Plastic carrier bags to cost 1 pataca: gazette

Macau’s retail outlets will have to charge customers one pataca for each bag when the government’s plastic carrier bag levy scheme is finally implemented on November 18, according to a chief executive order published in the Official Gazette (BO) yesterday.The bill on the implementation of the plastic carrier bag charge scheme for retail businesses in Macau was passed by the Legislative Assembly (AL) last month, following a review by the legislature’s 3rd Standing Committee after the

September 10, 2019 | BY admin

Comment: 0

Man feigns to be driver in Coloane traffic accident as woman behind wheel driving without licence:

A local man – when questioned by the police – pretended to be the driver of a car involved in a traffic accident in which the real driver – a local woman who had no driving licence – crashed the vehicle into the hillside in Estrada de Cheoc Van in Coloane yesterday morning, after which the car turned turtle, the Public Security Police (PSP) said in a statement yesterday.There were three passengers in the car when the accident happened. In addition to the bogus driver – one of the

September 10, 2019 | BY admin

Comment: 0

Gambler cheated out of HK$2.1 million by ‘gang of four’: police

The Judiciary Police (PJ) arrested a gang of four for cheating a mainlander out of HK$2.185 million, PJ spokesman Choi Ian Fai said during a regular press conference yesterday.According to Choi, the victim is a mainlander in his thirties. He told the police that he is a businessman. The four suspects, two males and two females, comprise three locals and a mainlander. Choi did not reveal the victim’s surname.The first suspect is a 51 -year-old man surnamed Chan who told the police that he is a

September 10, 2019 | BY admin

Comment: 0

UM drafting ‘smart mobility’ plan to tackle traffic woes

There is still a lot of room to relieve Macau’s traffic pressure, the deputy director of the University of Macau’s (UM) State Key Laboratory of Internet of Things for Smart City, Jia Weijia, said yesterday, adding that his laboratory is drafting a “smart mobility” plan slated to be released before the end of the first half of next year at the latest for the government’s reference.The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers of Macau (IEEE) held a seminar on “Smart City and

September 10, 2019 | BY admin

Comment: 0

Retiree apologises for damaging Ilha Verde Hill

A 62-year-old local man who was arrested in December last year for causing damage to the heritage-listed Ilha Verde Hill apologised yesterday, saying that he had damaged the hill by setting up gym equipment there as his legal knowledge was “weak” at that time.The man, Chong Heng Pui, proffered his apologies accompanied by Macau General Union of Neighbourhood Associations Vice President Chan Ka Leong, and Ilha Verde District Welfare and Mutual Help Association Vice President Chan Fong, in a

September 10, 2019 | BY admin

Comment: 0

Taxi group applies for fare hike, wants 22 patacas for flag fall

The Macau Taxi Association has applied to the government for a fare hike, requesting that the flag fall be increased from 19 to 22 patacas and that the distance rate of 2 patacas be reduced to 220 metres.The association’s vice-chairman, Tai Kam Leong, revealed the numbers while speaking to reporters on Saturday on the sidelines of an event in Iao Hon Park to promote the city’s new taxi regulation and raise cabbies’ quality of service.According to Tai, the fare hike, which the association

September 9, 2019 | BY admin

Comment: 0

UM receives record number of applications

The public University of Macau (UM) said in a statement last week that thanks to the steady increase in its international reputation and the quality of its teaching and research, it is attracting a rising number of students from around the world.For the 2019/2020 academic year, the university received more than 13,000 applications for its undergraduate programmes, up nearly 30 per cent from last year, hitting a new high in the university’s history, according to the statement.The number of

September 9, 2019 | BY admin

Comment: 0

6 cases of 69,400 smuggled cigs in one day: customs

The Macau Customs Service (SA) said in a statement on Friday that its officers busted six cases involving a total of 69,400 smuggled cigarettes on Wednesday.According to the statement, in two separate cases one traveller each smuggled 9,000 and 7,000 cigarettes respectively from Hong Kong to Macau via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge by shuttle bus in the evening. The cigarettes were seized at the bridge’s Macau Customs checkpoint.The four other separate cases involved four passengers

September 9, 2019 | BY admin

Comment: 0

2 more imported dengue cases confirmed this year: govt

The Health Bureau (SSM) said in a statement on Saturday that it has confirmed two more imported cases of dengue fever, pushing the total number of imported dengue cases reported in Macau to 18 so far this year.The patient of the first case – this year’s 17th imported dengue case – is a 19-year-old local man, while the patient of the second case – this year’s 18th case – is a 50-year-old local man, according to the statement.The 19-year-old man lives in Rua da Barca – a street in

September 9, 2019 | BY admin

Comment: 0

Leong vows to lift PPRD cooperation to ‘new level’

Secretary for Economy and Finance Lionel Leong Vai Tac has vowed that Macau will strengthen cooperation with its Pan-Pearl River Delta (PPRD) “brother” provinces and regions so that they can benefit together from the opportunities being generated by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA), according to a statement by the Macau Government Information Bureau (GCS).Leong also said that the PPRD cooperation model would “accelerate systematic innovation” and promote

September 9, 2019 | BY admin

Comment: 0

Malaysia & Philippines start 30th int’l firework contest

Two fireworks teams from Malaysia and the Philippines raised the curtain on the 30th Macau International Fireworks Display Contest themed as “Double Celebrations for Macau” on Saturday night with their performances. Thousands of spectators watched the rival displays.Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes joined other guests to officiate at the opening ceremony of the pyrotechnic contest at the Outdoor Plaza of Macau Tower. The Fireworks Carnival and

September 9, 2019 | BY admin

Comment: 0

Residential property price index rises 0.3 pct

Macau’s overall residential property price index for May-July rose 0.3 percent over the previous survey period (April-June) to 269.3, the Statistics and Census Bureau (DSEC) has announced.The indices for the peninsula (271.4) and Taipa and Coloane (260.4) rose 0.1 percent and 1.3 percent respectively.The index for existing residential units (289.7) went up by 0.1 percent, with the index for Taipa and Coloane (309.4) rose 0.1 percent, whereas that for the peninsula (285.1) was similar to the

September 9, 2019 | BY admin

Comment: 0

Police nab cop for disclosing confidential info to colleague

The Judiciary Police (PJ) arrested a PJ officer on Thursday for disclosing – without the permission of his superiors – confidential information about numerous cases to another PJ officer who was arrested in June for leaking internal information to a loan-sharking gang, PJ spokesman Leng Kam Lon said during a special press conference on Friday.Leng identified the suspect as a 36-year-old officer surnamed Chan who joined the Judiciary Police in 2008.Loan-sharking caseThe Judiciary Police

September 9, 2019 | BY admin

Comment: 0

Less than 30 pct of local pupils interested in GBA plan: survey

Less than 30 percent of local pupils say that they are interested in the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA), but over 40 percent say they are interested in studying, working or starting a business in one of the GBA cities other than Macau, a survey released by the General Association of Chinese Students of Macau (AECM) showed yesterday.The GBA comprises nine cities in Guangdong province as well as the Hong Kong and Macau special administrative

September 6, 2019 | BY admin

Comment: 0