News

The Macao SAR Government will hold celebrations to commemorate the 61st National Day on Friday. The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, will officiate a flag-raising ceremony at Golden Lotus Flower Square at 8 am. Representatives from the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the MSAR, the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the MSAR, the Macao Garrison of the People’s Liberation Army, heads of the legislature and judiciary, principal officials and community leaders will attend the ceremony. The Government will hold a reception at Macau Tower at 9:30 am. Several government departments will also hold celebratory events, including the National Day Fun Run starting at Golden Lotus Square after the flag-raising ceremony, and a variety performance at Macao East Asian Games Dome at 2 pm. Commemorative covers will be on sale and a stamping service will be offered at the Post Office from 9 am to 5.30 pm. The Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau and Liaison Office will hold variety performances at Macao Forum at 8 am on Thursday and Friday, and firework displays will be held on the waterfront near the Macau Tower at 9 pm and 10 pm on Friday.
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Since the law on "Prohibition of Providing Illegal Accommodation" took effect on August 13, operations to combat illegal accommodation have seen positive results. While raids to premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally are carried on, the SAR Government has been actively carrying out promotion and education seeking to reach visitors through different channels, to obtain more effective results. Targeting visitors during the October 1 “golden week”, Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) and Legal Affairs Bureau (DSAJ) have cooperated in the creation of a new promotion and education campaign. The two bureaus have printed flyers with a new image and slogan in Chinese, Portuguese and English. The new slogan is “Enjoy a pleasant trip in Macau, stay in legal Accommodation”. The flyer gives out all the necessary information alerting visitors to Macau to lodge in licensed hotels and inns. The flyers also inform about MGTO’s website www.macautourism.gov.mo, where visitors can find the list of the licensed hotels and inns, which has been placed in a highlighted area of the webpage. Visitors can also consult the list by calling the hotline 28 333 000. Besides distributing the new flyers in MGTO information counters and immigration counters, MGTO has received the support of Guangdong Province Tourism Administration for promotion and education initiatives in the source market, to guarantee the rights of the visitors. DSAJ printed and sent 200,000 flyers to Guangdong Provincial Tourism Administration to be distributed ahead of the “golden week” among the different tourism bureaus in the province, including Tourism Administration of Guangzhou Municipality, Zhuhai Municipal Bureau of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Shenzhen Municipal Bureau of Culture, Sports and Tourism, among other municipal tourism bureaus in the province. MGTO and DSAJ have also decided to launch a multimedia campaign from October 1 to 31 using mobile phone sms messages (in Mainland China and Macau), TV commercials and promotion on buses and taxis. The content of the one month long campaign includes the dissemination of 600,000 mobile phone sms messages in Guangdong Province alerting visitors to lodge in licensed hotels and inns when visiting Macau and to check MGTO’s website. After entering Macau, visitors using CTM’s roaming service will also receive a similar message on their mobile phones. Fifteen vehicles from the two Macau bus companies and 40 black and yellow taxis will promote the new image and slogan against illegal accommodation. Guangdong TV, Shenzhen TV and Zhuhai TV will broadcast commercials alerting visitors to refuse illegal accommodation, as well as MGTO’s advice encouraging visitors to choose quality and honest Macau tours when traveling to the city. When the law on "Prohibition of Providing Illegal Accommodation" took effect, MGTO and DSAJ undertook a series of promotional initiatives, using posters, flyers and local TV commercials to encourage residents to report suspected cases and alert visitors not to stay at illegal inns. With the new promotion launched around the “golden week”, the scope and channels of promotion were expanded, looking forward to create a bigger impact.
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As a public higher institute serving the Macao SAR, Institute for Tourism Studies (IFT) has always been committed to quality education at international standard. Holding a belief of “Rooted in Macao and steadfast in serving”, Bank of China (BOC) Macao Branch has shown tremendous support to the development of local higher education over the years by providing sound and comprehensive financial services. Under the context that both parties share the same goal of supporting the Macao SAR government in achieving harmonious development and progress, IFT and BOC Macau branch agrees to establish a cooperative relationship in areas of their professional services and talents cultivation such as: Student Loan Scheme
BOC Macao will offer financial products and services to IFT in accordance to the programme nature, and provides privilege loan scheme for IFT students, who need assistance to realise their learning aspiration. Bank of China scholarship
BOC Macao will sponsor a total amount of MOP100,000 annually as “Bank of China Scholarship”, showing encouragement to students with excellent academic performance. Training and Internship IFT will provide BOC Macao with professional or customised training programmes, while the latter will offer internship opportunities for IFT students, facilitating IFT’s teaching philosophy of balancing knowledge and practice. Meanwhile, IFT and BOC Macao will maintain strong communication to ensure a smooth collaboration. Under the steady support from the community, IFT, at it’s 15th anniversary this year, will continue to uphold the responsibility to educate local talents and will march forward to a brighter future. Also this year marks the 60th anniversary of BOC Macao, which will continue to deliver quality and all-round financial services to Macao as always.
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Since the law on "Prohibition of Providing Illegal Accommodation" took effect on August 13, a total of 525 premises were checked, of which 69 premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally were sealed, while 62 were normal residences. Ensuing investigations on the rest of the premises have been launched. Among the checked premises, some were vacant or unoccupied. Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) and the Public Security Police Force (PSP) will continue investigation on unanswered doors, which are suspected to be used to provide accommodation illegally. Meanwhile, during investigations to other cases, PSP has found four premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally and informed the Cross-departmental Working Team to handle the cases. To help the investigations, when necessary, MGTO can request a judicial order to enter into the suspect premises to investigate. To date, the operations involved more than 552 occupants, among whom 303 were occupants of premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally and were investigated, including 12 operators, 9 touts, 9 persons who manage the premises that provide accommodation illegally (management staff) and 3 occupants who failed to fulfill their duty of cooperation (among the three occupants who failed to fulfill their duty of cooperation, one has paid the fine). Among the occupants, there were 12 overstayers and 10 illegal immigrants. Following the raid to premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally, MGTO began sanction proceedings on involved operators, touts and managing staff, and adopted provisional measures to cut the supply of water and electricity to the concerned premises and sealed the doors. According to the new law, operators and person who manage the premise that provide accommodation illegally (management staff) incur a penalty up to 800 000 patacas, touts can be fined up to 100 000 patacas and occupants who fail to cooperate are fined 3 000 patacas. Public can also call 2833 3000 to report suspected premises. MGTO and Legal Affairs Bureau remind travelers that, according to the law on "Prohibition of Providing Illegal Accommodation", occupants found in premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally have the obligation to provide information or will be fined 3,000 patacas for violating the duty of cooperation. Occupants providing false information need to bear criminal responsibility. Non-residents who fail to pay the fine by due date might be denied reentry into Macau in the future.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the unemployment rate for June-August 2010 remained unchanged from the previous period (May-July 2010) at 2.9%; the underemployment rate dropped further by 0.3 percentage point to 1.5%. Total labour force was 327,000 in June-August 2010 and the labour force participation rate stood at 71.4%, with the employed population increasing by about 600 over the previous period to 317,500. Analyzed by industry, employment of Wholesale & Retail Trade and Real Estate & Business Activities saw increase, while employment of the Gaming Sector registered a decrease. Number of the unemployed decreased by about 200 from the previous period to 9,400, with 17.2% being fresh labour force entrants searching for their first job, up by 6.0 percentage points over the previous period. In comparison with June-August 2009, the labour force participation rate, the unemployment rate and the underemployment rate decreased by 1.2, 0.9 and 0.4 percentage points respectively.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that there were 169 travel agencies operating in 2009, up by 14 over 2008. Sales & Other Receipts of travel agencies decreased slightly by 1.0% from 2008 to MOP3.58 billion; Gross Fixed Capital Formation fell notably by 45.2% year-on-year to MOP38.44 million; however, Gross Value Added that measures the sectoral contribution to the economy rose by 7.5% to MOP508 million. At the end of 2009, a total of 2,864 persons were engaged in travel agencies, an increase of 2.1% year-on-year. Expenditure of travel agencies totalled MOP3.40 billion, down by 1.6% over 2008, among the expenditure items, Purchase of Goods & Services for Sale (including tickets, package tours and room reservation) amounted to MOP2.83 billion and Operating Expenses amounted to MOP227 million, down by 2.1% and 4.5% respectively over 2008; meanwhile, Compensation of Employees rose by 4.4% to MOP335 million.
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Since yesterday until 5pm today, the Cross-departmental Working Team sealed one more premise suspected to provide accommodation illegally. Since the law on "Prohibition of Providing Illegal Accommodation" took effect on August 13, a total of 516 premises were checked, of which 68 premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally were sealed, while 62 were normal residences. Ensuing investigations on the rest of the premises have been launched. Among the checked premises, some were vacant or unoccupied. Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) and the Public Security Police Force (PSP) will continue investigation on unanswered doors, which are suspected to be used to provide accommodation illegally. Meanwhile, during investigations to other cases, PSP has found four premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally and informed the Cross-departmental Working Team to handle the cases. To help the investigations, when necessary, MGTO can request a judicial order to enter into the suspect premises to investigate. To date, the operations involved more than 544 occupants, among whom 299 were occupants of premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally and were investigated, including 12 operators, 9 touts, 9 persons who manage the premises that provide accommodation illegally (management staff) and 3 occupants who failed to fulfill their duty of cooperation (among the three occupants who failed to fulfill their duty of cooperation, one has paid the fine). Among the occupants, there were 12 overstayers and 10 illegal immigrants. Following the raid to premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally, MGTO began sanction proceedings on involved operators, touts and managing staff, and adopted provisional measures to cut the supply of water and electricity to the concerned premises and sealed the doors. According to the new law, operators and person who manage the premise that provide accommodation illegally (management staff) incur a penalty up to 800 000 patacas, touts can be fined up to 100 000 patacas and occupants who fail to cooperate are fined 3 000 patacas. Public can also call 2833 3000 to report suspected premises. MGTO and Legal Affairs Bureau remind travelers that, according to the law on "Prohibition of Providing Illegal Accommodation", occupants found in premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally have the obligation to provide information or will be fined 3,000 patacas for violating the duty of cooperation. Occupants providing false information need to bear criminal responsibility. Non-residents who fail to pay the fine by due date might be denied reentry into Macau in the future.
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Organized by the Legal and Judicial Training Centre the Seminar on “Cultural Diversity and Human Rights: A Good Match?”, Monday, 27 September, at 17:00, starts tomorrow, in the Auditorium of the Economic Services in the Luso-International Bank Building. Integrated in 2nd EU-Macao Co-operation Program in the Legal Field, the seminar will have as a speaker Doctor Yvonne Donders, Associate Professor of International Law at the Faculty of Law of the University of Amsterdam and Executive Director of the of Amsterdam Center for International Law. This seminar will be conducted in English, with simultaneous translation to Cantonese and Portuguese, and has 32 participants enrolled. During the four daily sessions, taking place between 17:00 and 19:30, until the 30th September, the following subjects will be discussed: the International Human Rights Law Framework; Cultural Diversity and Human Rights; Cultural Human Rights; Minorities and Indigenous Peoples. Highlight is thus given to the relationship between cultural diversity and human rights. The 2nd EU-Macao Co-operation Programme in the Legal Field, in which this seminar is integrated, has as its main objective the “Strengthening the Future of the Macao Legal System” and will be undertaken until December 2012. With a global budget of 1.500.000 Euros (approximately 16.500.000 Patacas), this programme is co-financed by the European Union and the Macao Foundation, with the remaining costs being supported by the MSAR’s budget. The implementation of the Co-operation Programme is coordinated by the International Law Office (GADI), with the participation of several other MSAR’s entities, namely the Legal and Judicial Training Centre (CFJJ), the Legal Affairs Bureau (DSAJ), the Economic Services (DSE), the Financial Services Bureau (DSF) and the Institute of European Studies of Macau (IEEM).
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Chief Executive Mr Chui Sai On’s official visit to Jiangxi with his official delegation Province had been aborted due to bad weather there. A statement by the Office of the Chief Executive said Mr Chui and his delegation left Macao this morning for Nanchang in Jiangxi to attend Expo Central China 2010. The plane returned to Macau for safety reasons when it could not land in Nanchang airport due to bad weather. It returned safely in the afternoon.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, said today the Government would soon introduce measures to ensure the healthy development of the housing market. Speaking to the press at the airport before leaving for Jiangxi Province for a trade promotion exposition, Mr Chui said he fully understood the community’s concern over polices for the healthy development of the housing market. He said the Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Mr Lau Si Io, would announce a series of measures next week, after having consulted diverse sectors and public entities. These would include mortgage guidelines to banks, regulations on pre-completion sales, real estate agency, market transparency, as well as new taxation measures and land supply. Mr Chui said the Government would continue with its public housing policies and had lately increased the rent subsidy to applicants waiting for public housing.
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