News

Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) is participating at a World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) regional conference about tourism development in cultural and natural heritage sites, which opened today in Cambodia. "UNWTO Regional Conference on Tourism Development in Cultural and Natural Heritage Sites" started this morning at the Kingdom of Cambodia's Siem Reap province, home of World Heritage Site Angkor Wat and several national parks. Participants were welcomed by remarks from the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister in-charge of the Council of Ministers of Cambodia An Sok, UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai, the Minister of Tourism of Cambodia Thong Khon and the Representative of UNESCO in Cambodia, on behalf of the Director-General of UNESCO, Anne Lemaistre. MGTO Deputy Director Cecilia Tse, joined by MGTO External Relations and Communication Department Head Kathy Iong, are among the delegates to the conference. During the three day-long conference, co-organized by the Government of Cambodia and UNWTO, the event will bring together experts from UNWTO and UNESCO, along with tourism government officials and academics to debate and present case studies and successful examples under the topic of the themed sessions: Managing Tourism at World Heritage Sites, Communicating Heritage, The Value of Green Tourism in the Heritage Sites, and Tourism Development in Heritage Sites. Representatives from Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Africa, in a total of 25 countries and regions, participate in this UNWTO conference.
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The Macao Orchestra (MO), under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, presents a concert titled Impressionism, included in its Classics' series, to be held on 16 November, at 8pm at the Macao Cultural Centre Grand Auditorium, under the baton of Swedish conductor Daniel Blendulf and with the cooperation of Chinese pianist Song Siheng. Song Siheng was born in Shanghai in 1981 and started learning to play the piano when he was 3 years old only. In 1996 he won the National Piano Competition in Beijing and later conquered prizes in several international competitions in the UK and Ireland, namely in the Leeds and Dublin piano competitions, as well as in Paris and Shanghai. So far, he is the Chinese pianist who won more prizes. In 2004 Song Siheng won first prize in the Marguerite Long International Piano Competition in Paris, being the first Chinese to achieve such a feat in the 70 years of existence of the contest. In 2004 and 2006 he was the youngest juror in international piano competitions in Paris and Morocco. He cooperated with the Hallé Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Orchestre Nationale de France, amongst others. Besides classical music, Song Siheng has been holding multimedia concerts, a new musical experience for the public. In 2011, he gathered music and literature in a multimedia musical inspired in Japanese writer Haruki Murakami, entitled "Searching for Murakami". Swedish conductor Daniel Blendulf, winner of the Swedish Conducting Competition is one of the most promising Scandinavian conductors of his generation. In this concert he will direct the Petite Suite and La Mer by Debussy, as well as Ravel's Piano Concerto in G Major. The tickets for the concert at MOP 180, 120 and 80, are available at all Kong Seng Ticketing Network outlets as well as through the ticketing hotline 2855 5555. For more information, please check MO's website at www.icm.gov.mo/om, or www.icm.gov.mo.
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The latest issue of Consumer Report (no. 241) is available and the contents include a consumer opinion survey on consumption with prepayment, and an introduction to the General Committee members of 2013-2015. Shops use various sales techniques, such as offering discounts, to attract consumers to make purchase at their shops. In recent years, consumption with prepayment becomes popular in Macao. To better the Council's work on promoting consumer education, information on the prevalence of prepayment consumption pattern and consumers' awareness of possible risks involved is essential. Therefore, the Council conducted a consumer opinion survey on consumption with prepayment. Results showed that prepayment consumption is common among consumers in Macao. Survey also found that consumers are aware of the possible risks involved and hence making less prepayment consumption that are considered to be of possible risks. Details regarding the survey result can be found in the current issue. Pursuant to Dispatch No.73/2013 of Secretariat for Economy and Finance, Mr. Vong Kok Seng, Mr. Henrique M. R. de Senna Fernandes, Mr. Lei Loi Tak, Mr. Kok Lam, Mr. Fong Koc Hon, Mr. Elias Lam, Mr. Mok Chi Wai, Ms. Sio Un I, Ms. Au Ieong Ut Seng, Ms. Lei Wai Peng and Mr. Tse Ka Ming were appointed members of the new General Committee of Consumer Council for 2 years. The new General Committee members held their first meeting on 12th September and Mr. Vong Kok Seng was again elected president of the General Committee for year 2013-2015. Committee members reviewed the current and future work plans of the Council in the meeting. The current issue also features articles on tips for choosing suitable desks for children and news about the Council's recent activities. 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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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the total number of licensed motor vehicles reached 224,146 at the end of September 2013, up by 5% year-on-year, of which motorcycles and light private cars accounted for 53% and 41% respectively. New registration of motor vehicles increased by 6% year-on-year to 13,945 in the first three quarters of 2013, with light private cars and motorcycles sharing 50% and 44% of the total. In the first nine months of 2013, number of traffic accidents totalled 11,228 cases, up by 2% year-on-year, resulting in 3,951 victims and 14 of them were killed. Cross-border vehicle traffic by land between Macao and Mainland China reached 3,446,796 vehicle trips in the first three quarters of 2013, up by 5% year-on-year, of which vehicle traffic through the Border Gate accounted for 82%. Meanwhile, passenger ferry between Macao and Hong Kong and between Macao and Mainland China totalled 104,455 ferry trips, a decrease of 497 ferry trips year-on-year, with those between Macao and Hong Kong sharing 79% of the total. Commercial flight movements at the Macao International Airport increased by 18% year-on-year to 33,224 in the first nine months of 2013, on account of the significant increase in flight movements to and from Mainland China; Taiwan, China; and Thailand. Helicopter flights between Macao and Hong Kong and between Macao and Mainland China totalled 12,268, down by 10% year-on-year, with those between Macao and Hong Kong accounting for 81% of the total. In the first three quarters of 2013, seaborne container throughput totalled 90,352 TEU, equivalent to 65,172 containers handled, up by 3% and 1% respectively year-on-year. Gross weight of seaborne containerized cargo decreased by 6% to 143,977 tonnes, with 4,921 tonnes of transshipment goods. Gross weight of containerized cargo by land dropped by 11% year-on-year to 21,412 tonnes, including 6,943 tonnes of transit goods. In the first nine months of 2013, outward (10,687 tonnes) and inward air cargo (4,608 tonnes) decreased by 11% and 2% respectively year-on-year. Transit air cargo increased marginally by 1% to 3,555 tonnes. At the end of September 2013, number of mobile telephone users increased by 2% year-on-year to 1,556,994, whereas fixed-line telephone users decreased by 3% to 159,245. As regards internet services, number of subscribers totalled 250,743 and the cumulative duration of usage reached 597 million hours in the first nine months of 2013, up by 12% and 21% respectively year-on-year.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the average daily wage of construction workers increased by 4.1% quarter-to-quarter to MOP628 in the third quarter of 2013, and the average daily wage of local construction workers amounted to MOP776, up by 5.1%. The average daily wage of skilled & semi-skilled workers was MOP635, an increase of 3.4% quarter-to-quarter, and that of unskilled workers was MOP375, down by 1.1%. Analysed by occupation, average daily wage of painters and concrete formwork carpenters was MOP588 and MOP644 respectively, up by 10.3% and 8.1% quarter-to-quarter; however, average daily wage of structural iron erectors decreased by 3.6% to MOP697. After discounting the effect of inflation, wage index of construction workers (89.9) increased by 2.7% quarter-to-quarter in real terms, on account of rising wage indices of carpenters (+16.2%) and concrete formwork carpenters (+6.5%). Meanwhile, wage index of local construction workers (107.6) increased by 4.2% quarter-to-quarter in real terms. As regards construction materials, average price of concrete increased by 13.8% quarter-to-quarter to MOP586 per cubic metre, due to the increasing demand for concrete in construction projects in Cotai; on the contrary, average price of spiral & round reinforcing steel bars decreased by 5.2%, at MOP4,984 per tonne. The price index of construction materials for residential buildings stood at 123.6 in the third quarter of 2013, up by 2.1% quarter-to-quarter, of which that of concrete (192.0) rose by 15.4%.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that total merchandise export for September 2013 amounted to MOP678 million, down by 9% year-on-year; value of re-exports (MOP544 million) and domestic exports (MOP134 million) decreased by 5% and 22% respectively. Total merchandise import reached MOP6.51 billion, up by 7% year-on-year. Merchandise trade deficit amounted to MOP5.83 billion for September 2013. In the third quarter of 2013, total value of merchandise export (MOP2.14 billion) dropped by 3% year-on-year, but that of merchandise import (MOP20.50 billion) rose by 15%, resulting in a trade deficit of MOP18.36 billion. In the first three quarters of 2013, total value of merchandise export increased by 9% year-on-year to MOP6.73 billion, of which value of re-exports (MOP5.23 billion) increased by 19%, but that of domestic exports (MOP1.50 billion) decreased by 14%. Total value of merchandise import grew by 13% to MOP58.74 billion. Merchandise trade deficit widened to MOP52.01 billion for the first three quarters of 2013. From January to September 2013, merchandise export to Hong Kong (MOP3.59 billion) and Mainland China (MOP1.22 billion) increased by 14% and 24% respectively year-on-year, while export to the USA (MOP269 million) and the EU (MOP208 million) decreased by 30% and 15% respectively. In addition, exports of Non-textiles (MOP6.08 billion) expanded by 14% year-on-year, of which exports of Electronic components (MOP753 million) and Diamond & diamond jewellery (MOP472 million) surged by 83% and 154% respectively. Exports of Textiles & garments (MOP653 million) decreased by 20%, of which exports of Knitted or crocheted garments (MOP220 million) declined by 30%. By country of origin, merchandise import from Mainland China (MOP19.20 billion) and the EU (MOP13.55 billion) increased by 13% and 11% respectively year-on-year in the first three quarters of 2013. Imports of Consumer goods rose by 18% to MOP37.63 billion, with imports of Gold jewellery (MOP6.95 billion), Watches (MOP4.49 billion) and Beauty, cosmetic & skin-care products (MOP1.90 billion) increasing by 26%, 20% and 71% respectively. Imports of Construction materials (MOP1.94 billion) grew by 40%. External merchandise trade reached MOP65.47 billion in the first three quarters of 2013, up by 12% compared with MOP58.25 billion a year earlier.
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Consumer Council conducted its 'Supermarket price survey' for October on 30th October for the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12th June. Surveyed locations included 11 supermarkets in Taipa area. 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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Participating in regular exercises is part of the training programme for the personnel in Macau International Airport. Through organizing different types of exercise, the airport aims to enhance the capacity in dealing with emergencies of the government entities and the operators involved in the airport search and rescue. The yearly full-scale emergency exercise was carried out this morning (31 October 2013) in Macau International Airport with the scenario of an unknown gas attacking the airport personnel during the x-ray security screening of checked baggage. The airport emergency plan was immediately activated to deal with the accident. The scenario of this exercise was different from those that have been adopted in previous years which mainly focused on the handling of emergencies associated with aircraft accident. In the simulation of today, the ground handling personnel were suddenly attacked by a pungent smell while loading the checked baggage of an arrival flight on to the x-ray machine in the make-up area for security screening. The personnel in the vicinities felt suffocating and their throat was severely affected with burning symptoms. Some of the personnel fainted. When the accident was reported to the airport authorities, the airport emergency operations centre was immediately activated to take charge of the accident. When the airport fire services arrived at the make-up area, an explosion occurred on scene and led to a fire, causing a number of injuries. With the assistance provided by and the cooperation between the participating entities involved in search and rescue, the dangerous goods in the cargo consignment were eventually handled in a proper manner. The injured were sent to hospital for medical treatment. The exercise was carried out from 07:00 to 09:00 this morning. The Administration of Airports Ltd. was the coordinator of this drill. Other participating entities were Unitary Police Force, Macao Customs Services, Public Security Police Force, Judiciary Police, Fire Services Bureau, Security Coordination Office, Health Bureau, Marine and Water Bureau, Civil Aviation Authority, CAM-Macau International Airport Company Ltd., Air Macau Co. Ltd., Macau Jet International Co. Ltd., Macau Security Company Ltd. (airport security) and Menzies Macau Airport Services Ltd. About 100 people participated in this exercise. The whole exercise was deemed smooth and met the target result. Two other exercises were carried out in Macau International Airport earlier this year, the fuel farm exercise in March and the unlawful seizure of aircraft exercise in July.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, will deliver his Policy Address for the Fiscal Year 2014 on 12 November (Tuesday) at 3 pm in the Legislative Assembly. This will be followed a press conference at the Government Headquarters at 5 pm where Mr Chui will answer questions from the press. The following day, from 3 pm to 6 pm, Mr Chui will attend the plenary meeting of the Legislative Assmbly to explain his policy blueprint to legislators and to answer their questions. The Address will be broadcast live on the Portal Website of the Macao SAR (http://www.gov.mo), the website of the Office of the Chief Executive (http://www.gce.gov.mo), the website of the Government Information Bureau (http://www.gcs.gov.mo) and the website of the Legislative Assembly (http://www.al.gov.mo). Teledifusão de Macau (TV and radio) will broadcast live the Policy Address, the press conference and the plenary session.
Chinese and Portuguese versions of the Policy Address for download will be available on these websites. The Chief Executive has met with representatives of different associations and groups to hear their views in preparation for Policy Address for the financial year 2014.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, today visited several old districts and services centres for the mentally-challenged to hear more opinions of members of the community. In the morning, Mr Chui strolled through Rua de Cinco de Outubro where the Hong Kung Temple is located, as well as San Kio and other old districts. On the way, he chatted with residents and representatives of local organisations and listened to their concerns and views about policies on different subjects, as well as learning more about the current development of the districts, especially about transportation, cultural preservation and urban reconstruction. Mr Chui took some refreshments at a Cantonese-style restaurant and chatted with its customers and owners. Afterwards he attended a seminar to learn more about the views of organisations, business owners and residents. During a seminar, members of the community voiced their opinions about their livelihood, public hygiene, business environment, transport, parking, flooding, elderly services, wet market and revitalisation of the old districts, and urged the government for support. Mr Chui responded that he had learned that residents were concerned with issues about the infrastructure and revitalisation of old districts, and he pledged that the government would pay attention to these issues in the next policy address. He also said that he had taken note of the business environment of the commercial zone of Rua da Emenda and the government would make necessary adjustment to its renovation and management, after studies and communications with the residents. In the afternoon, the Chief Executive visited two rehabilitation centres to learn more about their daily operation. He said the government has the responsibility to take care of the needy and pledged to provide better services for the physically-challenged when he met with the staff from the centres after the visit. The people in charge and staff of the centres told Mr Chui that it was difficult to expand services due to the lack of human resources, places, and the increased rent. Mr Chui thanked the staff who have provided professional services to their clients. He stressed that the government would create good conditions for the service centres. Meanwhile the Social Welfare Bureau will implement a three-year plan to enhance rehabilitation facilities for the mentally-challenged, he said.
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