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The former Secretary for Transportation and Public Works, Ao Man Long, has been formally accused of bribe-taking, money laundering, abuse of power and being in control of millions of dollars worth of properties. A statement released today by the Public Prosecutions Office said the Office has completed its investigation and has submitted the above-mentioned charges against him to the Court of Final Appeal. Under pre-trail procedures spitulated in the Macao's Criminal Procedural Code, a suspect has the right to appeal against the Public Prosections Office's charges within 10 days after having been notified of them, the statement said. The court has two months to complete the pre-trail procedures. If the charges remained at that time, the case will be heard in an appropriate court. Ao has been detained since the Commission Against Corruption arrested him on 6 December 2006.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, today exchanged views on how to increase water supply to Macao from the Mainland, when he met with the Deputy Secretary General of NPC Standing Committee, Ms He Yehui, and the Vice Minister of Ministry of Water Resources, Mr Jiao Yong. Accompanied by the Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the MSAR, Mr Bai Zhijian, Ms He and her delegation paid a courtesy visit to the Chief Executive this afternoon at Government Headquarter. During the meeting, Mr Ho expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Central Government, the NPC Standing Committee and the Ministry of Water Resources for their support in helping Macao solve the water salinity problem last year. Ms He said the NPC Standing Committee would continue to be concerned with and follow the issue closely, and pay special attention to Macao's water supply problems. Mr Jiao said the Ministry of Water Resources has been working on the issue and a proposal for a long-term solution has been sent to the Central Government for approval. Ms He and delegation members from Ministry of Water Resources will attend a seminar on water supply from Mainland to Macao, and ways to restrain the so-called salt tides. Delegation members will also visit several water supply facilities during their three-day-visit in Macao. Macao had experienced increased salinity in its water supply during dry winters and springs. The Chief Executive and the members of NPC Standing Committee from Macao SAR region have expressed their concern to the Central Government during the fourth plenary Session of the 10th National People's Congress in 2006 March.
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Non-gaming facilities to be brought on line in the third and fourth quarters of this year would help fuel Macao's economic growth, the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Francis Tam Pak Yuen, said today. Mr Tam said mega shopping malls, convention and exhibition venues due to open in the second half of the year would help steer Macao towards a healthier and more diversified and sustainable economy. He described the year 2007 as a 'crucial time' for Macao's economic development. Macao recorded a real growth of 25.6% in its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the first quarter. As for the Mainland authorities' decision to revise the Facilitated Individual Travel (FIT) policy, Mr Tam said this was understandable and Macao would fully support its decision.
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The Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) released the expenditure-based GDP and the related information for the first quarter of 2007 as follows. The growth rates indicated in this release refer to the real year-on-year growth rates, unless otherwise specified. In the first quarter of 2007, the gaming and tourism sector continued to perform well. Gross gaming receipts (excluding gratuities) grew significantly by 43.5% in nominal terms compared with the same quarter of 2006. Total visitor spending (excluding gaming expenses) rose by 16.0% upon rises in the number of visitors and the visitors’ per-capita spending. Investment went up strongly by 38.1% on the back of several large-scale construction projects in progress. However, exports of goods fell by 8.5%. Estimated from all relevant data, the real GDP growth rate in the first quarter was 25.6%. In terms of major GDP components, private consumption expenditure in the first quarter of 2007 increased 12.4% in nominal terms, following a similar increase of 12.5% in the previous quarter, whereas the real growth rate was 8.0%, slower than the 10.6% growth in the previous quarter. Household final consumption expenditure in the domestic market rose 8.5% while that abroad went down 1.7%, with the expenditure in Mainland China amounted to MOP 478 million. Government final consumption expenditure increased 3.5%, up from the 1.7% in the previous quarter. Among this, compensation of employees was up 4.9% while net purchases of goods and services dropped 13.5%. Gross fixed capital formation, a gauge of investment, showed a sustained robust expansion, at 38.1%, higher than the 25.6% in the previous quarter. In the private sector, total investment recorded an increase of 39.7% mainly attributable to a surge in investment in construction by 42.4%, whereas investment in equipment rose 32.5%. On the other hand, total government investment slumped 61.9%, in which investment in construction decreased 77.4% while that in equipment surged by 135.4%. Based on the data of the public and private sectors, total investment in construction expanded 40.0% in the first quarter of 2007, quickening from the 33.0% in the previous quarter; total investment in equipment increased 33.0%, significantly up from the 1.8% in the previous quarter. In terms of visible trade, decline in total export value of goods in the first quarter narrowed from 28.6% in the previous quarter to 9.7% in nominal terms, or from 28.9% to 8.5% in real terms. Among this, exports to the United States and European Union went down in nominal terms by 27.0% and 14.2% respectively. Total import value of goods increased considerably upon greater demand, by 18.9% and 17.3% in nominal and real terms respectively, higher than the corresponding figures of 11.8% and 10.3% in the previous quarter. As regards invisible trade (exports of services), exports of gaming services rose 43.0%; total visitor spending (excluding gaming expenses) increased 16.0% upon rises in the number of visitor arrivals and the visitors’ per-capita spending. Based on the integrated data of the exports of services, total exports of invisible trade recorded an increase of 32.9%, slightly lower than the 34.2% in the previous quarter. Moreover, imports of services grew 17.7%, up from the 11.7% in the previous quarter.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that, in April 2007, Macao’s total value of exports amounted to MOP1.60 billion, down 2.8% over the same month of 2006. Among this, the value of domestic exports dropped 15.8% to MOP938 million, and the value of re-exports increased 24.3% to MOP663 million. Total value of imports amounted to MOP3.61 billion, up 14.9% year-on-year. A trade deficit of MOP2.01 billion was recorded. During the period of January-April 2007, the value of total exports dropped 7.9% year-on-year to MOP5.92 billion. Among this, the value of domestic exports fell 21.0%, whereas the value of re-exports rose 27.3%. Meanwhile, the value of imports grew 17.8% to MOP12.76 billion, bringing Macao’s trade balance to a deficit of MOP6.85 billion. The exports/imports ratio decreased from 59.3% in the corresponding period of 2006 to 46.4%. During these four months, the value of Textile & garment exports, which accounted for 61.8% of the total exports, went down 24.3% over the same period of 2006, while the value of Non-textile exports rose 41.8%. As the major components of non-textile exports, Machines & apparatus, parts & accessories thereof and Footwear surged 118.2% and 99.5% respectively year-on-year. The USA and the EU remained as Macao’s major export markets, together making up 56.4% of the total value of exports. Within this, exports to the USA, which made up 41.1% of the total export value, decreased 23.7%, and exports to the EU, which took up 15.3% of the total, decreased 18.0% year-on-year. During the period of January-April 2007, Macao’s total value of imports grew 17.8% year-on-year, mainly due to increases in import values of, by broad economic categories, Capital goods (+45.2%), Fuels & lubricants (+15.8%), Consumer goods (+14.6%) and Raw materials & semi-manufactures (+6.6%). Moreover, Macao’s main suppliers of imported goods still concentrated in the Asian region. Imports from Mainland China and Hong Kong, which together constituted 52.5% of the total import value, rose 14.5% and 10.5% respectively year-on-year.
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A group of representatives from the main Portuguese travel agencies is in Macau to experience the city’s new developments and explore the potential of expanding travel packages to Macau. “We brought to Macau the main tour operators from Portugal for a familiarization visit in a time when the Macau tourism industry is undergoing a great evolution”, points out Rodolfo Faustino, coordinator of the Macau Tourism Promotion and Information Center in Portugal. The group, which leaves Macau Thursday after a four-day visit, includes representatives from Club 1840/Abreu, Geotur, Nortravel, Soltrópico, Mundovip, ACP Viagens and Lufthansa (representative in Portugal). Currently, the majority of Portuguese travel agencies already offer packages that include a Macau stop, generally integrated in tours combined with visits to mainland China and Hong Kong. This familiarization visit aims to show the potential that Macau offers and encourage the Portuguese travel agents to double their efforts in the city, creating tours that enable tourists from Portugal to stay longer and experience Macau more.
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The Human Resources Office, a government agency responsible for analysing the labour market in Macao and examining imported labour applications, opened today. The Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Francis Tam Pak Yuen, officiated at a swearing-in ceremony of the Office's Co-ordinator, Mr Wong Chi Hong, and his deputy, Ms Lou Soi Peng. Speaking to the press after the ceremony, Mr Tam said the Office's establishment was to enhance efficiency of handling applications and to streamline the procedure. Imported labour application would not be approved unless there are not enough local workers to fill the prescribed job, Mr Tam reiterated. The Office had set up a website (www.grh.gov.mo) and a hotline (2840-0400) to provide information about its functions. At another occasion, Mr Iong Kong Leong was sworn in as the new Deputy Director of the Finance Services Bureau in the afternoon. The ceremony was also witnessed by the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Francis Tam Pak Yuen. Meanwhile, the current Acting Deputy Director of the Statistics and Census Bureau, Ms Kong Pek Fong, will assume office as the Acting Director starting next month. This was announced by the Office of the Secretary for Economy and Finance in a press release. The incumbent Acting Director, Ms Mok Iun Lei, will become the Vice President of the Macau Productivity and Technology Transfer Centre.
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The Macao Historical Archives operates under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, and is responsible for the preservation of records of historic value. Given Macao’s geographical location in a sub-tropical zone, it is essential to actively protect paper records in order to avoid deterioration and ensure their correct preservation. Such measures include regular pest control. The next scheduled pest control in the Macao Historical Archives will take place on 1st and 2nd of June. The Reading Room will be closed to the public from 2.30pm on Friday 1st June, and throughout the day on Saturday 2nd June. It will re-open to the public on Monday 4th June.
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According to the results of the Employment Survey released by the Statistics and Census Service, the unemployment rate for February - April 2007 was held stable at 3.2%, same as that in the previous period (January - March 2007), but down by 0.7 percentage point year-on-year. The underemployment rate was up by 0.1 percentage point over the previous period to 0.8%, but fell by 0.3 percentage point over the same period of 2006. About 800 unemployed persons were searching for their first job, representing 8.8% of the total unemployed population, down by 0.4 percentage point over the preceding period. Meanwhile, the unemployment situation improved in Manufacturing sector, but the situation was less favourable in Restaurants & similar activities. Total labour force was estimated at 296,000 in February - April 2007, among them, 287,000 were employed and 9,400 were unemployed. Labour force participation rate was 67.3%, up by 0.3 percentage point over the preceding period and 2.6 percentage points year-on-year.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that total land area of Macao measured 28.6 km2 at the end of 2006 and the population density reached 17,952 persons per km2. Total lane length of public roads was 383.6 km, density of motor vehicles was 425 vehicles per km. At the end of 2006, the number of trees on the roadside in Macao totalled 12,612, up by 18.7% over 2005, while the number of trees in the replantation area of the Islands increased slightly by 0.4% to about 460,000. The level of air quality observed at the 4 monitoring stations was classified as Good for most of the days in 2006; the best air quality level was observed in June. The Northern District monitoring station recorded a total of 26 days of which the observed value of respirable suspended particulates was higher than the standard value. Besides, the Ka Ho monitoring station recorded the lowest pH value of rainwater, at 3.6 (precipitation with pH value lower than 5.6 is classified as acid rain). The quality of drinking water of the distribution networks and the Water Treatment Plants was conformed to the standard according to the results of the analysis carried out by the Laboratory of the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau. In addition, the approval rate of the samples taken from the 10 public swimming pools was over 90%, among which the water samples taken from 8 swimming pools all reached an approval rate of 100%. Water quality of Hac Sa and Cheoc Van beaches was classified as “not good enough”, yet adequate to use. In 2006, Companhia de Sistemas de Resíduos (CSR) collected 168,000 tonnes of domestic waste and 56,000 tonnes of waste from the business sector, which increased by 3.5% and 0.8% respectively compared with 2005. In addition, volume of waste sent to the Incineration Plant rose by 2.7% over 2005 to 286,000 tonnes. The average volume of waste water treated by all the Waste Water Treatment Plants (WWTP) in Macao was 152,000 m3 per day, down by 0.4% over 2005. In 2006, Public Security Police received 3,173 cases of noise complaints, up by 17.0% over 2005. The principal causes of complaints included noises from construction works, shouting, as well as music and karaoke. At the same time, the Environment Council received 101 cases of noise complaints, up by 6.3% over 2005. With regard to educational activities on environmental protection, the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau and the Environment Council organized 265 promotional activities in 2006; total expenses amounted to MOP2.96 million whilst more than 160,000 persons participated in these activities.
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