News

Government Headquarters will again be open to the public, next Saturday and Sunday (16-17 September), from 9 am to 6 pm. The official complex has been opened to the public for two consecutive days every year since 2001, attracting thousands of visitors every time. The Police Band and the Macao Orchestra will perform there during the open day: the Macau Government Tourist Office will also offer visitors mementos at a booth they would set up there. Located on Avenida Praia Grande, the Macao SAR Government Headquarters covers an area of 7,700 square metres and comprises three buildings, with a total floor area of 10,000 square metres. The mansion was built in 1849 and was bought by the Portuguese-Macao government and used as the official residence for the Portuguese governors of Macao since, and as their offices. After the establishment of the Macao SAR Government on December 20, 1999, the mansion was renovated, with its original architectural style and features retained. The front block of the Headquarters houses the Office of the Chief Executive, conference room for the Executive Council, the Lotus Room, a multi-purpose conference room and a pressroom, as well as the Green Room, the Yellow Room and the Blue Room, which are usually used for meetings and banquets.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, attended the opening ceremony of the 10th China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT) in Xiamen, Fujian Province, this morning. The Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Francis Tam Pak Yuen, together with a delegation of Macao SAR Government officials and businesspeople, were also at the opening ceremony. The Vice Premier, Ms Wu Yi, officiated the opening ceremony of the fair, the largest annual trade event in China, which attracted exhibitors from America, Europe, Asia and Africa. Ms Wu and the Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Mr Pascal Lamy, spoke at a forum in the trade fair. Mr Ho and his delegation attended a luncheon hosted by the Xiamen Municipal Government before returning to Macao.
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A delegation of journalists is heading to Spain today to broaden their horizons on urban planning, cultural, as well as the conference and exhibition industry there. Led by the Director of the Government Information Bureau, Mr Victor Chan Chi Ping, the group comprises 33 members, including management and reporters from local dailies, television, Mainland correspondents based in Macao and staff of the Bureau. The group will spend 10 days in Madrid and Barcelona where they will visit the Barcelona Municipal Council and other departments and institutions, to learn more on the policies on urban planning and renewal, building infrastructure and developing cultural, conference and exhibition industry. The Government Information Bureau had organised similar visits for local press to the United States and Australia in 2003 and 2004, to learn more of the gaming industry of the two countries. The purpose of these visits is to give the journalists – and in turn their readers and viewers through their media -- a better understanding of the policies of foreign countries on various issues.
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(Macao – 7 September 2000) The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, today met the Vice Premier, Ms Wu Yi, in Xiamen before the opening ceremony of the First Forum on West Coast Economic Zone of Taiwan Strait, being held in the Fujian city. Mr Ho also met the Vice Chairman of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Mr Luo Haocai. The Chief Executive was in the provincial capital to attend the trade event, where he delivered a speech on the advantages of the economic zone and Macao’s role as a business platform. He said the strategy of developing the West Coast Economic Zone of Taiwan Strait was fully supported by the Central Government, which highlighted Fujian’s crucial role in promoting exchanges across the Strait, as well as the process of the re-unification of the motherland. He also praised the coastal province for enjoying a favourable geographical position. As for co-operation between Macao and Fujian, Mr Ho said Macao would provide excellent services to enhance links between enterprises in the West Coast Economic Zone of Taiwan Strait and those from the Portuguese-speaking countries. Mr Ho said he was looking forward to the increase of exchanges between the business sectors of Macao and Fujian, he said. He also invited the participants to come to Macao later this month for the 2nd Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao).
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For the second evening of Wynn Macau – 18th Macau International Fireworks Display Contest spectators will be able to watch in the city’s skies the exhibitions of South Korea and Thailand, by the best pyrotechnic companies from these own countries. Hanwha Corporation, from South Korea, will open Saturday’s pyrotechnic show at 9 p.m. Joining the contest for the sixth time, Hanwha was the organizer of almost all the pyrotechnic shows for the biggest international events hosted by South Korea in the past few years, including the opening of the World Cup Korea – Japan 2002 and the Seoul Olympic Games 1988. To carry out the approximately twenty-minute pyromusical show, Hanwha is one of the participating teams in the contest using a fully automatic launching system. “When it is time to start the show, we only have to press the ‘enter’ button of our laptop computer to activate the fireworks and the music”, says Byeong-Heui Choi, manager of the Fireworks Department of Hanwha group, one of South Korea’s biggest top ten conglomerates, manufacturer of products varying from fireworks to missiles. 10 p.m will be show time for Pacific Pyro, a company founded by an overseas Chinese family living in Thailand for several generations. To be present in Macau’s contest, the Pacific Pyro interrupted its busy working schedule in Thailand, where the company is the most sought fireworks shows organizer for major national parties, from royal anniversaries to big festival at the main Thai beaches, from Pattaya to Phuket. Pacific Pyro has even sometimes to reject invitations for lack of workers, but not attending Macau’s major tourism attraction was out of question. “We love the Macau contest. We have even spoken a few times with the Tourism Authority of Thailand to try to convince them to create a budget to subsidize an event like this in Thailand”, says Sinthu Iempoolsub, operations director and son of the founder of Pacific Pyro, a company that together with another from the same group, the SINSON Chemical, is participating in Macau’s contest for the fourth time.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, said that today that competition in the gaming industry was normal and inevitable -- and the Government was very optimistic towards the healthy development of the industry in the future. Speaking to the press before departing for Fujian for two economic events, Mr Ho remarked that the first phase of competition in the industry had just begun, following liberalisation in 2002. He said competition would boost the standard of the industry. Statistics showed that despite the changes in the market share brought about by competition, all gaming operators registered significant growth in revenues, Mr Ho said. He said that not every person would be happy during the process of competition and progression; however, it would be abnormal for the Government to introduce regulations to prevent competition among the gaming operators. When all the six operators compete with each other, the revenue of particular operators might drop, but this was expected and it would only lift the standard of the whole industry, and at the same time, enlarge the size of the market. He said that the competition in the gaming market would continue for a long time. He said it was improbable for Macao to issue new gaming licenses and the distribution of licenses would remain the same -- three concessionaires and three sub-leased concessionaires, in the long term. He said that this distribution would prevent most operators from vicious competition, and the Government was very optimistic towards the healthy development in the industry. He believed that Macao would keep its competitive advantages and maintain its role as a gaming, tourism and exhibition hub in the Pearl River Delta and the Asia-Pacific regions. Mr Ho said that the rapid development of the gaming industry had raised the operational cost of small-and-medium sized enterprises and aggravated the shortage of human resources, and the Government would try to devise measures to tackle these issues in the next Policy Address. However, he reiterated that the overall economic development of Macao had created more job opportunities and better careers for residents and it was improper for the Government to restrain development which originated from competition in a market-oriented economy. Moreover, he called on the business sectors to acknowledge that the business environment and the habits of consumers would change rapidly due to advances in development of the transportation network in the Pearl River Delta. Macao enterprises would not be able to survive if they could not compete with competitors in the entire region, he added.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, has arrived in Xiamen this evening to attend two economic events. Soon after his arrival, Mr Ho met the Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Fujian Provincial Committee, Mr Lu Zhangong, and other high-ranking provincial officials. During the meeting, Mr Lu expressed his gratitude to Macao's support to the 10th China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT), which was scheduled to open in the province the day after tomorrow, and updated Mr Ho on the preparation of CIFIT and other trade events. Mr Ho said he believed that the events would further enhance economic co-operation. He said Macao and Fujian had a good foundation for co-operation, and he also expressed his gratitude to the many contribution in Macao by compatriots who had originated from Fujian.
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NICO-Lunig Event, one of Germany’s biggest manufacturer and producer of fireworks shows, feels the pressure of being the opening team of the Wynn Macau – 18th Macau International Fireworks Display Contest, one of world’s biggest events of its kind. “The Macau Fireworks Contest is like a big championship. The best teams of the world are here. It’s a tough competition”, points out Martin Schmitz, leader of the German team, that will perform on September 2 at 9 p.m. For this year’s contest, the team – a participant of the 1992, 1995, 1998 (2nd place), 2000 (3rd place) and 2002 editions – will fill up the night of the city with color, sound and traditions from their homeland. “We want to bring a special show to Macau, with many special things from Germany. We have also chosen to play a variety of music that is popular in Germany”, says Martin Schmitz, sales director of NICO-Lunig Event, a company that spends the year organizing big fireworks parties and is a constant presence in many European events. The second team to showcase its talent on Macau’s skies, Saturday at 10 p.m, is Wan Dar Fireworks, from Taiwan,China, another “veteran” of the Macau International Fireworks Display Contest. Wan Dar Fireworks, Taiwan,China’s biggest and oldest producer of fireworks shows was one of the participating teams of the first edition of the Macau contest, in 1989, having participated afterwards in 1992, 1998 and 2004 editions. One of the surprises that Wan Dar has prepared for the spectators, is the music to be played together with the pyrotechnic choreography, from renowned Taiwan,China composer Huang Shih. “We even invited the composer Huang Shih to come to Macau to watch our exhibition. In future, we intend to convince him to compose music purposely for our fireworks shows. By coming to Macau this time, he will be able to inspire himself”, mentions Lee Gwo Shyong, Taiwan,China’s team leader. More than an award, the team participates in the well known Macau International Fireworks Display Contest “to gain experience and international exposure”, notes Lee Gwo Shyong, technical director of a company that has been painting the skies of Taiwan,China during big events for the last few decades and have been showing its talent around the world.
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“Wynn Macau – 18th Macau International Fireworks Display Contest” kicks off today (September 2) as the fireworks teams from Germany and Chinese Taiwan light up the sky of Macau with splendid fireworks. Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Chui Sai On, Director of Macau Government Tourist Office João Manuel Costa Antunes and Chairman of the Board and Chairman of Wynn International, Jack Binion officiated the opening ceremony at the Macau Tower Outdoor Plaza. Held on September 2, 9, 16, 23 and October 1 at the sea area across the Macau Tower, Wynn Macau – 18th Macau International Fireworks Display Contest has attracted ten teams from around the world to vie for the championship. The contest this year features ten teams from Germany, Chinese Taiwan, Korea, Thailand, Portugal, Australia, United States of America, Japan, France and China; each will show off their pyrotechnic wizardry to the spectators both from Macau and overseas. For the first time last year, a new feature was introduced to the Macau International Fireworks Display Contest, in which each participating team was requested to complement their display with music to enthrall the audience with a light and sound spectacular. Sound systems are installed at the waterfront of the Macau Tower Outdoor Plaza, at the Macau Tower Street seaside and at the square in front of Kun Iam Statue on Ave. Dr Sun Yat Sen so that the public can enjoy synchronized music to the spectacular displays. The teams taking part in this year’s contest are: NICO Lunig Event GmbH from Germany, Wan Dar Fireworks Mfg. Co., Ltd. from Taiwan, China, Hanwha Corporation from Korea, Pacific Pyro Co., Ltd. from Thailand, Pirotecnia Minhota, Lda, from Portugal, Foti International Fireworks Pty Ltd from Australia, Pyro Spectaculars by Souza from the United States of America, Takagi Fireworks Co., Ltd. from Japan, Brezac-Artifices from France and Liuyang City Hongji Fireworks Co., Ltd. from China. Each fireworks display will last for approximately 18 minutes, and there will be two displays per evening at 9 pm and 10 pm. To celebrate the event, MGTO and the General Union of Neighbors Association of Macau jointly present the Fireworks Carnival 2006 on the shorefront beside the Macau Tower, which will be held between 5:00 - 11:00 p.m. on each of the fireworks display nights, offering an array of live entertainment, cultural activities and culinary delights. This press release is available at:
http://www.macautourism.gov.mo/news/presslist.phtml?lan=en
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service shows that in the second quarter of 2006, the available amount of Electricity and Gasoline (unleaded) surged by 11.1% and 5.0% respectively, whereas Gas oil & diesel and Fuel oil fell 24.7% and 11.7% respectively year-on-year. Nevertheless, the available amount of Electricity and Gas oil & diesel rose markedly by 44.1% and 9.8% respectively over the first quarter of 2006, whilst Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and Fuel oil dropped by 14.8% and 3.4% respectively. In comparison with the second quarter of 2005, consumption of Electricity and LPG rose by 14.5% and 6.4% respectively, whereas Fuel oil and Gas oil & diesel dropped 9.1% and 4.3% respectively. Compared with the first quarter of 2006, consumption of Electricity and Gas oil & diesel rose by 49.9% and 27.3% respectively, whereas LPG and Fuel oil registered decreases of 14.2% and 2.7% respectively. With respect to the import quantity of fuels in the second quarter of 2006, Common kerosene (kerosene for illumination) grew 26.7% and Aviation kerosene was up 18.2% year-on-year, while Gas oil & diesel registered the most decrease of 28.4%. In comparison with the first quarter of 2006, import quantity of Gas oil & diesel and Common kerosene (kerosene for illumination) grew by 18.8% and 17.5% respectively, while LPG and Fuel oil shrank by 22.9% and 3.7%. In the second quarter of 2006, the total import value of liquid and gas fuels reached MOP841 million, up 15.6% year-on-year and 8.3% over the first quarter of 2006. At the end of the second quarter of 2006, the list prices of all fuels went up compared with the end of the second quarter of 2005, among which those of Fuel oil and Common kerosene (kerosene for illumination) rose markedly by 26.8% and 25.3% respectively. Compared with the end of the first quarter of 2006, the list prices of Fuel oil and Common kerosene (kerosene for illumination) rose 12.4% and 11.2% respectively.
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