News

Consumer Council conducted its specific price survey on instant noodles on 23rd April for the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12th 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. For inquiry, please call the Council's hotline: 8988 9315.
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Consumer Council conducted an accuracy test on fuel metres at 18 petrol stations in Macao, only 1 sample was found to exceed the required standard and the test result has been passed to related department for follow-up. The Zhuhai Supervision Testing Institute of Quality and Metrology was commissioned by the Council to conduct the mentioned test on petrol machines at 18 petrol stations in Macao. According to national standard JJG443-2206, each fuel metre was tested thrice consecutively for the calculation of the difference between the actual output volume of fuel and the volume stated on the metre, and the average of the three tested results should not exceed +/-3%. Petrol station staffs were asked to randomly pick one fuel metre at each station to be examined by pumping 20 litres of petrol into a testing container and examined by a representative from Zhuhai Supervision Testing Institute of Quality and Metrology to calculate the difference between the actual output volume and the volume stated on the metre. Test results showed that 1 sample was found to exceed the standard and recorded an inaccuracy rate of +0.313%. Although the actual output volume is greater than the stated volume and consumers' rights are not infringed, the involved oil company has been notified to adjust its facilities at petrol stations to ensure accuracy of fuel pumps and metres. The Council indicates that most samples meet the required standard, the oil and petrol industry is called on to carefully monitor the accuracy of petrol machines for the sake of protecting the rights of consumers. For enquiries, please call 8988 9315.
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Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) held travel marts in two big cities in Korea and once again launched the "Macau Tourism Product Promotion Scheme" to encourage cooperation between Macau and Korean travel trade. MGTO organized the annual "Macau･Korea Travel Mart" in Seoul and Busan, Korea on April 23 and 25 respectively. The office introduced the "Macau Tourism Product Promotion Scheme" again to foster active participation and cooperation among the trade. The Korean trade delegates who attended the travel marts may get sponsored for promoting brand-new Macau tourism products in the market. The first travel mart attracted about 130 trade representatives from Seoul who negotiated business opportunities directly with around 20 delegates from Macau hotels, airline and travel agencies, providing an effective platform for exchange and collaboration between Macau and Korean travel industry partners. MGTO hosted a dinner for Seoul's trade delegates on April 23 and invited the Executive Vice President for Marketing of Korea Tourism Organization, Shim Jeong Bo and the Chairman of Korea Association of General Travel Agents (KATA), Yang Moo Seong to the dinner as well. During the function, MGTO Deputy Director Manuel Pires thanked the Korean trade partners for their great support to Macau tourism industry and expressed wishes for Macau to enhance cooperation with Korean tourism partners. He stated that the number of Korean visitor arrivals in Macau approximated 440,000 last year, a year-on-year increase of 11.5%. Benefiting from the daily direct flights between Macau and Seoul as well as the new direct flight to Busan inaugurated last year, Korea has risen as the largest international tourism market for Macau. MGTO has held the "Macau･Korea Travel Mart" in Seoul and Busan annually since 2009 for five consecutive years. The office also organized a Korean trade familiarization group to visit Macau last October and held the first similar travel mart in Macau, providing abundant opportunities for networking and cooperation between Macau and Korean trade partners.
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In response to the upcoming May 1st long holidays, Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) has produced pamphlets as a food guide for visitors to obtain local restaurants' operation information during the May 1st long holidays. The office will also send phone messages to Mainland visitors to expedite its announcement of tourism information. Besides the above measures, MGTO regularly releases the room rates of Macau hotels and guest houses. Furthermore, the office has forwarded the suggestions and guidelines about avian-flu prevention to the travel trade while carrying out further inspections. Through adopting a series of measures, the office strives to meet visitors' needs and perfect the service quality of local tourism industry. MGTO publishes the Chinese "Macau Food Guide for the May 1st Vacation" jointly with General Union of the Macau Neighborhood Association, The United Association of Food and Beverage Merchants of Macau, The Industry and Commerce Association of Macau Northern District and The Industry and Commerce Federation of Islands of Macau. The guide provides a contact and information list of restaurants which operate during the May 1st long holidays for visitors to acquire local restaurants' operation information conveniently. Visitors can now download the food guide from MGTO's website www.macautourism.gov.mo or obtain the guide pamphlets for free from MGTO's information counters starting next week. MGTO will also send mobile text messages to Mainland visitors who plan to visit Macau, advising them to make a room reservation in earliest advance and check local room rates on MGTO's website when in need; via SMS, the office also encourages visitors to download the "Macau Food Guide for the May 1st Vacation" online prior to their Macau trip or obtain the guide pamphlets at MGTO's information counters upon arrival so that visitors can gain more useful information. MGTO regularly releases online the room rates of Macau hotels and guest houses in different room categories submitted by the industry partners. Citizens and guests can browse the MGTO's website for further information and room rates of hotels and guest houses. In addition, MGTO has forwarded to all licensed entities, e.g. hotels, guest houses, restaurants and travel agencies, a series of guidelines produced by Health Bureau including "Prevent Human Infection with H7N9 Avian Influenza – Advice for Travel Agencies and Tourists", "Prevent Human Infection with H7N9 Avian Influenza – Advice for Tourism, Hotel and Gaming Industries" and "Prevent Human Infection with H7N9 Avian Influenza – Guideline for Handlers of Poultry and Food" to protect industry partners, visitors and citizens' health. MGTO has also sent letters reminding the trade to concern about hygiene, fire safety, operating hours, guest capacity and so on. During the May 1st long holidays, MGTO will strengthen their inspections at various tourist attractions and border ports while increasing the manpower at MGTO's information counters. MGTO's tourism hotline 2833 3000 will maintain its 24-hour operator service as usual to answer visitors' enquiries. Visitors can also browse MGTO's website for more travel and related information. MGTO also maintains regular communication and news exchange with Consumer Council, Public Security Police Force, Macau Customs Service, Maritime Administration, Transport Bureau and so forth. Public Security Police Force has launched the "Real-Time Information Platform of Border Ports", which enables visitors to check the real-time border-crossing images at the arrival/departure halls and traffic lanes of Barrier Gate, Outer Harbour and Cotai Frontier Post by entering the platform website: www.fsm.gov.mo/psp/pspmonitor on phone or computer. Thus visitors can enter or leave Macau flexibly with suitable timing. MGTO's website provides a direct link to the "Real-Time Information Platform of Border Ports" run by Public Security Police Force's website.
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In order to promote the Regulations and services of 'Consumer Arbitration Centre', Consumer Council organized an online quiz on the information about 'Consumer Arbitration Centre'. Over 3,000 correct entries had been received and are entitled to the lucky draw. 40 winners have been drawn earlier by the Council and each winner is entitled to a prize of MOP500. Winners will be called individually and the list of winners is available on the Council's website (www.consumer.gov.mo). The Council thinks that the aim of this online quiz to raise the attention of the public about the Regulations and services of 'Consumer Arbitration Centre' has been reached, as many entries have been received. The Council will continue to organize different varieties of events to further promote its services and information on consumer rights to consumers. Further, the latest issue no.235 of Consumer Report has been released. The current issue features a report on the ingredients and hygienic condition of toothpaste co-tested by the Council and Guangdong Consumer Council, an annual analysis on the prices of the supermarket price surveys conducted in 2012, and articles on the annual theme of Consumers International, etc.. Consumer Report is now available free of charge at the Consumer Council (Av. Horta e Costa, N.º 24-A, Edf. Cheung Heng, R/C), and its service counter 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 Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) and the Government of Grenada have concluded the mutual visa exemption agreement. Holders of the Macao SAR Passport and Travel Permit are entitled to enter Grenada without a visa for a maximum stay of 90 days starting from 27 April 2013. At present, a total of 105 countries and territories have agreed to grant visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to the Macao SAR passport holders, while 10 countries have agreed to grant the visa-free access to the Macao SAR Travel Permit holders.
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The 2013 Science Express Camp – A Kickoff of Biomedical Engineering, organized by Macau Society of Biomedical Engineering and IEEE-EMB Hong Kong - Macau Joint Chapter and Communications Museum, co-organized by Biomedical Engineering Laboratory of University of Macau, wraps up this year's series of summer activities. Its objective is to inform students on the development and prospects of Biomedical Engineering in order to broaden their visions of what may prove beneficial to their future studies. The summer camp is targeted to students promoting to Form 3 or above. Grasp this great opportunity and come to register. Date: A Group: 24-27/07/2013, B Group: 07-10/08/2013, 30 persons per group
Audience: Form 3 students of above, MOP 600.00 per person
Registration: From now till 10/07/2013, at Reception of Communications Museum
Itinerary: 4 days (Fees include transportation, meals, insurance and materials for experiments)
- Day 1: Communications Museum: Science demonstration and workshops
- Day 2~3: Hong Kong Polytechnic University / Hong Kong Chinese University: Visit and workshops; Hong Kong Chinese University: BBQ at night and accommodation.
- Day 4: Communications Museum or University of Macao: Seminars and workshops.
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Communications Museum will organize a series of interesting activities for the 2013 summer vacation. Participants will enjoy and develop their potential through these interactive, explorative and experimental workshops. Come join the programs! Registration is open from now till July 19 at the Museum's reception. Have a happy summer in the Museum!
- Light and Colors: Class A: 02-03/08/2013, Class B: 09-10/08/2013, for Primary 4 to Form 1 students, MOP 30 per person.
- Component Commando: Class A: 16-17/08/2013, for Primary 4-Form 1 students, MOP 30.00 per person.
- Communication Camp-Communication Decoding
Class A: 30-31/07/2013, Class B: 20-21/08/2013, for Primary 4 to Form 1 students, MOP 60 per person (All participants of Class A & B will go to visit Radio Macao and the Transport Bureau on 22/08/2013)
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Starting May, a series of seminars on the close relationship between the development of science and technology and our daily life will be organized by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers of Macau and the Communications Museum. In addition to the 5 seminars held in the Communications Museum, all seminar topics will be open for selection by schools of Macao and selected seminars can be held at the schools. Participants of the seminars held between now and end of July will be entitled to the lucky draw of joining a Tour at Hong Kong Museums on August 22, 2013, free of charge. For more information and registration of the seminars, please feel free to visit the Museum website: http://macau.communications.museum
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To celebrate the World Telecommunications and Information Society Day and International Museum Day, visitors can enjoy free entrance at the Communications Museum from May 17 to 19 (Friday to Sunday). Seminars of International Museum Day, Macao 2013
Museums (Memory + Creativity) = Social Change is the theme of the International Museum Day 2013, given by the International Council of Museums (ICOM). Communications Museums will organize the "Seminars of International Museum Day 2013" on May 2 and 3, at the auditorium of the museum as the prelude to celebrate the International Museum Day of the year. In addition to the first seminar for museum professionals, the second seminar will be free of charge for the general public, educators and secondary students. The open seminar is co-organized with the Education & Youth Bureau and it is recognized as a Training Program for Educators. Museum professionals and scholars from Hong Kong, Beijing and Singapore are invited to share their views on hot topics of museums with the audience. In the first seminar for museum professionals on May 2, Ms. LAU Lesley, Ph.D., Chief Curator of the Art Promotion Office in Hong Kong and Ms. HUI Jeremy, Curator of the Hong Kong Heritage Museum will talk about The new Oil Street Artspace of Hong Kong and Bruce Lee Exhibition: Cross boundaries' interpretation and presentation respectively. For the public seminar held in the afternoon of May 3, Mr. LIM Tit Meng, Ph.D., Chief Executive of the Science Centre Singapore will talk about Science centres and museums inspire future creativity through past and present innovations, Mr. WANG Yusheng, Ph.D., Vice Chairman of the Beijing Association for Science and Technology will talk about Science – Yesterday, today and tomorrow, and Mr. AN Laishun, Ph.D., Member of the Executive Council of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) will talk about Museums: Cultural institutes coming downstairs from their ivory towers. Macao International Museum Day Fair, 2013
Communications Museum is going to participate in the Macao International Museum Day Fair at the Tap Seac Square on May 5 (Sunday). During the event, visitors can play the interactive games "Standing Wave" as well as join the workshops "Fragrant Stamps" and "The Fun of Sound & Wind Music". Family participants are welcome to join these two workshops which are free of charge and will be held in rotation every 30 minutes. You can make your unique products and also win free coupons of the Museum. International Museum Day Postcard Macao Post will issue a commemorative postcard with circulation from May 2 to 18, and provide commemorative cancellation service for stamp collectors at the same period. Service timetable and location:
- 02-18/05/2013 (Tuesday to Sunday), 9:00am - 5:30pm, at Communications Museum;
- 05/05/2013 May 5 (Sunday), 9:00am - 12:30am at Communications Museum, 2:00pm - 6:00pm at Tap Seac Square.
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