Councillor rejects opening all urban council meetings to public

Government-appointed Urban Renewal Council member Wong Chung Yuen said yesterday that some issues related to urban renewal projects could be “sensitive” so he personally disagreed with those members of the public who said that all of its meetings should be open to the public.Wong made the remarks after attending yesterday’s Macau Forum open-air debate programme in Areia Preta Park when asked by reporters for his comments on criticism that the council lacked transparency.The council was

August 1, 2016 | BY admin

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Civic leader slams govt for plan to raze Estoril

Chan Tak Seng, who heads the Alliance for Common People Building Up Macau (API), slammed the government yesterday for insisting on pushing ahead with its plan to redevelop the plot of land where the former Hotel Estoril and Estoril Swimming Pool are located, despite the fact that some segments of the population want the façade of the hotel and the swimming pool to remain intact.Chan made the criticism when speaking to reporters after attending yesterday’s Macau Forum open-air debate

August 1, 2016 | BY admin

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Vehicle imports shrink 57 pct in H1

Macau’s imports of cars and motorcycles shrank by 56.7 percent to 593 million patacas in the first half of the year, the Statistics and Census Bureau (DSEC) has announced. Imports of watches dropped by 41.6 percent year-on-year to 1.95 billion patacas in the first half of the year. Mobile phone imports decreased by 47.6 percent to 2.3 billion patacas. Gold jewellery imports fell by 23.8 percent to 2.5 billion patacas. Imports of handbags and wallets dipped 20.4 percent to 1.2

August 1, 2016 | BY admin

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Govt won’t implement school drug testing: official

The head of the Prevention and Treatment of Problem Gambling and Drug Dependence Department of the Social Welfare Bureau (IAS), Hoi Va Pou, said yesterday that the government will not run a drug-testing programme in local schools. She also said that the government was instead providing front-line staff members with training and booklets with the aim of helping them identify young drug abusers.Hoi made the comments on the sidelines of an anti-drug drama competition organised by the bureau

August 1, 2016 | BY admin

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No.1 typhoon signal is up

The Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG) hoisted the No.1 typhoon signal at 0:30 a.m. today.The signal was hoisted as Tropical Cyclone Nida was 800 kilometres east-southeast of the city at around midnight. It was heading north-west at about 20 kilometres per hour, threatening to bring with it strong winds and heavy rain.According to the bureau’s website, based on the current trajectory of the storm, the bureau said that the No. 1 signal might be replaced by the No.3 signal, depending

August 1, 2016 | BY admin

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Traffic councillors call for more info on roadworks

Members of the government-appointed Traffic Consultative Council urged the Transport Bureau (DSAT) yesterday to release more information on the city’s many roadworks, Kou Kun Pang, the convener of the council’s special task group on traffic policy planning and management, said. Kou made the remarks after yesterday’s council meeting at the bureau. The closed-door meeting was attended by several DSAT officials including its director Lam Hin San attended. Kou, an associate

July 29, 2016 | BY admin

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Central govt official urges Macau to embrace TCM

State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine Deputy Director Ma Jianzhong said yesterday that Macau should play a more important role in the modernisation of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and integrate TCM into its medical system. Ma made the comments yesterday when delivering a speech at the opening of the China (Macau) Traditional Medicine International Co-operation Forum at the Venetian in Cotai.Ma said that as the public increasingly recognised the role TCM plays in

July 29, 2016 | BY admin

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Man swindles pawnshop out of HK$18,000

The Judiciary Police (PJ) announced yesterday the arrest of a mainland man on Monday on suspicion of pawning a counterfeit brand name watch, cheating the pawnshop out of HK$18,000.A PJ spokesperson revealed details of the case during a regular press briefing at the PJ headquarters. The 49-year-old suspect, surnamed Zhang, is unemployed. The spokesperson said Zhang pawned the watch in a pawnshop in Taipa at midnight on July 14, adding that a seasoned staff member discovered that the watch

July 29, 2016 | BY admin

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Govt to submit election bill to legislature before summer recess: Chan

Amendments to the Legislative Assembly Election Law will be submitted to the Legislative Assembly (AL) before the legislature’s summer recess, which starts on August 16, Secretary for Administration and Justice Sonia Chan Hoi Fan said during a press conference at the Legal Affairs Bureau (DSAL) yesterday. After analysing opinions collected during the month-long public consultation that ended on June 5, newly added amendments are a ban on lawmakers who gave up their seats for personal

July 29, 2016 | BY admin

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Saudi Arabian girl on visit to Macau tests negative for MERS

The Health Bureau (SSM) said in a statement late last night that a Saudi Arabian girl who arrived in Macau on Wednesday underwent tests yesterday for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) after coming down with a fever yesterday morning. The test result was negative and the bureau ruled out the possibility of her being infected with MERS.According to the statement, the eleven-year-old girl arrived in Macau on Wednesday and went to the private Kiang Wu Medical Centre in Taipa yesterday morning

July 29, 2016 | BY admin

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Hotel guests rise 16 pct in June

Macau’s hospitality industry recorded 935,000 guests last month, a 16.5 percent increase year-on-year, the Statistics and Census Bureau (DSEC) said yesterday. Guests from the mainland (583,000), Hong Kong (145,000) and Taiwan (44,000) accounted for 82.6 percent of all hotel guests. Guests’ average length of stay remained unchanged from June last year at 1.4 nights. Please read the full article in our print edition.

July 29, 2016 | BY admin

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Police bust cabbie for lifting passenger’s wallet

The Public Security Police (PSP) said yesterday that a taxi driver will be investigated by the Public Prosecution Office (MP) for illegally appropriating a mainland passenger’s wallet containing HK$8,000. A PSP spokesperson announced the case at a regular press briefing, adding that the police started investigating after the passenger reported on Tuesday that he had left his wallet in a taxi. PSP officers confirmed the identity of the cabbie, a 50-year-old local surnamed Wong. Wong was

July 29, 2016 | BY admin

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Freak alert: Local children get to be young Shrek

Itchy and strange – that was how it felt to be dressed as young Shrek, at least according to eight-year-old Devara Wangke.Devara, along with Leonie Holly Quinn and Wong Pok Wang, are the three lucky children who are taking turns to be young Shrek performing with Broadway actors in “Shrek the Musical” during its current season at The Venetian Theatre until August 7.  The three young stars were chosen out of over a dozen local children who turned up for the auditions earlier this month

July 29, 2016 | BY admin

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‘King’ of Cantopop Leon Lai’s concert gives fans a Studio City experience

Cantopop star Leon Lai, also one of the “Four Heavenly Kings” of Hong Kong, performed two gigs in Studio City last weekend that was partially broadcast live on Facebook, a treat for fans around the world. The live broadcast on Studio City’s Facebook page was filmed with a drone camera as Lai performed one of his smash hits. Concertgoers, many are long-time supporters, got especially excited when foam flew down on to them as Lai sang one of his old favourite love songs “Give you a

July 29, 2016 | BY admin

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