Govt to co-operate with Guangdong on ‘One Belt, One Road’

The Macau and Guangdong governments yesterday signed a deal to join forces in the development of the central government’s ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative.The two sides inked the letter of intent during the one-day 2016 Macau-Guangdong Joint Co-operation Conference at the Macau East Asian Games Dome in Cotai.Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On and Guangdong Governor Zhu Xiaodan co-hosted a press briefing after the closed-door annual meeting. Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On

June 22, 2016 | BY admin

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Group wants faster legislation of elderly rights bill

The government should “speed up” the legislative process of a bill on the rights of the elderly, Kong Wai Iong, who heads the Social Services Committee of the Macau General Union of Neighbourhood Associations, said yesterday. The union is commonly known as Kai Fong.The Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) completed its public consultation on the bill in 2012. Iong Kong Io, the then IAS director, said in July last year that the bill had already been drafted, adding the government aimed to put

June 22, 2016 | BY admin

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Govt rents offices while leaving its properties vacant: lawmaker

Legislator-cum-businessman Chan Meng Kam yesterday slammed the government for spending “a large amount of money” on paying rent for offices while leaving many of its own properties vacant.Chan, a key leader of the local Fujianese community, made the remarks in a written interpellation submitted to the government. Chan sent copies of the interpellation to the media yesterday.Finance Services Bureau (DSF) Director Iong Kong Leong said last month in a reply to another written interpellation by

June 22, 2016 | BY admin

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2 women feel sick after inhaling hydrogen sulphide

Two women yesterday felt nauseated after inhaling what appeared to have been hydrogen sulphide and 21 people who were working or shopping in a cosmetics shop in Avenida de Horta e Costa were evacuated, according to a statement by the Fire Service (CB).The Fire Service said in the statement that at about 4:30 p.m. they received a call that two people at the Sa Sa shop in Avenida de Horta e Cost felt sick after breathing in what appeared to have been biogas from the sewers under the shop.Fire

June 22, 2016 | BY admin

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6 arrested for aiding IIs: police

Six mainlanders were caught red-handed yesterday morning as they were giving four illegal immigrants a lift to Cotai, a Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesperson said near the Pac On ferry terminal in Taipa.The spokesperson said that based on a tip-off about six months ago, the police learnt the sextet planned to pick up a group of illegal immigrants – colloquially known as IIs – in Pac On at around 2 a.m. yesterday.According to the spokesperson, the gang took advantage of shallow water around a

June 22, 2016 | BY admin

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Exhibition shows MUST student’s art

An exhibition showing paintings and sketches by Macau University of Science and Technology’s (MUST) art design first-year students aims to offer the public a glimpse into their creative process.The exhibition on the campus is being held by the university’s Faculty of Humanities and Arts (FA). It is one of the events celebrating the university’s 16th anniversary.According to a statement by the organiser, the exhibition displays over 80 paintings and sketches of various styles, including

June 22, 2016 | BY admin

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Woman tells young daughter to steal: police

The Public Security Police (PSP) announced the arrest of a woman from the mainland for allegedly telling her young daughter to steal money from the cash register of a boutique while she and two other women distracted the sales assistant by pretending to be interested in the clothes. A PSP spokesperson said at a regular press conference that the foursome entered the boutique in Nape on Friday. The three women kept the sales assistant on the ground floor busy while the little girl went and

June 21, 2016 | BY admin

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2 groups promote Na Tcha folk beliefs

The Na Tcha Temple Association and Macau Si San Na Tcha Temple Association are holding a string of activities aimed at promoting Macau’s Na Tcha beliefs and customs. The city’s Na Tcha beliefs and customs were inscribed on the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2014.  Addressing a press conference held by the Si San Na Tcha Temple Association next to the temple in the city centre, Fong Kin Fu, a key member of the group, said the government and locals should work

June 21, 2016 | BY admin

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Govt to discuss ‘One Belt, One Road’ with Guangdong today

Chief Executive Chui Sai On will meet Guangdong Governor Zhu Xiaodan in Macau today during the 2016 Macau-Guangdong Joint Co-operation Conference, the Spokesperson’s Office of the Government (GPV) said in a statement yesterday, adding that the two sides would discuss their joint participation in the central government’s “One Belt, One Road” initiative. Pointing out that Zhu will lead a government delegation to the annual conference at the Macau East Asian Games Dome in Cotai, the

June 21, 2016 | BY admin

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Tam announces memorial to patriotic musician

Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Alexis Tam Chon Weng said yesterday the government planned to develop two Portuguese-style houses into a memorial to local musician and patriot Xian Xinghai, adding that the project was expected to be completed within the next two years.According to Wikipedia, Xian, who was born in Macau in 1905, was one of the earliest generation of Chinese composers influenced by western classical music who has influenced generations of Chinese musicians. Although he

June 21, 2016 | BY admin

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Developer calls for axing of buyer’s stamp duty

The “seriously outdated” buyer’s stamp duty and special stamp duty should be axed “before it’s too late”, developer Lok Wai Tak, who chairs the International Real Estate Federation – China Macau Chapter, said yesterday.Lok, who is also a member of the government-appointed Urban Renewal Committee, made the appeal when addressing a reception celebrating the group’s 6th anniversary at The Plaza Restaurant in Zape.According to the Stamp Duty Regulation, which was most recently

June 21, 2016 | BY admin

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Provident fund bill faces flak from both sides

Lawmakers representing employers’ and employees’ interests respectively jointly slammed a government-drafted non-mandatory central provident fund bill during a plenary session yesterday – but for rather different reasons. The unsually heated debate of the outline of the bill was held in the legislative hemicycle yesterday.The bill proposes that employers and employees can opt for the central provident fund, each paying a minimum of five percent of the employees’ basic wages per

June 21, 2016 | BY admin

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2,200 locals accepted by Taiwan universities

Around 2,200 local applicants have been accepted by Taiwanese higher education institutions starting from the new academic year, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office Director-General Lu Chang-shui said yesterday.Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a public event at The Plaza Restaurant in Zape, Lu said he expected half of the successful applicants to study in their undergraduate or postgraduate programmes in Taiwan in September. The number of applicants admitted this year was “more or

June 21, 2016 | BY admin

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Australia grants Macau e-passport holders entry via e-channel

The Australian government announced yesterday that Macau e-passport holders are eligible to use its automated border clearance system “SmartGate” on arrival in Australia.The decision took effect yesterday.The Australian Consulate-General Hong Kong said in a statement yesterday that the automated clearance system uses the information in biometric passports and face recognition technology to perform immigration checks.Macau travellers will still need to apply for a visa before arriving in

June 21, 2016 | BY admin

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