News

The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Wah, today stressed that the MSAR Government had done much against money laundering in accordance with international practice. He said legislation had been drafted to stop people using Macao for their illegal activities and the draft would be submitted to the Legislative Assembly later in the year, when the legislative year re-opened after the election on 25 September. The SAR Government attached much importance to the healthy operation of both the financial and the gaming sectors, he said. Mr Ho pointed out that the MSAR had always acted in line with the Central Government’s directive that Macao followed internationally accepted practice, especially in developing and monitoring the gaming industry after liberalising the industry. When asked about the effect of the US Government’s allegation’s on a bank, Mr Ho said that it would be expected that Macao’s image would be affected in some way. But he was confident that Macao would rise from the incident and enhance itself. “It is a part of the process in a new economic development. I’m certainly not too worried that there will be any prolonged negative impact,” Mr Ho said.
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Immigration authorities recorded a total of 787,847 crossing the five immigration checkpoints of the Macao SAR over the holidays ( to ) Total number of arrivals stood at 390,470;
with Border-gate: 311,867;
Lotus Bridge: 1,639;
Outer Harbor Ferry Terminal: 66,085;
Inner Harbor Wharf Nº14: 2,764;
Macao International Airport: 8,115. Total of departures stood at 397,377;
with Border-gate: 321,255;
Lotus Bridge: 1,877;
Outer Harbor Ferry Terminal: 63,784;
Inner Harbor Wharf Nº14: 2,440;
Macao International Airport: 8,021. Meanwhile, total number of tourists arrival in that period stood at 155,309. Among those, tourist arrival in the day of the festival and the following day stood at 104,072
,with a growth of 32.10% over the same period of last year. (Mid-Autumn Festival festival and the following day in 2004 was Tuesday and Wednesday respectively).
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that in 2004, there were 130 travel agencies in operation, up by 8 establishments compared with 2003. Benefited with the further relaxation of the Individual Visit Scheme in Mainland China and the opening of new casinos, significant increases were recorded in the number of visitor arrivals and outbound travel of Macao residents, while business operation of the travel agencies in 2004 was comparatively better than 2003. For instance, sales and other receipts (MOP 1.863 billion), gross value added (MOP 145 million) and gross fixed capital formation (MOP 58.43 million) showed increases of 37.3%, 0.9% and 143.1% respectively. Total number of persons engaged in the industry was 1,413 as at the end of 2004, up 12.4% over the preceding year; among them 1,351 (95.6%) were paid employees. Expenditure of the travel agencies in 2004 amounted to MOP 1.823 billion, a remarkable growth of 40.1% over 2003. In terms of expenditure items, payment for the purchase of tickets, package tours and room reservation took a predominant share of 87.4% of the total, with MOP 1.593 billion; operating expenses and compensation of employees accounted for MOP 121 million and MOP 107 million, which increased by 39.4%, 75.6% and 20.2% compared with 2003 respectively.
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Statistics and Census Services released the results of Manpower Needs and Wages Survey for the second quarter of 2005, the survey coverage included Wholesale & Retail Trade and Transport, Storage & Communications (except Travel Agencies), but excludes all own-account workers in these two industries. Information on the number of employees, earnings and number of vacancies was extrapolated based on the results obtained from 795 statistical units successfully interviewed, as follows: At the end of the second quarter of 2005, a total of 18,906 paid employees were working in Wholesale & Retail Trade, within which 10,422 were in Retail Trade. Compared with the same period of 2004, number of paid employees in Wholesale & Retail Trade increased 10.1%. In June 2005, average earnings (excluding year-end bonuses, holiday allowances, profit-sharing bonuses and other similar bonuses) for full-time employees in Wholesale & Retail Trade was MOP 6,254, up by 7.6% over the same period of 2004. Transport, Storage & Communications took on 7,350 paid employees, within which 2,292 were working in Supporting and Auxiliary Transport Activities, 2,291 were in Post & Telecommunications and 1,434 were in Land Transport. Compared with the same period of 2004, number of paid employees in Transport, Storage & Communications increased 7.1%. In June 2005, the average monthly earnings for full-time employee in Transport, Storage & Communications was MOP 10,955, which increased by 4.7% compared with the same period of 2004. At the end of June 2005, Wholesale & Retail Trade reported to have 1,924 vacancies, of which 1,264 vacancies were in Retail Trade. In addition, Transport, Storage & Communications had 555 vacancies, of which 331 posts were in Land Transport. In terms of recruitment prerequisites, 55.6% of the vacant posts in Wholesale & Retail Trade required working experience, while 36.8% in Transport, Storage & Communications required the same. In Wholesale & Retail Trade, 60.8% of the vacant posts required junior secondary or lower in educational attainment, while 28.3% of the vacant posts in Transport, Storage & Communications opted toward senior secondary or higher education. Besides Cantonese, Mandarin was more preferred in Wholesale & Retail Trade, at 50.8%; however, no particular language requirement was needed in Transport, Storage & Communications (31.6%).
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Beginning tomorrow, September 20, at 6:30 pm, in the Legal and Judicial Training Centre (Luso-International Bank Building, 10th floor) is a Seminar on “Current Problems of European Media Law”. As part of the Co-operation Programme in the Legal Field between the European Union and Macao, this training course will have as speakers Udo Fink, Director of the School of German Law and the School of Polish Law at the Uniwersytet Jagiellonski Krakau, in Cracow, Poland, and Professor at Johannes Gutenberg University, in Mainz, Germany, and Dieter Dörr, Director of Mainz Media Institute and Professor at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany. This seminar will take place until Friday, September 23, between 6:30 and 8:30 pm, daily. Throughout the four days the approached subjects are “Free Flow of Information in Europe”, “Media Control in European Member States”, “European Law of Subsidies and Financing of Broadcasting in European Member States” and “Broadcasting Quotas through European Guidelines”. The seminar is organised by the Legal and Judicial Training Centre and particularly targets legal advisers, journalists and other professionals of the media. It will be conducted in English. The Co-operation Programme in the Legal Field between the European Union and Macao, which incorporates this seminar, has as its main objective the “Consolidation of the Macao Legal System” and is currently in its fourth year. The total budget for the programme is of 1.980.000 euros, shared in equal parts by the European Union and Macao. The co-ordination of the Co-operation Programme is at the responsibility of the International Law Office, being the organisation of the pertaining actions ensured by several other entities of the MSAR’s Government, namely the Legal and Judicial Training Centre, the Legal Affairs Bureau, the Economic Services and the Institute of European Studies, other than the International Law Office itself.
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Owing to the abnormal circumstances in relation to the withdrawal of customer deposits of Banco Delta Asia, S.A.R.L. in the past two days, and for the purpose of safeguarding the financial stability in the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR), ensuring regular operations and consolidating public confidence on the financial system, as well as protecting the interests of the customers and the creditors of Banco Delta Asia, S.A.R.L., the Chief Executive of the MSAR Government, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the prevailing Financial System Act, hereby appoints the following delegates to participate in the administration of Banco Delta Asia, S.A.R.L.: - -- Mr. Herculano Jorge Sousa of Banco Nacional Ultramarino, S.A. -- Mr. Lei Chin Cheng of the Monetary Authority of Macao The appointment is with immediate effect.
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Today, there have been unusual withdrawals of deposits from certain branches of Banco Delta Asia. It has had the close attention of the Monetary Authority of Macao (AMCM) who has also indicated its concern. All along, the AMCM has been applying rigorous and prudent measures in regulating banks which are permitted to operate in Macao and Banco Delta Asia is of no exception. At present, the banking sector as a whole in Macao is operating in a stable and healthy manner. Bank assets are of fine quality and quantity, non-performing loan ratio is at all time low, capital is adequate, profitability is on the rise. At the same time, the loan-to-deposit ratio is very low while liquidity is abundant. The recent incident has nothing to do with the financial status of Banco Delta Asia. According to contemporary international supervisory standard for banking business, Banco Delta Asia has sound financial condition, its business is operating normally. To maintain the stability of the financial system in the MSAR, the Government as usual supports all banks, including Banco Delta Asia, who have been licensed to operate in Macao under the rigorous supervision of the AMCM, to run their business in accordance with the regulations, maintain fine and efficient operation in order to provide our citizens with excellent financial services in terms of both quantity and quality. We want to take this opportunity to call upon the depositors and citizens to keep calm, do not easily listen to ungrounded rumours, have faith and confidence in the financial system of Macao, and continue to support the long-term stability and prosperity of the financial industry of Macao.
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The Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) Government is highly concerned in regards the accusation by the U.S. Government about Banco Delta Asia, Macao, and regrets the comments of the officials of the U.S. Government on the anti-money laundering measures taken by the MSAR Government. The SAR Government, under the leadership of the Central Government, has strictly observed the Resolutions of the United Nations in relation to anti-terrorism and has dedicated efforts to deter and suppress illegal financial activities. The Monetary Authority of Macao (AMCM) of the MSAR exercises its supervision on all authorized financial institutions under a stringent regulatory framework, while the prevention of money laundering is one of its unwavering missions. Drawing on international experience and techniques on anti-money laundering, the AMCM established guidelines to combat money laundering in accordance with the Forty Recommendations for anti-money laundering (AML) and the Nine Special Recommendations for combating the financing of terrorism (CFT) issued by the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF). Being an active member of the Asian Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG), the AMCM has been keeping close dialogues with the Group. As the drafting for AML and CFT laws initiated by the MSAR Government is in serious progress, comments have been received from the APG through relevant government agencies. The draft bills are expected to be finalized and put through the legislative process in the near future. The AMCM has already set up a special team to conduct investigation in regards the circumstances of Banco Delta Asia.
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The Civil Aviation Authority of Macao Special Administrative Region (AACM) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel met in Macao for a two-day meeting from 14 to 15 September 2005 to discuss bilateral Air Services Agreement between the two places. The discussions were held in a friendly and cordial atmosphere and generated satisfactory results. On 15 September, the two parties initialed the Air Services Agreement and signed the respective Memorandum of Understanding. According to the Agreement, the two parties exchange fifth freedom rights. In addition, as requested by the Israeli side, capacity for the designated airlines of both sides may increase progressively according to market demands. The signatories were the Acting President of AACM, Mr. Chan Weng Hong, and the Senior Deputy Director General, Civil Aviation Authority of Israel, Mr. Arik Ben-Ari. In addition to civil aviation officials, the Israeli delegation also included representatives from the Ministry of Transport, the Consulate General of Israel in Hong Kong and Macao and El Al Israel Airlines. Representatives of CAM-Macau International Airport Company and Air Macau also attended the meeting as observers. The Agreement established the framework for the scheduled air services between both sides and enhanced the relationship between Macao and Israel. Macao has initialed 43 Air Services Agreements with other foreign countries including this present one. Out of these Agreements, 35 have been officially signed. For enquiries, please feel free to contact Ms. Euphemia Lam of Public Relations at tel. 7964 106 or 6690015.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicates that in July 2005, visitor arrivals in package tours totalled 243,233, up 2.2% over July 2004. Visitors from Mainland China (193,974) decreased 3.9% year-on-year; visitors from Taiwan, China (22,371) increased 19.5% and those from Hong Kong (11,524) jumped 71.7%. In the first seven months of 2005, visitor arrivals in package tours grew 6.1% over the same period of 2004 to 1,480,333. Number of Macao residents travelling in package tours totalled 32,303 in July 2005, a year-on-year increase of 37.1%. Mainland China, Thailand and Taiwan, China were the three more popular tour itineraries, which accounted for 81.3%, 4.8% and 3.5% of the total respectively. In the first seven months of 2005, Macao residents travelling in package tours surged 48.4% compared with the same period of 2004. Meanwhile, 34,468 Macao residents travelled under own arrangements with the assistance of travel agencies, an increase of 24.0% over July 2004; Mainland China (35.0%), Hong Kong (29.9%) and Taiwan, China (14.4%) were the major destinations. In the first seven months of 2005, Macao residents travelling under such arrangements increased 3.5% compared with the same period of 2004. At the end of July 2005, there were 10,562 rooms available in hotels and similar establishments, an increase of 1,187 rooms (+12.7%) over July 2004. In July 2005, a total of 379,479 guests checked into hotels and similar establishments in Macao, up 0.9% over July 2004. The average hotel occupancy rate fell 8.0 percentage points to 74.0% compared with the same month of 2004. The highest occupancy rate was in 3-star hotels, at 85.4%. The average length of stay of hotel guests remained the same as in July 2004, with 1.16 nights. The majority of the guests came from Mainland China (56.6%), Hong Kong (29.5%) and Taiwan, China (3.6%). In the first seven months of 2005, number of hotel guests showed a year-on-year increase of 1.5% to 2,284,406. In the first seven months of 2005, hotel guests (excluding Macao residents) accounted for 42.7% of the total number of tourists, which was lower than the 46.4% recorded in the same period of 2004.
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