News

The Government, as always, adheres to Macao’s laws and regulations when handling issues concerning land concessions. In particular, land concessions relating to Area C and Area D in the Nam Van district are being handled in line with the Urban Planning Law, which has been in place since 1 March 2014. In relation to the use of land parcels in Area C and Area D at Nam Van, Order No. 69/2001 of the Secretary for Transport and Public Works states the concession for a plot identified as C7 is to expire by 21 August 2026. Other plots in the area – namely C2, C15, C16, D3 and D4 – are publicly-controlled sites; C2 is for a temporary office of the Court of First Instance. The Government is analysing options for the use of the other four land parcels that are publicly controlled. The Government notes that the company responsible for the construction of the temporary office of the Court of First Instance took the initiative to request – from the respective owners – the use of land plots near to the C2 plot in order to store construction material and equipment. The Government points out it was not involved in that process.
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The CCAC has recently uncovered a case where a chief and a former chief of the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (IACM), for a long period of time, covered up for two subordinates who were late to work and left early from the workplace. Given that these facts constituted a crime of abuse of power under the Penal Code, the case has been referred to the Public Prosecutions Office. According to the investigation, two public servants of the IACM frequently came in late to work and left early between 2011 and 2014. Such tardiness and early departures should be considered unjustified absences under the Staff Regulations of the IACM and the internal attendance policy. However, despite that the said two chiefs of the IACM had come to know from different sources the acts of the two subordinates, they wilfully did not, for almost four years, fulfil their duties and obligations as chief – neither did they take any measures to stop the acts of indiscipline of their subordinates, nor did they inform the superior about the problems. Instead, they continuously allowed their subordinates to be tardy to work and leave early as they pleased. In the course of CCAC’s investigation, one of the two chiefs involved, with the intention to conceal the illegal act of covering up for the subordinates for a long time, accepted several dozen absence records without proper evidence or explanation as justified, albeit with the knowledge that such act would go against the legal procedures. According to the relevant provisions of the public servant ordinance, unjustified absences, besides the disciplinary consequences they may carry, shall always determine forfeiture of remuneration corresponding to the days of absence. Over a period of four years the two public servants of the IACM were found to have over 600 unjustified absences in total. Due to the concealment of their acts by the two chiefs, the IACM improperly paid them the full remuneration, which resulted in a direct loss of some MOP550,000 to the SAR Government.
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Macao’s wet markets will resume retail sales of live poultry tomorrow (7 July), after it was confirmed that poultry imported today was disease-free. The batch of live birds – including a total of 7,500 chickens and 1,920 pigeons – was imported from Zhuhai Prefecture, and is the first such import since a ban in Macao on sales of live poultry was introduced on 22 June. To safeguard public health, the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau has increased its checks, in order to monitor a larger number of the poultry animals that are imported to Macao and are stored in the city’s wholesale market prior to sale in neighbourhood wet markets. All Macao wet market stalls that usually sell live poultry have undergone thorough cleaning and sterilisation since the ban on sales of live birds was imposed on 22 June. Under current policy, all stalls in wet markets must be cleaned after every business day, and via a large-scale sterilisation every two weeks. Additionally, the wholesale market is cleaned thoroughly every two weeks. On 22 June the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau found an environmental sample from a live poultry stall at the Iao Hon Market that tested positive for avian influenza virus; an H7 subtype. A public health contingency response was immediately put into effect: measures taken included a ban on sales of live poultry in markets, and a cull of 9,000 birds at Macao’s wholesale market.
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The University of Macau (UM) Parking Management Rules, published in the Macao SAR Government Official Gazette today (6 July), in the second series of the 27th issue, will take effect tomorrow (7 July). In accordance with the rules, UM on 17 July will begin to charge a fee for parking in any car park on its campus. Non-UM members whose vehicles are currently parked inside UM’s car parks must vacate the car parks before 17 July. External users’ cars that fail to vacate the car parks before the aforementioned date shall be dealt with in accordance with law. UM’s campus, including some of the facilities, has been open to the public since the university’s relocation in 2014. The Parking Management Rules aim to improve the management of the facilities, to ensure the safety of all users, and to provide convenience to all faculty members, students, and visitors. To cover the cost of managing car parks, including the cost of hiring security guards and maintaining facilities, UM has decided to charge a fee for parking in any car park on campus according to the ‘user-pays’ principle. As a government-funded public university, UM is committed to fulfilling its social responsibility and ensuring proper use of public resources. Therefore, in determining the hourly parking rate, UM has taken into account various factors, such as the market price, the demand for parking spaces, and users’ affordability. UM will start charging parking fees on 17 July at midnight according to its Parking Management Rules. In principle, the hourly rate will be roughly the same as that of all public car parks in Macao. Vehicles can be parked in UM car parks for a maximum of eight days at a time. Violators’ vehicles will be impounded by the Public Security Police Force and violators shall be liable for all the expenses incurred, including the parking fee. Parking fees will be waived for all UM staff members and students during a transitional period, which will last until 1 Jan 2017, when improvement of the relevant facilities is completed. All university staff members, students, and holders of a valid campus card will be eligible to purchase a monthly parking permit and enjoy a 50 per cent discount on hourly parking. For enquiries about the Parking Management Rules, please contact the Security and Transport Section at 8822 8651.
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The Macao Museum of Art (MAM), under the Cultural Affairs Bureau, is launching a series of contemporary sculpture exhibitions titled “A Sculpture” this year, aiming to promote the art development of contemporary sculpture in Macao. This exhibition presents the sculpture “Connection with Water” by artist Yang Xiaohua. The vernissage was held today, 5 July, at 6:30pm, in front of the MAM, taking in the lively atmosphere. Born in Guangzhou in 1959, Yang Xiaohua taught at the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts upon graduating from a Bachelor’s programme at the Department of Sculpture in 1992. He studied at the International Art Centre in Paris in 2000, and received the Overseas Studies Scholarship offered by the Ministry of Education to study in Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia in August 2005, where he earned a Master’s degree in Russian Arts in 2007. A sequel to the artist’s “Water Series”, the sculpture “Connection with Water” is composed by three water droplets of different sizes and water ripples. The three droplets in the upper part of the structure represent Macao, Zhuhai and Hong Kong, while its ripple-shaped foundation alludes to the fact that the Pearl River connects Macao, Zhuhai and Hong Kong. The work is superbly finished with stainless steel, with its surface polished, implying the burgeoning prosperity of the three places following the completion of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. The sculpture exhibition “Connection with Water - Yang Xiaohua” will be held from 6 July 2016 to 8 January 2017, in front of the MAM. All are welcome. The Macao Museum of Art is located in NAPE, Avenida Xian Xing Hai, and is opened from 10am to 7pm (no admittance after 6:30pm; closed on Mondays). Admission fee is MOP5.00 and is free on Sundays and public holidays.
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The Government has established a commission to coordinate management and development of the maritime area that is under administration of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR). The Commission for the Coordination in the Management and Development of the Maritime Area aims to use a scientific approach – in accordance with relevant laws – in spearheading development of the 85 square kilometres of waters demarcated by the State Council. The Commission is under the supervision of the Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On. The Government pays great attention to the management of the maritime area. The Government is also drafting a framework law on maritime management, in order to strengthen administration of those waters. The Government will gradually enhance Macao’s relevant regulatory framework, in order to: fulfil the need of maritime management on the mainland; satisfy Macao’s future developments; and facilitate the sustainable socio-economic development of the Pearl River Delta region. Last year, the Government issued three administrative regulations in support of the administration of the maritime boundary. They are: a regulation specifying immigration clearance procedures for crew members of vessels; a regulation on marine dumping of waste; and amendments to the articles of the Marine and Water Bureau. The Government also signed with the mainland authorities three cooperation agreements aimed at strengthening management of those waters. Development of the waters administered by the Macao SAR would accommodate the progress of: the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (known as the “Belt and Road” Initiative); the administrative goals of transforming Macao into a world centre of tourism and leisure and a commercial and trade cooperation service platform between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries (collectively known as “Centre and Platform” policies); the diversification on the city’s economy; and sustainability of regional cooperation. The State Council has approved a new administrative division map for the Macao SAR. According to the map, 85 square kilometres of waters surrounding Macao, and an area of land where the Border Gate with Zhuhai is located, will be placed under Macao’s management. That administrative arrangement was announced in Decree No. 665 of the State Council on 20 December 2015.
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For the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12 June, Consumer Council collects prices of fresh pork and vegetables from wet markets and supermarkets for consumers’ reference. The mentioned data collected during 29 June to 25 July are used for comparing the selling prices of the same products from Zhuhai and Hong Kong. The relevant data has been uploaded to the Council’s website for consumers’ reference. The specific price surveys on fresh pork and vegetables are now available on the Council’s website (www.consumer.gov.mo), iPhone & Android ‘Supermarket Price Information Platform’ app, and the Council’s WeChat Account page. The relevant surveys include selling prices of local fresh pork and vegetables, and comparison on the respective selling prices rom Zhuhai, HK, and Macao. For enquiry, please call 8988 9315.
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According to statistics released today by the Monetary Authority of Macao, money supply rebounded in May. As total loans increased whereas total deposits decreased, the overall loan-to-deposit ratio of the banking sector rose from a month earlier. Money supply Currency in circulation and demand deposits grew 0.1% and 2.1% respectively. M1 thus increased 1.7% from one month earlier. Concurrently, quasi-monetary liabilities rose 0.2%. The sum of these two items, i.e. M2, increased 0.4% to MOP465.3 billion. On an annual basis, M1 and M2 dropped 2.8% and 5.7% respectively. The share of Pataca (MOP) in M2 stood at 30.6%, down 0.1 percentage point month-to-month but up 3.8 percentage points year-on-year. The share of Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) in M2 was 51.4%, up 0.2 percentage points month-to-month or 0.5 percentage points year-on-year. The share of Chinese Yuan (CNY) was 6.2%, up 0.1 percentage point month-to-month but down 5.2 percentage points year-on-year. The share of United States Dollar (USD) was 9.4%, down 0.2 percentage points month-to-month but up 0.6 percentage points year-on-year. Deposits Resident deposits increased 0.4% from the preceding month to MOP452.6 billion. Of which, MOP deposits remained virtually stable whereas USD deposits decreased 1.2%. Meanwhile, HKD, CNY and other foreign currency deposits increased at respective rates of 0.7%, 1.2% and 1.8%. Non-resident deposits dropped 1.9% to MOP283.8 billion. Public sector deposits with the banking sector increased 1.4% to MOP152.9 billion. As a result, total deposits with the banking sector dropped 0.2% from a month earlier to MOP889.3 billion. The shares of MOP, HKD, CNY and USD in total deposits were 20.6%, 48.4%, 8.1% and 19.8% respectively. Loans Domestic loans to the private sector increased 0.6% from a month ago to MOP397.9 billion. Among which, MOP114.6 billion was MOP-denominated, MOP259.4 billion was denominated in HKD, MOP2.4 billion was denominated in CNY and MOP18.5 billion was denominated in USD, representing 28.8%, 65.2%, 0.6% and 4.6% of the total respectively. On the other hand, external loans grew 0.2% to MOP367.8 billion; of which, loans denominated in MOP, HKD, CNY and USD accounted for 1.8% (MOP6.7 billion), 27.2% (MOP100.0 billion), 15.3% (MOP56.3 billion) and 48.8% (MOP179.4 billion) respectively. Operating ratios At end-May, the loan-to-deposit ratio for the resident sector kept virtually stable from the previous month at 65.7%. The ratio for both the resident and non-resident sectors rose 0.5 percentage points to 86.1%. The one-month and three-month current assets to liabilities ratios stayed at relatively high levels of 55.9% and 55.8% respectively. The non-performing loan ratio, an indicator for bank asset quality, was 0.1%, virtually unchanged from one month earlier and one year ago.
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The Government strongly disagrees with the analysis on Macao contained in the “2016 Trafficking in Persons Report” by the Department of State in the United States, said today the Secretary for Security, Mr Wong Sio Chak. The report contained serious misunderstandings and based on misinterpretation of the figures with regard to the situation in Macao. Findings in the report were not based on fact, involved groundless speculation and failed to provide appropriate verification, he told reporters. The Government had done a large amount of work over the years in order to prevent human trafficking in Macao. The Committee on Measures to Deter Human Trafficking had made significant efforts to coordinate Macao’s security resources in order to prevent such crimes in Macao. Such efforts had produced positive results. He noted that an investigation – concerning the only case in 2014 relating to human trafficking – was ended due to insufficient evidence. Police also ended investigation of two of the three cases in 2015 for the same reason. The other case from 2015 was still under investigation. Regarding the “recommendations” for Macao mentioned in the report, Mr Wong said the Government had initiated – without any prior suggestion from any third party – optimisation in policies against human trafficking. Such efforts had been followed up and discussed in monthly meetings of the Committee on Measures to Deter Human Trafficking. The Secretary said prostitution, controlled prostitution, and trafficking in persons were three distinct issues. Prostitution occurred around the world, not just in Macao, he added.
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Macao’s casino gross gaming revenue in June amounted to 15.88 billion patacas, representing an 8.5 percent year-on-year decrease. In the first half of 2016, gaming revenue totalled 107.79 billion patacas, an 11.4 percent fall from the corresponding period in 2015. The latest figures are in line with the Government’s expectation for the gaming industry’s performance in 2016. The Government forecasts casino gross gaming revenue in 2016 would be around 200 billion patacas, with a monthly average of about 16.6 billion patacas. Casino gross gaming revenue in the first six months of 2016 represented 53.9 percent of what the Government forecast for the whole year, and amounted to a monthly average of approximately 17.97 billion patacas. The Government expected – based on conditions in the international and regional economy – that the year-on-year decline would narrow, despite gaming revenue growth in the second half of 2016 would remain in negative territory. Government efforts in promoting diversification in the city’s gaming industry have showed effectiveness. In the first half of 2016, revenue from casinos’ mass-market segment contributed 53.1 percent of overall gaming revenue, an increase of 10 percentage points compared to the first six months of 2015. In the first half of 2016, VIP revenue recorded a 17.3 percent decline, while revenue from mass-market operations fell 3.6 percent judged year-on-year. The Government noted that two more resorts are likely to open in the second half of this year. It believes the two new projects will help enhance the city’s attractiveness to tourists, and bring more of them to the city. The Government will pay even closer attention than previously to any possible negative impacts for the city’s economy and employment opportunities arising from the adjustment period of Macao’s gaming industry. The Government will provide more in-job training to local employees in order to help them improve their upward mobility in career terms, and their horizontal mobility within their chosen jobs. The Government will allocate more resources to help stimulate the development of non-gaming elements in the city’s tourism sector. This is part of the effort to coordinate the transformation of Macao as a world centre of tourism and leisure; and to propel a sustainable and healthy development of the city’s gaming industry.
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