News

The Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) was informed by the Consulate General of Japan in Hong Kong that, the holders of the Macao SAR Passport would be able to enter Japan without a visa. The stay will be of maximum 90 days. The above-mentioned arrangement will be effective from 25 March 2005. Presently, holders of valid Japanese Passport have been able to enter the Macao SAR without a visa for a stay of maximum 30 days. From 25 March 2005, the maximum stay will be changed to 90 days. There are now 63 countries and territories granting the visa-free/visa-on-arrival access to the holders of the Macao SAR passport, 50 are the countries with mutual visa exemption, 12 are territories with visa exemption and 1 is the country with visa-on-arrival.
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The Chief Executive of Macao SAR, Mr Edmund Ho, today congratulate Mr Tung Chee-hwa on his election to vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. Mr Ho said during Mr Tung’s tenure as Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR, he had carried many innovative tasks to ensure the successful implementation of “One Country Two System” in Hong Kong, which has been recognised by the Central Government and the international community. Mr Ho also said Mr Tung had contributed much to strengthening relations and co-operation between Hong Kong and Macao as well as Pan-Pearl River Delta Co-operation. He said that the governments and the people of the two SARs were promoting bilateral relations with a pragmatic approach. Mr Ho also Expected that the friendly relationship between Hong Kong and Macao would continue to consolidate and develop under the leadership of the Central Government, the direction of “One Country Two Systems” “Hong Kong People governing Hong Kong”, “Macao People governing Macao” policies.
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As part of the Co-operation Programme in the Legal Field between the European Union and Macao and beginning tomorrow Monday, March 17, at 18:30, in the Auditorium of the Public Administration Building (basement) is the Seminar on Electronic and Internet Crimes: Focus on Money Laundering. This training activity will take place until Friday, March 11, having as speakers two European experts: Marco Gercke, Lecturer at the University of Applied Sciences in Ansbach, Germany, and Expert for the Council of Europe in the field of International Criminal Law in Cyberspace, and Simon David Goddard, Team Leader of the Project MOLI-RU, the Project against Money Laundering in the Russian Federation, funded by the European Commission through the Council of Europe. Organized by the Legal and Judicial Training Centre, this seminar will be conducted in English and primarily targets holders of a law degree. Around seventy local participants have enrolled. Throughout the five days of this training activity five subjects will be fundamentally approached: “Introduction: The phenomenon of cybercrime”; “Criminal Procedural Law and international cooperation in the fight against cybercrime”; “Money Laundering: The problem and the international response; defining the risk, national impact, international standard setting”; “Money Laundering: The opportunities and threat of the internet; criminal advantages and impact on law enforcement of E-cash” and “Money Laundering: The strategies for prevention and control; effective anti-money laundering measures, national framework”. 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 fourth and last 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 organization 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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HONG KONG (24 February 2005): Director of Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO), Eng. João Manuel Costa Antunes and Deputy Director, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes led the MGTO delegation to welcome 140 representatives from Hong Kong travel trade and media partners at a Spring Luncheon held at the Renaissance Harbour View Hotel today. Eng. Costa Antunes expresses his gratitude towards the support of the participants throughout the year. Last year, the tourism industry of Macau recorded a significant growth, with over 16.67 million visitor arrivals to Macau, an increase of 40% over 2003. Hong Kong remains the second largest source market for Macau. Hong Kong residents’ arrival at 5,051,100 represents 9.26% growth over year 2003. With the opportunities presented by the growing Mainland tourism market and the Pan-Pearl River Delta Regional Cooperation, MGTO will continue to collaborate with the tourism authorities, travel trade and media entities of Guangdong and Hong Kong to promote tourism of the whole region. MGTO will make its best effort to develop Macau into a tourism and gaming, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) and leisure hub, in accordance with Macau SAR’s development direction. Meanwhile, a series of new tourism and entertainment facilities are ready or on their way to welcome visitors. In addition, MGTO is promoting a series of important events in 2005. Macau has the pride to host the 54th PATA Annual Conference from 17-21 April and the 4th East Asian Games from 29 October- 6 November. For the 52nd Macau Grand Prix to be held from 17th to 20th November, Macau’s prestigious Guia Race has been confirmed as the final round of the inaugural Federation Internationale de L’Automobile (FIA) World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) to be launched this year. The inclusion of the final round of the FIA WTCC in Macau Grand Prix’s race programme confirms Macau’s unique status on the international motorsport calendar. In terms of product development, MGTO will continue its efforts in enhancing the unique culture and heritage tourism of Macau. With the great support of the Central Government, Macau SAR has submitted application with 12 historical monuments for the World Heritage Listing of UNESCO. Outcome of the application is expected within this year. Besides, various tourism products such as health and beauty tours, sports and games tours and nature appreciation tours will be developed to promote Macau in some fresh perspectives, in order to attract different interest groups to Macau. While Macau is committed to providing visitors with quality service, MGTO is always prepared to seek collaborative efforts with the travel trade and the media to promote Macau tourism.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, said today Macao's current economic environment has provided many unprecedented and excellent business opportunities. The policies of the government had taken into account changing market forces and the degree of prosperity is associated with the endurance of the society, he said. Speaking at a spring reception hosted by a local chamber of commerce, Mr Ho said the trend for development had combined with planning and, meanwhile, regional co-operation and internal development had co-ordinated well. The four factors he outlined above formed a new keystone for Macao to achieve sustainable development, he said. Mr Ho said after years of restructuring and recovery, the economy of Macao had turned a new page last year, and was the beginning of a very promising period. ''We should prepare well to get ready for the upcoming challenges,'' he said. The opening of the market had intensified competition and stimulated innovation. Facing a new phase for development, Mr Ho said, the government would endeavour to continue to provide a friendly environment for businesses.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, today called on the public to support the renewal projects of the old districts in Macao. He asked the people to stand with the government, to put the public interests over the individuals' interest, and to help solve the conflicts associated with the projects. Speaking at a banquet, Mr Ho said the government would pick out several old districts and make their pilot projects for the redevelopment scheme. The government would carry out the redevelopment in accordance with the principles of raising the general living standard of the people and protecting the general interest of the public, he said.
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Commencing tomorrow, Thursday, February 24, at 5pm, in the Auditorium of the Institute for Tourism Studies, is the Workshop on the Registry and Notary Services and the Information Technique, included in the European Union-Macao Co-operation Programme in the Legal Field. Conducted by Mr. Vicente Monteiro, Director of the Real Estate Registry of Palmela, Portugal, who also held the post of Director of the Real Estate Registry of Macao, this training activity will take place during two days. Organised by the Legal Affairs Bureau, this workshop mainly targets directors of registries, public notaries, private notaries and public officers linked to the area of registries and notaries. The training activity has as its primary subject the computer science for the safety of real estate business, in particular the Macao Code and the computerisation of the real estate registry, the CSN (Computerisation Service of the Notary) and the interaction with the registries. The EU-Macao Co-operation Programme in the Legal Field, in which this workshop is incorporated, has as its overall objective the “Consolidation of the Macao Legal System” and is in the final phase of its third year, taking place until the beginning of 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 activities secured 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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Immigration authorities recorded a total of 1598242 crossing the five immigration checkpoints of the Macao SAR over the Chinese New Year holidays (08 February 2005 to 13 February 2005). Total number of arrivals stood at 812,516, with Border-gate 553,127
Lotus Bridge 21,531
Outer Harbor Ferry Terminal 206,122
Inner Harbor Wharf Nº14 7,584
Macao International Airport 24,152 Total of departures stood at 785,726, with Border-gate 570,286
Lotus Bridge 21,527
Outer Harbor Ferry Terminal 166,961
Inner Harbor Wharf Nº14 5,708
Macao International Airport 21,244. Meanwhile, total number of tourists entering Macao in that period stood at 461010, with a growth of +27.95% over the same period of last year.
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The Chief Executive, Edmund Ho Hau Wah, in his Lunar New Year message today, urged Macao citizens to grab the many opportunities available, created by the prospering economy, and improve their livelihood. Mr Ho told the people to upgrade themselves and work harder in the Year of the Rooster, in order to create a long-term prosperous society by capitalising on the recent favourable factors. He also suggested the people reinforce their foundations in term of material and spiritual. Mr Ho described 2004 as a fruitful year in the economic sense, and said he hoped that hosting the 4th East Asian Games in Macao this year would also provide a further boost to other industries.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, has appointed five members to the Macao Security Forces Disciplinary Committee. The appointments, gazetted yesterday, came into effect today. Legislative and Executive Council member, Mr Leonel Alberto Alves, was appointed Chairman of the committee. Other members are Legislative Council member Mr Cheong Wai Kei, Mr Wong Hin Fai, President of the Macao Union of Neighbourhood Association Mr Io Hong Meng, and President of the Women Association of Macao, Ms Chio Nan Ieng. The appointments are for a five-year term and could extended by executive order of the Chief Executive. The committee, whose establishment was gazetted on Monday, will advise on the handling of complaints against members of the Macao SAR security forces. Its advice will be submitted to the Secretary for Security and copied to the relevant departments. The relevant security forces are required to notify the committee within five days of all complaints filed against its members. The relevant departments are required to inform the committee of any disciplinary action or measures taken as a result of these complaints, within five days after a decision is made. However, the committee’s authority does not extend to complaints of a criminal nature, internal disciplinary issues of the security forces and matters concerning the relations between structures in the forces.
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