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Information from the Statistics and Census Service shows that in the first quarter of 2005, the available amount of Electricity and Fuel oil rose 13.7% and 12.4% respectively, whereas Gas oil & diesel registered the only drop of 10.2%, when compared with the first quarter of 2004. Compared with the fourth quarter of 2004, the available amount of Gas oil & diesel and Electricity dropped markedly by 23.5% and 8.1% respectively. On the other hand, Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) registered the only increase of 14.8%. In comparison with the first quarter of 2004, consumption of Fuel oil and Electricity rose 23.1% and 17.5%. On the other hand, Gas oil & diesel registered the only decrease of 21.3%. Compared with the fourth quarter of 2004, consumption of Gas oil & diesel and Electricity fell markedly by 36.5% and 9.1% respectively. On the other hand, LPG registered the largest increase of 16.7%. For the import quantity of fuels in the first quarter of 2005, when compared with the first quarter of 2004, Aviation kerosene and Fuel oil increased significantly by 27.9% and 10.1% respectively, while Gas oil & diesel registered the biggest decrease of 38.3%. In comparison with the fourth quarter of 2004, import quantity of Fuel oil and LPG increased markedly by 12.5% and 11.8% respectively, while Common kerosene (Kerosene for illumination) and Gas oil & diesel decreased significantly by 55.4% and 42.6% respectively. In the first quarter of 2005, the total import value of liquid and gas fuels reached the amount of MOP508 million, representing an increase of 21.1% over the first quarter of 2004 and a decrease of 14.6% over the fourth quarter of 2004. At the end of the first quarter of 2005, the list prices of all fuels increased compared with the end of the first quarter of 2004, among which those of Common kerosene (Kerosene for illumination) and Fuel oil rose 27.7% and 24.3% respectively. Compared with the end of the fourth quarter of 2004, the list prices of all fuels increased, among which those of Fuel oil and Gasoline (unleaded) rose 7.8% and 7.2% respectively.
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According to the results of the Employment Survey released by the Statistics and Census Service, unemployment rate was 4.1% for February - April 2005, which remained at the same level of January - March 2005 but decreased by 1.3 percentage points over the same period of 2004. The underemployment rate was 1.2%, up slightly by 0.1 percentage point over January - March 2005 but dropped by 1.3 percentage points compared with the same period of 2004. Number of the unemployed searching for their first job was about 900, or 8.8% of the total unemployed, which was identical to the proportion recorded in January - March 2005. Compared with January - March 2005, unemployment situation was improved in Recreational, cultural, gaming & other service activities and Construction sectors, while it was worsened in Transport, storage & communications and Manufacturing sectors. Total labour force was estimated at 240,400 in February - April 2005; the employed and the unemployed populations were 230,500 and 9,900 respectively. Labour force participation rate was 62.4%, which fell slightly by 0.1 percentage point compared with January - March 2005 but increased by 1.6 percentage points over the same period of 2004.
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The Legislative Assembly Election Commission, in its third meeting held today, discussed plans for promotional campaigns aimed at enhancing voter awareness towards the election, using various channels. The Chairman of the Legislative Assembly Election Commission, Judge Fong Man Chong, said a poster-design campaign has been decided and details would be given on the Commission's website next week. Speaking on the budget for the election, Judge Fong said that it would be higher than that for the last election, in line with inflation, more expenses for promotional campaigns and additional working staff at polling stations due to the increase in the number of voters. He stressed that the Commission would work out the budget cautiously. Meanwhile, Judge Fong reminded those who intend to participate to make preparations as stipulated by the law. Violations will not be tolerated and breaches of the election law will be referred to the law enforcement department for investigation and action.
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Textiles and clothing products of Macau origin that undergo outward processing in the Mainland will be exempt from export duty imposed by the Mainland. This was agreed today in the Joint Steering Committee meeting of CEPA held in Beijing, chaired by the Deputy Director of the Department of Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao Affairs, Ministry of Commerce, Ms Chen Xing, and the Chief of Office of the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Ms Lok Kit Sim. The exemption was agreed in consideration of the impact of newly imposed export duty on Macao’s textile industry. According to the agreement reached, all textile products with Macao Certificates of Origin that undergo outward processing in the Mainland before export would be excluded from the export duty. The exemption will not apply to products without a Mainland Outward Processing Arrangement (OPA) Certificate. The relevant departments in the Mainland and Macao have formed a working group to work out details and it was agreed that the arrangement would be implemented within next month. It is expected that physical documents would be required to for products subjected to the exemption arrangement in the initial stage, before switching to an electronic system.
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The Commissioner-General of the Unitary Police Service, Mr José Proença Branco, is leading a delegation of police chiefs on a six-day visit to Fujian province today. The delegation is scheduled to visit the provincial public security department and the relevant bureaux in Fuzhou and Nanping city. Fujian, adjacent to Guangdong, has strong ties with Macao: many in Macao originated from the province. The introduction of facilitated individual travel (FIT) scheme in 2003 has also prompted the strengthening of relations. Macao security chiefs hoped the visit would enhance co-operation with the province in combating crime, such as in the exchange of intelligence. Members of the delegation include the Director of the Judicial Police, Mr Wong Sio Chak and the Deputy Commissioner of the Public Security Police, Mr Ma Io Kun.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicates that the estimated resident population of Macao was 469,800 as at 31 March 2005, an increase of about 17,000 compared with the same period of 2004. In the first quarter of 2005, there were 811 live births, a decrease of 18.0% over the fourth quarter of 2004. Among the live births, 50.9% were male. There were 451 death cases, major causes of which were “Diseases of the circulatory system” and “Malignant neoplasms”. Moreover, 2 cases of fetal death were recorded. In the first quarter of 2005, the Health Bureau received 789 cases of “notifiable diseases”, which included 553 cases of “Varicella (chickenpox)”, 93 cases of “Tuberculosis of lung” and 38 cases of “Enterovirus infection”. Meanwhile, 470 cases of marriage were registered in the first quarter of 2005, a decrease of 3.9% over the fourth quarter of 2004 and an increase of 5.4% compared with the first quarter of 2004. In the first quarter of 2005, there were 942 legal immigrants from Mainland China, a slight increase of 1.0% compared with the same quarter of 2004, whereas 78 illegal immigrants were repatriated to Mainland China. The quarter-end balance of persons authorized to reside in Macao was 41,704, up 2,676 persons and 7,923 persons over the fourth and first quarter of 2004. At the end of this quarter, total number of non-resident workers in Macao was 28,648, up 912 and 3,429 persons compared with the fourth and first quarter of 2004 respectively.
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(Macao – 20 May 2005) The Macao and Hong Kong governments have signed an agreement on the transfer of prisoners between the two Special Administrative Regions. The Secretary for Security, Mr Cheong Kuoc Va, and Hong Kong’s Secretary for Security, Mr Ambrose S K Lee, signed the agreement in Hong Kong today. Mr Cheong said that the agreement, the result of three years of negotiations between the two governments, would allow sentenced prisoners to spend the remainder of their jail terms in their places or origin, a practice widely adopted by many countries. It would enable repatriated prisoners to adapt to the living environment of their countries of origin. “This way prisoners can get support from their families and this will help in their rehabilitation and later integration into the community.” Mr Lee said this would also allow prisoners to live without language and culture barriers. At present 84 Hong Kong residents are imprisoned in Macao and five Macao residences are in Hong Kong jails.
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Included in the Co-operation Programme in the Legal Field between the European Union and Macao and starting tomorrow, May 24, at 18:30, in the auditorium of the Legal and Judicial Training Centre (Luso-International Bank Building, 18th floor) is a Seminar on Human Rights, the United Nations Conventions and Fundamental Rights. Professor André Nollkaemper, Director of the Amsterdam Center for International Law and Professor of Public International Law of the Faculty of Law at the University of Amsterdam, Holland, will address this training activity that will take place daily until next Friday, May 27. The approached subjects throughout these four days will be “The balance between the public interest and human rights”, “Justiciability of human rights”, “The domestic effect of human rights” and “International supervision of human rights”. The seminar is organised by the Legal and Judicial Training Centre and will be conducted in English. It will count with an enrolment of around 40 local participants, being these holders of a Law degree in their majority. 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 last and fourth 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 organisation 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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Information from Statistics and Census Service indicates that number of visitor arrivals totalled 1,493,692 in April 2005, which represented a year-on-year increase of 10.2%. Compared with April last year, visitors from Mainland China and Taiwan, China increased 13.8% and 19.1% respectively, whereas those from Hong Kong decreased 3.3%. Meanwhile, same-day visitors accounted for 52.5% of the total arrivals, at 784,030. The majority of visitors came from Mainland China (55.6% of the total), Hong Kong (29.4%) and Taiwan, China (8.8%). Among the visitors from Mainland China, 398,109 (47.9%) travelled to Macao under the Individual Visit Scheme. In the first four months of 2005, visitor arrivals totalled 5,950,714, up 16.5% over the same period of last year. Visitors from Mainland China increased 13.6% to 3,315,687, which accounted for 55.7% of the total; Hong Kong and Taiwan, China shared 30.2% and 8.2% of the total respectively. Furthermore, same-day visitors made up 52.6% of the total, at 3,131,960. Analyzed by mode of transport, visitor arrivals by sea went up 6.8% to 2,129,633 in the first four months of 2005, with 2,073,065 arriving at the Outer Harbour (+6.3%); the majority of these visitors were from Hong Kong (59.6%) and Mainland China (29.7%). Visitor arrivals at the Inner Harbour rose 28.6% to 56,568, of which 69.4% were from Mainland China. Meanwhile, arrivals by land increased 21.4% to 3,485,666, with 3,220,491 arriving through the Border Gate. The majority of these visitors came from Mainland China (76.7%) and Hong Kong (16.5%). Visitors arriving through the Checkpoint of CoTai were 265,175. In addition, arrivals by air were 335,415, up 38.4% compared with the same period of last year, with 331,649 arriving at the Macao International Airport (+39.6%). Visitors from Taiwan, China (69.4%) and Mainland China (15.6%) were the major users of this access.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service shows that Composite CPI for April 2005 was 96.67, down 0.19% compared with March 2005. Due to falling prices in fresh vegetables and air tickets, the indices of Foodstuff and beverages, and Transport and communications fell 1.15% and 0.14% respectively. On the other hand, as prices rose in Summer clothing and footwear, rent and interior decoration, the indices of Clothing and footwear, and Rent and housing expenses increased 0.68% and 0.61% respectively. Composite CPI in April 2005 registered a significant year-on-year increase of 3.22%. For the 12 months ended April 2005, the average Composite CPI rose 2.22% over the previous period. Average Composite CPI for January to April 2005 went up 3.22% over the same period of 2004. Compared with March 2005, CPI(A) and CPI(B) decreased 0.39% and 0.15% respectively. CPI(A) relates to 54% of households, which had an average monthly expenditure of MOP3,000 - MOP9,999. CPI(B) relates to 26% of households, which had an average monthly expenditure of MOP10,000 - MOP19,999.
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