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(Macao – 20 May 2005) The Macao and Hong Kong governments have signed an agreement on the transfer of prisoners between the two Special Administrative Regions. The Secretary for Security, Mr Cheong Kuoc Va, and Hong Kong’s Secretary for Security, Mr Ambrose S K Lee, signed the agreement in Hong Kong today. Mr Cheong said that the agreement, the result of three years of negotiations between the two governments, would allow sentenced prisoners to spend the remainder of their jail terms in their places or origin, a practice widely adopted by many countries. It would enable repatriated prisoners to adapt to the living environment of their countries of origin. “This way prisoners can get support from their families and this will help in their rehabilitation and later integration into the community.” Mr Lee said this would also allow prisoners to live without language and culture barriers. At present 84 Hong Kong residents are imprisoned in Macao and five Macao residences are in Hong Kong jails.
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Included in the Co-operation Programme in the Legal Field between the European Union and Macao and starting tomorrow, May 24, at 18:30, in the auditorium of the Legal and Judicial Training Centre (Luso-International Bank Building, 18th floor) is a Seminar on Human Rights, the United Nations Conventions and Fundamental Rights. Professor André Nollkaemper, Director of the Amsterdam Center for International Law and Professor of Public International Law of the Faculty of Law at the University of Amsterdam, Holland, will address this training activity that will take place daily until next Friday, May 27. The approached subjects throughout these four days will be “The balance between the public interest and human rights”, “Justiciability of human rights”, “The domestic effect of human rights” and “International supervision of human rights”. The seminar is organised by the Legal and Judicial Training Centre and will be conducted in English. It will count with an enrolment of around 40 local participants, being these holders of a Law degree in their majority. 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 already in its last and fourth year, taking place until February 2006. 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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Information from Statistics and Census Service indicates that number of visitor arrivals totalled 1,493,692 in April 2005, which represented a year-on-year increase of 10.2%. Compared with April last year, visitors from Mainland China and Taiwan, China increased 13.8% and 19.1% respectively, whereas those from Hong Kong decreased 3.3%. Meanwhile, same-day visitors accounted for 52.5% of the total arrivals, at 784,030. The majority of visitors came from Mainland China (55.6% of the total), Hong Kong (29.4%) and Taiwan, China (8.8%). Among the visitors from Mainland China, 398,109 (47.9%) travelled to Macao under the Individual Visit Scheme. In the first four months of 2005, visitor arrivals totalled 5,950,714, up 16.5% over the same period of last year. Visitors from Mainland China increased 13.6% to 3,315,687, which accounted for 55.7% of the total; Hong Kong and Taiwan, China shared 30.2% and 8.2% of the total respectively. Furthermore, same-day visitors made up 52.6% of the total, at 3,131,960. Analyzed by mode of transport, visitor arrivals by sea went up 6.8% to 2,129,633 in the first four months of 2005, with 2,073,065 arriving at the Outer Harbour (+6.3%); the majority of these visitors were from Hong Kong (59.6%) and Mainland China (29.7%). Visitor arrivals at the Inner Harbour rose 28.6% to 56,568, of which 69.4% were from Mainland China. Meanwhile, arrivals by land increased 21.4% to 3,485,666, with 3,220,491 arriving through the Border Gate. The majority of these visitors came from Mainland China (76.7%) and Hong Kong (16.5%). Visitors arriving through the Checkpoint of CoTai were 265,175. In addition, arrivals by air were 335,415, up 38.4% compared with the same period of last year, with 331,649 arriving at the Macao International Airport (+39.6%). Visitors from Taiwan, China (69.4%) and Mainland China (15.6%) were the major users of this access.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service shows that Composite CPI for April 2005 was 96.67, down 0.19% compared with March 2005. Due to falling prices in fresh vegetables and air tickets, the indices of Foodstuff and beverages, and Transport and communications fell 1.15% and 0.14% respectively. On the other hand, as prices rose in Summer clothing and footwear, rent and interior decoration, the indices of Clothing and footwear, and Rent and housing expenses increased 0.68% and 0.61% respectively. Composite CPI in April 2005 registered a significant year-on-year increase of 3.22%. For the 12 months ended April 2005, the average Composite CPI rose 2.22% over the previous period. Average Composite CPI for January to April 2005 went up 3.22% over the same period of 2004. Compared with March 2005, CPI(A) and CPI(B) decreased 0.39% and 0.15% respectively. CPI(A) relates to 54% of households, which had an average monthly expenditure of MOP3,000 - MOP9,999. CPI(B) relates to 26% of households, which had an average monthly expenditure of MOP10,000 - MOP19,999.
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The Statistics and Census Service now presents the results of Employment Survey for the 1st quarter of 2005. Principal indicators such as the labour force participation rate, unemployment and underemployment rates were released in the brief report in April 2005. In the 1st quarter of 2005, the labour force was estimated at 240 000, of which 230 000 were employed, while 9 900 were unemployed. When compared with the 4th quarter of 2004, the employed population and unemployed population increased by 1 300 persons and 100 persons respectively. With regard to the total employed population, 52.5% of them were males. - Analysed by industry, the majority of workers were in Manufacturing (15.9%), Recreational & cultural activities, gaming & other services (15.8%), Wholesale & retail trade (15.4%), and Hotel, restaurants & similar activities (10.9%). - In terms of occupation, 20.5% of the employed population were Clerks, followed by Service & sales workers (20.0%), and Unskilled workers (16.4%). - The median actual hours worked per week was 47.7 hours and the median monthly employment earnings was MOP5 680. The unemployed searching for a new job accounted for 91.2% of the total unemployed population, while 8.8% are those who had never worked before and were searching for their first job. With regard to the educational attainment of the unemployed, 19.2% had not completed primary education; 33.4% completed primary education, 28.2% attained junior secondary, 11.7% with senior secondary and 7.5% with tertiary education. With regard to the unemployed searching for a new job: - Analysed by previous industry, the majority had worked in Manufacturing (22.3%), followed by Hotels, restaurants & similar activities (18.5%), Construction (17.1%) and Wholesale & retail trade (15.3%). - In terms of their previous occupation, 25.1% had worked as Unskilled workers, followed by Service & sales workers (22.8%) and Plant and machine operators and assemblers (16.5%).
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The Legislative Assembly Election Commission today issued its first election related guidelines, after holding its second meeting. According to the guidelines, the accounting period for the election campaign took effect on 2 May 2005, the day the executive order stipulating a cap on how much candidates groups could spend on their campaigns was gazetted. At the request of the Commission, three representatives from the Commission Against Corruption also attended today’s meeting. They reviewed several issues raised in the 2001 election and discussed issues that might arise in this election. The Chairman of the Legislative Assembly Election Commission, Judge Fong Man Chong, said the Commission would work closely with the Commission Against Corruption to ensure the election is fair, just and open. Meanwhile, the Legislative Assembly Election website was launched today (http://www.el2005.gov.mo), where information about the election will be posted. The public could also contact the Commission by telephone (321925), Fax (321332) or e-mail (info@el2005.gov.mo). Earlier this month the Chief Executive appointed the Commission to oversee the Legislative Assembly Election to be held in September, the second election after the establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah is scheduled to visit Beijing tomorrow to attend opening ceremony of FORTUNE Global Forum 2005. President Hu Jintao will deliver a keynote address at the gala opening. The three-day forum, with the theme of ''China and the New Asian Century'', will be attended by more than 800 CEOs of global businesses, heads of state, and leading think-tank members. It is the third time the Mainland is playing host to the Forum.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service shows that per-capita spending of visitors in the first quarter of 2005 dropped merely 0.5% over the same period of 2004 to MOP 1,490. Per-capita spending of visitors from Mainland China topped the list with MOP 2,816, while that of visitors from Hong Kong was MOP 933. Compared with the same period of 2004, per-capita spending of tourists grew 6% to MOP 2,035, while that of same-day visitors decreased 1% to MOP 533. In addition, per-capita non-shopping spending (excluding gaming expenses) of visitors rose 2% year-on-year to MOP 824, of which “food and beverage” (39%) accounted for the most, followed by “accommodation” (36%). Furthermore, per-capita shopping spending of visitors was MOP 666, a decrease of 3% over the same period of 2004. Spending on “Chinese pastry, candy and food” (25% of the total shopping spending) and “clothing and fabrics” (22%) took the lead. Per-diem spending of visitors was MOP 1,352 in the first quarter of 2005, up 3% over the same period of 2004. Mainland visitors had the highest spending, at MOP 2,150. Compared with the same quarter of 2004, the average length of stay of visitors (1.1 days), tourists (1.6 days) and same-day visitors (0.2 day) remained unchanged.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service shows that in the first quarter of 2005, construction of 14 buildings was started. They included residential, residential & other uses, industrial and buildings for other uses. The gross floor area was 80,901m², up 70.8% and down 65.6% in comparison with the first quarter and the fourth quarter of 2004 respectively. The total number of units was 652, up 346.6% and 129.6% over the first quarter and the fourth quarter of 2004 respectively. In the first quarter of 2005, 9 buildings were completed or extended. They included residential, residential & other uses, commercial, offices and buildings for others uses. The gross floor area was 82,574 m², up 101.7% and down 19.0% in comparison with the first quarter and the fourth quarter of 2004 respectively. The total number of units was 49, down 71.3% and 92.4% compared with the first quarter and the fourth quarter of 2004 respectively. According to the information supplied by the Finance Services Bureau, 8,350 units with a total value of MOP 5.52 billion were transacted in the first quarter of 2005. Among them, 4,882 were residential units, with a value of MOP 3.74 billion. Among all the building units transacted, 1,214 units were exempt from property tax (i.e. they were new buildings) with their value amounting to MOP 1.54 billion. In the first quarter of 2005, the average transaction price of residential units per square meter of usable area was MOP9,190, up 25.2% and 6.4% respectively over the first quarter (MOP7,343) and the fourth quarter of 2004 (MOP8,635). Meanwhile, the average transaction prices of residential units in the Macao Peninsula and Taipa were MOP7,911 and MOP11,949 per square meter respectively, higher than the levels recorded in the first quarter and the fourth quarter of 2004. Moreover, the average transaction price of residential units in Coloane was MOP12,146 per square meter, up from MOP7,648 of the first quarter of 2004 and from MOP11,128 of the fourth quarter of 2004. In terms of year of building completion, in the first quarter of 2005, the overall average transaction price per square meter in Macao was MOP16,108 for the residential units completed in “2000 and after”, up 34.1% and 3.5% compared with the first quarter of 2004 (MOP12,008) and the fourth quarter of 2004 (MOP15,566) respectively. For those completed “From 1990 to 1999”, the average price was MOP9,402, up 29.4% and 7.7% over the first quarter of 2004 (MOP7,267) and the fourth quarter of 2004 (MOP8,728) respectively. The average price for those completed in “1989 and before” was MOP5,282, up 22.9% over the first quarter of 2004 (MOP4,297) and 5.2% over the fourth quarter of 2004 (MOP5,022).
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The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, and his delegation continued on their four-day visit in Guangxi today with visits to infrastructure projects. In the morning, they arrived in Fangchenggang city and visited Dongxing port, a checkpoint between the Mainland and Vietnam. Accompanying the delegation were the Vice Chairman of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Mr Lei Jinzao, the Secretary of the CPC of the city, Mr Zhu Jun, and the Mayor, Ms Fan Xiaoli. They also visited a port and a company in Fangchenggang in the afternoon. In the evening, on behalf of the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) government, Mr Ho hosted a banquet in Nanning and thanked their hosts for the hospitality accorded to them on the visit. The Secretary of the CPC Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Regional Committee, Mr Cao Bochun, and the Chairman of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Mr Lu Bing, attended the banquet together with representatives of the relevant departments. The Secretary for Economy and Finance of the MSAR, Mr Francis Tam, said the visit would further enhance co-operation between Macao and Guangxi. He said he hoped businesses in Macao and the autonomous region would continue to strengthen bilateral co-operation. The delegation is scheduled to visit Liuzhou tomorrow.
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