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Director of Macau Government Tourist Office, João Manuel Costa Antunes led a delegation of over 30 members to visit Sydney, Australia from October 16 to 20, met and exchanged ideas with their tourism officials and inspected the famous or recently-built tourism facilities, including historic monuments which have been transformed into tourism attractions, so as to absorb related experiences and ideas before kicking off a series of promotional activities in Sydney.
The delegation comprises over 30 members including Advisor of the Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Maria Madalena Leong, 24 members and Secretary General of Tourism Development Committee, Wong Mei Cheng, MGTO Head of Destination Marketing Department, Betty Fok and Head of Organizational Planning and Development Department, Cheng Wai Tong. On October 16, MGTO Director Antunes met with the press representatives from Sydney to introduce about the visit's mission and activities to be held. During their stay, the delegation met with New South Wales (NSW) Minister for Tourism and Major Events, George Souris, Acting Director of Industry Partnership and Government Policy of Destination NSW, Simonne Shepherd, Chairman of NSW Tourism Industry Council, Ken Corbett, Manager of Water Strategy of Sydney Town Hall, Bhakti Devi, Managing Director of Tourism Australia, Andrew McEvoy etc. and exchanged the latest tourism development of Australia and Macau. The delegation also visited and inspected various renowned tourism facilities and attractions in Sydney including the latest major project of the New South Wales Government – Barangaroo waterfront. Other attractions include Darling Harbour, Queen Victoria Building and Strand Arcade. Barangaroo waterfront is Australia's significant project and is Sydney's newest development site which is part of a 2020 master plan prepared and forwarded by the NSW Government. Known as the future of Sydney, Barangaroo will manifest an extraordinary vision of Sydney and become its newest landmark. Queen Victoria Building has over a century's history and is renovated into a tourism and leisure facility. Through exchange and inspection during the visit, the delegation learned about the conceptions and effects of these projects, which will help to inspire new ideas and creativity when Macau further develops its tourism facilities and products in future.
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The century-old Government Headquarters will once again be opened to the public over the weekend (Saturday and Sunday 20-21 October) from 9 am to 6 pm. Members of the public may make use of this opportunity to admire the Southern European style structures. During the open days, a series of performances will be provided for the visitors, including music and shows by the Public Security Police Band, students from School of Music and School of Dance of the Macao Conservatory.
The Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (IACM) will also host an exhibition of more than 3,000 types of orchids, showcasing the beauty of the renowned floral species. Large-scale floral works will also be displayed at the main entrance, exit, garden and hallways of Government Headquarters to depict the charm of orchids and the art of bonsai; flowers in bloom will be everywhere to fill the environment with fresh scents. Guided tour to the first floor of the Government Headquarters and a photo exhibition of old Macao will be staged in the multi-purpose conference room.
To commemorate this special occasion, Macao Post will set up a special counter at the Nam Van Lake to provide hand-back service and issue a set of commemorative envelope and postcard. Special traffic arrangements will be introduced on Travessa do Paiva during the open days and drivers are advised to follow the directions given by police officers. 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. After its construction, it was bought by the Portuguese-Macao government and used as the official residence and offices for the Portuguese governors who had served in Macao. 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 conference room for the Executive Council, the Lotus Room, a multi-purpose conference room and a press room, 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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To make the best use of Macao's strength as a business service platform as well as fostering trade and economic communication and co-operation between the EU's and Macao's creative industries, plus boosting the new developments in the industry. Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute will be co-organising the Seminar on EU-Macao Business Opportunities with various local and overseas EU-related organisations during the 17th MIF. The Seminar on EU-Macao Business Opportunities is jointly organised by Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM), Institute of European Studies of Macau (IEEM), European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong (ECCHK) and the European Union Business Information Programme in Hong Kong and Macao (EUBIP). The Seminar will be held from 2:30-4:30pm on 19 October 2012 (Friday), in the Sicily Room at the Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel. The theme of the Seminar is Unlocking Cultural and Creative Industries' Potential – In Culture, Business, Innovation, major topics for discussion include: development potential of cultural and creative industries in EU countries and Macao, exploring the prospects of cultural and creative industry collaboration between the EU, Macao and neighbouring regions as well as emerging business opportunities. Presentation speeches, panel discussion and Q&A session will be conducted to promote constructive interaction between panellists and participants. Experts and representatives from local and overseas organisations, enterprises in creative industry have been invited to give presentations on topics including EU-Macao trade and economic communication and co-operation, experience in cultural and creative businesses. Ms. Echo Chan, IPIM's Executive Director, Mr. Jens-Erik Olsen, Vice-Chairman of ECCHK will give the opening speeches. Moderator of the Seminar is Mr. José Luís de Sales Marques, President of IEEM, speakers include Mr. Philippe Kern, Founder and Managing Director of KEA European Affairs; expert to the European Commission, European Parliament and Council of Europe, Mr. Tavs Jensen Vagnby, Founder and owner of International Design House, Ms. Marielle Lagers, Director of Dutch Design Desk South China, Mr. Jorge Cerveira Pinto, National Co-ordinator of National Programme "Criatividade Portugal", Mr. Silvestre Mota, Director of INOVA Agency and Ms. Sofia Bobone, Product designer in Macao, business partner of Macau Banner Bag. All local and overseas entrepreneurs are welcome to join the Seminar. Simultaneous translation services are available in Cantonese, Putonghua and English. For further enquiries and registration, please contact Ms. Kuan of IPIM's Research and Information Division on 8798 9127, Fax: 2859 0309 or email: ipimpcom@ipim.gov.mo.
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Consumer Council released its latest specific price survey on seasonings. Survey result indicated that the difference in price of the 13 surveyed products ranged from 15% to maximum 68%. Consumers are advised to check with the survey data in comparison of the price range of the same brand of seasonings. Consumer Council collected 13 brands of seasonings from 20 retail outlets on 11th October. Survey result showed that price difference of the same brand of seasonings in different retail spots ranged from 15.4% to 68.4% respectively. An obvious difference in price was "Kimlan Light Soy Sauce (590ml)", which was sold at $9.8 (the lowest price) to $16.5 (the highest price). While, the price difference of "Tai Yang Hua Brand Table Salt (1lb)" in different retail spots reached to 60%. Survey result also revealed that prices of some surveyed products in branches under the same supermarket chain ranged from minimal to 10%. Particularly, selling price of "Amoy Premium Oyster Sauce (555g)" sold at San Miu Supermarket Taipa Flower City branch was different from that sold at Pou Seng branch, with percentage difference of almost 13%. Consumers are advised to check with the survey data to make practical consumption. The specific price survey on seasonings is now available on the Consumer Council's website (www.consumer.gov.mo) and in the Council's 'Supermarket Price Information Platform' iPhone and Android apps. For inquiry, please call 8988 9315.
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Please read attachment!
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The University of Macau (UM) has been closely following the Sin Fong Garden incident that occurred earlier. UM has been providing technical and academic support to the SAR government in monitoring and problem identification. In the meantime UM has also adopted a series of emergency measures on campus to help students and staff affected by the incident. After the occurrence of the incident, UM's Centre for Engineering Research and Testing (CERT) was commissioned by the relevant government authorities to monitor the structure of the building, with technical support of UM's Faculty of Science and Technology (FST). In order to understand the behaviour of the structural members of the building and to provide updated monitoring data to the SAR government, after strengthening of the damaged column, several instruments have been installed on those temporary facilities and the adjacent columns through the real-time monitoring system to collect the data. In the meantime UM launched a series of emergency measures to help a dozen or so affected students and staff, including (1) providing free off-campus accommodation to affected students, and (2) providing psychological counselling to affected staff and students, and providing necessary assistance to students whose academic performance might be affected by the incident. UM will continue to closely follow the development of the incident, and will continue to fulfil its social responsibility and provide all necessary technical and academic support to the government. It will also exert its best effort to follow up on staff and students affected by the incident.
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Recently, the China Criminal Law Society held an award ceremony in Zhengzhou for winners of the National Excellent PhD Thesis of Criminal Law Award as well as their supervisors. Mr. Jiao Yanpeng, University of Macau's (UM) first doctor of law, who is currently an associate professor of the Kenneth Wang School of Law, Soochow University, won the prize for his PhD thesis entitled, "A Study on Basic Theory of Ecological Legal Interest in Criminal Law". Dr. Jiao's supervisor is Prof. Zhao Guoqiang from UM's Faculty of Law. The National Excellent PhD Thesis of Criminal Law Award, sponsored by the Gao Mingxuan Criminal Law Foundation and organized by the China Criminal Law Society, is a national award to reward outstanding theses in law. The committee consists of eleven well-known scholars in the field, which ensures the prize is representative and authoritative. All candidate papers undergo an initial evaluation and a second review. This year only eighteen papers from thirteen institutes received this prize. Dr. Jiao passed his thesis defense with excellence in February 2011 and graduated in March, becoming UM's first doctor of law since the university launched the PhD programme in law. Now Dr. Jiao is an associate professor and master's supervisor at Soochow University, as well as the director of the university's legal specialists training and research centre. His PhD thesis, "A Study on Basic Theory of Ecological Legal Interest in Criminal Law", is considered by the China Criminal Law Society to be pioneering, groundbreaking and innovative. The China Environmental Law Society rates the thesis as "a major innovation in basic theoretical research in environmental law".
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Macao' aviation security oversight work was audited by International Civil Aviation Organization in 2010 and satisfactory results were achieved. The government bodies responsible for aviation security and the airport operators have always been endeavoring their best efforts in enhancing the level of security in Macau International Airport. Regular exercises are carried out to test and assess the capacity of the Airport Emergency Plan. On 16 October midnight, the Bomb Threat Exercise 2012 was carried out in Macau International Airport to simulate the activation of the Airport Emergency Plan and the security contingency procedures in response to a bomb threat that occurred in the passenger terminal of the airport, the process of which was smooth. The exercise took place from 02:00 to 05:30 on 16 October with the participation of about 150 people. The scenario simulated a suspect baggage being found by a passenger in the departures hall of the passenger terminal of Macau International Airport. Upon being notified of the incident, the police on duty and the airport security guards arrived at the scene and confirmed that it was a suspect bomb. The case was reported immediately to the superior and the site was cordoned off. An emergency was declared and the Airport Emergency Operations Centre was activated. The police forces security immediately activated their contingency procedures and a thorough inspection was performed on the whole airport area. The police and the airport security guards later found another suspect bomb in the car park. The special police were called in to inspect the two suspect objects and one of them was confirmed to be a genuine bomb and was then detonated. The Facilitation and Security Committee holds regular meetings to review the aviation security work in Macau International Airport and discuss improvement measures to further enhance the level of security. This bomb threat exercise was conducted in accordance with the work schedule approved by the Committee in the beginning of this year. The Public Security Police Force was the coordinator; the other participants were Unitary Police Force, Macao Customs Services, Judiciary Police, Fire Services Bureau, Security Coordination Office, Health Bureau, Maritime Administration, Civil Aviation Authority, CAM-Macau International Airport Company Ltd, Administration of Airports, Ltd., Macau Security Company Ltd. (airport security), Menzies Macau Airport Services Ltd and Air Macau Company Ltd. The President of the Civil Aviation Authority, Mr. Chan Weng Hong, said that exercises with different themes are carried out every year in Macau International Airport with the objective of testing and assessing the effectiveness of the Airport Emergency Plan and the capacity of the participating entities on command and control, coordination, communication, resource allocation and so on when facing contingencies. He stressed that regular training for the personnel is necessary so that they can further improve their skills in recognizing and dealing with aviation security emergencies. With the active participation from and the combined efforts between the entities as well as the personnel, all exercises that took place in the past have achieved good results. On 06 July 2012, the full-scale emergency exercise was carried out in Macau International Airport with success. According to the 2012 work plan on exercises, a full-scale exercise will be conducted in the Macau Heliport in the midnight of 19 October.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the Tourist Price Index (TPI) for the third quarter of 2012 increased by 3.36% year-on-year to 120.54, attributable to rising charges for restaurant services and dearer prices of clothing. In comparison with the third quarter of 2011, notable increase was observed in the price index of Entertainment & Cultural Activities (+10.65%); Restaurant Services (+10.31%); and Clothing & Footwear (+7.35%) on account of higher charges for entertainment and restaurant services, as well as dearer prices of women's clothing. On the contrary, price index of Accommodation decreased by 3.52% year-on-year. TPI for the third quarter of 2012 increased by 1.64% quarter-to-quarter, of which the price index of Accommodation rose by 7.98%. On the contrary, price index of Clothing & Footwear decreased by 3.30% quarter-to-quarter upon seasonal sale of Summer clothing. The average TPI for the last four quarters ended the third quarter of 2012 increased by 9.59% from the previous period, with marked increase being observed in the price index of Restaurant Services (+16.37%); Entertainment & Cultural Activities (+12.58%); and Miscellaneous Goods (+9.67%). For the first three quarters of 2012, TPI went up by 6.66% year-on-year, with index of Restaurant Services; Entertainment & Cultural Activities; and Miscellaneous Goods increasing by 15.50%, 12.51% and 8.15% respectively. The 2009/2010-based TPI reflects the price changes of goods and services purchased by visitors. Sections of TPI goods and services are based on the consumption pattern of visitors, namely Food, Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco; Clothing & Footwear; Accommodation; Restaurant Services; Transport & Communications; Medicine & Personal Goods; Entertainment & Cultural Activities; and Miscellaneous Goods.
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Consumer Council released its latest specific price survey on tissue papers. Survey result showed that price difference of about 15 to 20 percent was recorded for the same product sold in different retail outlets. Survey data has been uploaded to the Council's 'Specific Product Price Platform' website and is also available in the Council's 'Supermarket Price Information Platform' iPhone and Android apps. Consumer Council conducted a price check on 12 brands of tissue papers from 24 supermarkets and drugstores on 9th October. Survey result showed that price differences of 7 brands of tissue roll papers ranged from the lowest 2.7 percent to the highest 36.6 percent. 'Andrex Bathroom Tissue (3ply)/10pcs', which recorded the highest price difference, was sold at $36.6 to $50.0. Prices of the other 5 brands of tissue papers ranged from 16.1 percent to 25.0 percent. 'VIRJOY Premium 2 - ply Tissue/4 boxes', which revealed the highest price difference, was sold at$24.0 to $30.0. Survey result also showed that prices of the surveyed tissue brands generally differed for about 15 to 20 percent. Consumers are reminded to check the survey and make practical price comparisons. The specific price survey on tissue papers is now available on the Council's website (www.consumer.gov.mo) and in the Council's 'Supermarket Price Information Platform' iPhone and Android apps. For enquiry, please call 8988 9315.
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