of Science and Technology, and the Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences. 45 of the 1,700 students are also graduates of the Honours College. The various faculties held their respective certificate presentation ceremonies on the afternoon of the same day.
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The conference on "Protection of Fundamental Rights - Cultural Rights: Culture and Patrimonial Heritage Protection", integrated as part of the 2nd EU-Macao Co-operation Programme in the Legal Field, will take place from 9:30 to 17:30 and 9:30 to 18:00, on both 11 and 12 of December, in the Convention Hall of the Macao Science Center, located at Avenida Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, NAPE. This event is organized by Legal and Judicial Training Centre of the Macao SAR. The wide-ranging objectives of the conference are to: Provide a platform for dialogue and exchange of ideas in the areas of fundamental cultural rights and patrimonial heritage protection at national and international levels; Increase understanding of the realities and needs in the area of cultural and patrimonial protection, as well as to provide access to cases of good practice; and Discuss some of the topics pertinent to the current issues regarding cultural and patrimonial protection. In this context, the discussions will focus on the following topics, among other issues: 1. Cultural Human Rights in International Law;
2. Protection of Fundamental Rights in EU - Cultural Rights;
3. Constitutional and Legal Protection of Cultural Rights in China;
4. Cultural Rights Protection in Macao under International Law;
5. Cultural Rights and Cultural Heritage Protection of Macao;
6. The Protection of Culture in the Basic Law;
7. The Relevance of Fundamental Human Rights for the Development of Private Law in the Future;
8. The Protection of Cultural Rights in the International Criminal Law;
9. Do Cultural Rights Require a Protection Against Cybercrime? 10. Protection of Cultural Rights: the Portuguese Legal and Judicial Experience in Culture and Patrimony;
11. The Protection of Cultural Heritage in the Macao Special Administrative Region;
12. Cultural Rights Limitations to Private Property;
13. Problems Relating to the Regime of Copyright from the Perspective of Culture Rights;
14. Cultural Rights in International Trade Law as Exemplified by the New Food Safety Law of Macao;
15. Cultural Rights Implications for Trade in Service. This initiative will encompass fifteen exchange sessions / discussions as well as experts coming from Mainland China, Macao SAR, Holland, Portugal, and Germany. The conference will be conducted in Mandarin, Cantonese, Portuguese and English, with simultaneous translation provided in all sessions. The 2nd EU-Macao Co-operation Programme in the Legal Field, which comprises this conference, has the "Consolidation of the Macao Legal System" as its main objective and will last until December 2013. The implementation of the Co-operation Programme is coordinated by the Law Reform & International Law Bureau and involves several other bodies and governmental departments of the Macao SAR.
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This year, over 1,100 businesses are awarded the 2014 'Certified Shop' emblem by Consumer Council and 15 'Certified Shops' are awarded as 'Class A Certified Shops'.
Consumer Council added a grading system of 5 levels to its assessment mechanism of 'Certified Shop' in 2010 to award businesses that acquire the highest class in the previous year, the Council hopes the assessment mechanism encourages 'Certified Shops' to make improvement and provide better services to consumers. This year, 15 'Certified Shops' are classified as 'Class A', and the number of shops that scored A- has also increased. 111 shops or about 10 percent of the total number of 'Certified Shops' are classified as 'Class A' and 'A-' this year. 1,179 businesses are awarded the 2014 'Certified Shop' emblem, and over half of them earned a B in their annual assessment. About 10 percent of this year's 'Certified Shops' are no longer qualified in the coming year.
Consumer Council indicates that retail business is significant to Macao's economy. According to the Statistics and Census Service Bureau (DSEC), value of retail sales amounted to 47.3 billion patacas in the first three quarters of 2013, which is 20 percent more of that of last year. Retail businesses involved include telecommunications equipment, watches, jewelery, and leather goods, etc. Meanwhile, visitor spending in Macao has also reached its new high. A United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) research shows that each tourist spends an average of USD3,200 in Macao, which is the highest amount across the world. Also, according to the statistics of Q3, visitor spending (gaming exclusive) amounted to 14.8 billion patacas, which has increased by 12 percent.
'Certified Shops' currently include retail businesses such as jewelers, department stores, Chinese herbal medicine & medicines, etc.. In order to maintain the renowned image of Macao as an international city of tourism, it is necessary to ensure the quality and standard of 'Certified Shops. Consumer Council achieves these by enhanced monitoring on, training for, and raising the standard of its 'Certified Shops'. The award ceremony of 'Class A Certified Shops' was held on 5th December at Macau Fisherman's Wharf. Ms Connie Lau Yin-hing, JP, former Chief Executive of Hong Kong Consumer Council and now Chairman of the International Advisory Group of Experts on Consumer Protection, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, United Nations, was invited to introduce the current trend of consumer protection work. Other invited guests at the event included representatives from China Consumers' Association, and over 20 consumer organizations in China and Taiwan.
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According to statistics released today by the Monetary Authority of Macao, broad money supply continued to grow in October. As total deposits increased faster than total loans, the overall loan-to-deposit ratio of the banking sector slid from a month earlier. Money supply
Currency in circulation and demand deposits grew 0.6% and 15.4% respectively. M1 thus increased 13.0% from one month earlier. Concurrently, quasi-monetary liabilities increased 3.2%. The sum of these two items, i.e. M2, grew 4.4% to MOP445.4 billion. On an annual basis, M1 and M2 rose 41.0% and 23.7% respectively. The share of Pataca (MOP) in M2 stood at 23.7%, down 0.6 percentage points from a month ago and 1.2 percentage points from a year earlier. The share of Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) in M2 was 53.2%, down 0.2 percentage points month-to-month and 2.8 percentage points year-on-year.
Deposits
Resident deposits grew 4.5% from the preceding month to MOP436.7 billion. Of which, MOP deposits, HKD deposits and other foreign currency deposits increased at respective rates of 1.9%, 4.0% and 8.2%. Non-resident deposits dropped 3.0% to MOP168.8 billion. On the other hand, public sector deposits with the banking sector increased 3.2% to MOP66.0 billion. As a result, total deposits with the banking sector surged by 2.4% from a month earlier to MOP671.5 billion. Loans
Domestic loans to the private sector increased 2.5% from a month ago to MOP249.5 billion. Among which, MOP78.9 billion was MOP-denominated and MOP147.5 billion was denominated in HKD, representing 31.6% and 59.1% of the total respectively. On the other hand, external loans decreased 1.5% to MOP264.8 billion; of which, loans denominated in MOP and HKD accounted for 1.4% (MOP3.7 billion) and 23.0% (MOP61.0 billion) respectively.
Loan-to-deposit ratios
The loan-to-deposit ratio for the resident sector at end-October dropped 0.9 percentage points from the previous month to 49.6%. The ratio for both the resident and non-resident sectors also decreased 1.5 percentage points to 76.6%.
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For the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12th June, Consumer Council conducted its specific price surveys on dairy products, beverages, and seasonings on 3rd December. Results of the mentioned 3 surveys have been uploaded to the Council's website (www.consumer.gov.mo) and are available in the Council's 'Supermarket Price Information Platform' iPhone and Android apps. For inquiry, please call the Council's hotline: 8988 9315.
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To encourage cooperation and interchange of ideas between consumer organizations across the strait, Consumer Council is organizing a forum in the afternoon of 6th Dec at Lecture Hall 2, Macao Polytechnic Institute. Consumer organizations from China, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan will give speeches on topics about the development of consumer protection policy in each region, and other important issues regarding consumer protection. The Council has invited representatives of consumer organizations and scholars across the strait, and local member of the Legislative Assembly to participate in the forum to discuss on topics such as online consumption and food safety. The Council believes the interchange of ideas at this forum will encourage development in local consumer protection work. The public are welcome to join the forum. Interested parties may call 89887368 to make reservation.
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