Govt clamps down on illegal reclamation in Hac Sa

The Lands, Public Works and Transport Bureau (DSSOPT) said in a statement yesterday that it is clamping down on an illegal land reclamation project in Hac Sa Village in Coloane.According to recent local media reports, a lake in the village has been illegally reclaimed by someone.According to the reports, historical satellite images between 2003 and 2015 show that the area was a lake at that time. The reports said that a satellite image retrieved in December last year showed that the lake had

March 1, 2018 | BY admin

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Lawmakers pass bill raising public servants’ birth allowance

The Legislative Assembly (AL) yesterday passed a government-drafted bill on increasing public servants’ birth allowance.According to the bill, the one-off allowance will be increased from 45 salary points (3,735 patacas based on 83 patacas per salary point) to 60 salary points (5,100 patacas based on 85 patacas per salary point).The amount of one salary point for public servants’ salaries increased to 85 patacas – from 83 patacas last year – starting from January this year.Accompanied

March 1, 2018 | BY admin

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SJM profit drops 15.6 pct in 2017

SJM said yesterday that its profit dropped 15.6 percent to HK$1.96 billion patacas last year, even though its gaming revenue rose 0.1 percent to HK$41.29 billion.According to a statement by SJM Holdings Limited, hotel, catering, retail and other income fell 4.5 percent to HK$731 million.Adjusted EBITDA decreased 10.0 percent to HK$3.07 billion. PLEASE READ THE FULL ARTICLE IN OUR PRINT EDITION.

March 1, 2018 | BY admin

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32 colon cancer cases found by screening programme: SSM

A total of 32 colorectal cancer (CRC) cases have been identified during a screening programme by the Health Bureau (SSM).According to an SSM statement yesterday, screening programme was launched in November 2016 with Macau residents born between 1947 and 1956 eligible. The statement said that until yesterday over 4,400 people had participated in the scheme.Over 700 tested positive in a free faecal immunochemical test (FIT), a screening test for hidden blood in the stool, which can be an early

March 1, 2018 | BY admin

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GDP grows 9.1 pct last year

Macau’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew 9.1 percent in real terms year on year in 2017, after three consecutive years of negative growth, the Statistics and Census Bureau (DSEC) announced yesterday.According to a DSEC statement, the economy rose 11.1 percent in the first half of last year, followed by a 7.2 percent rise in the second half. GDP grew 8.0 percent in the fourth quarter.“Although the whole economy resumed positive growth, domestic demand remained weak and retreated by 2.7

March 1, 2018 | BY admin

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Galaxy posts 67 pct rise in 2017 profit

Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG) said yesterday that it posted a 67 percent rise in full-year net profit last year.According to a GEG statement, net profit attributable to shareholders (NPAS) reached HK$10.5 billion in 2017.Full-year adjusted NPAS reached HK$11.0 billion, up 61 percent after adjusting for non-recurring charges.PLEASE READ THE FULL ARTICLE IN OUR PRINT EDITION.

March 1, 2018 | BY admin

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Leong to ink new horse-racing concession

Secretary for Economy and Finance Lionel Leong Vai Tac has been authorised by Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On to sign a 24-year-6-month concession extension agreement with the Macau Horse Racing Company Limited (informally known as Macau Jockey Club).Chui’s executive order on delegating the authority to Leong was published in the Official Gazette (BO) yesterday. The order takes effect today.According to the order, the concession will be valid until August 31, 2042. PLEASE READ THE FULL

March 1, 2018 | BY admin

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Horse-racing concession extended for 24.5 years: Leong

Secretary for Economy and Finance Lionel Leong Vai Tac said yesterday that the government will extend the Macau Jockey Club’s (MJC) horse-racing concession, which was slated to expire today, for 24 years and six months to August 31, 2042.Leong made the remarks while speaking to reporters at the Bank of China (BOC) Building in Nam Van on the sidelines of a Chinese New Year reception hosted by the Macau Association of Banks (ABM).When the company’s horse-racing concession expired in late

February 28, 2018 | BY admin

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Cotai Water Jet, Cathay Pacific ink codeshare deal

Ferry operator Cotai Water Jet and Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific have signed a codeshare agreement that will make it easier and faster to book ferry tickets to Macau for passengers flying to Hong Kong, gaming resort company Sands China, which owns Cotai Water Jet, said in a statement yesterday.According to the statement, “this arrangement simplifies the purchasing process, provides greater passengers assurance, boosts journey connectivity and enhances accessibility to

February 28, 2018 | BY admin

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Stable hand arrested over horse’s death: police

The police arrested a man on Friday over alleged cruelty to a horse, which eventually led to the thoroughbred’s death last August, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Choi Ian Fai said during a regular press conference yesterday.Choi said the Judiciary Police received the case from the Public Prosecution Office (MP) about the unusual death of a horse, and was asked to investigate it.According to Choi, the suspect is a male staff member from Hong Kong who worked at the stable. The surname of the

February 28, 2018 | BY admin

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Retail sales top 66 billion patacas in 2017

Macau’s total value of retail sales rose 12.6 percent year on year to 66.26 billion patacas last year, the Statistics and Census Bureau (DSEC) said in a statement yesterday.According to the statement, retail sales of timepieces and jewellery accounted for 22.3 percent of the total value.Retail sales of leather goods (+22.4 percent), timepieces and jewellery (+17.0 percent), and cosmetic and sanitary articles (+15.2 percent) recorded major growth rates. PLEASE READ THE FULL ARTICLE IN OUR

February 28, 2018 | BY admin

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Speaker urges govt to improve submission of tax bills

Legislative Assembly (AL) President Ho Iat Seng said yesterday that the legislature would study with the government ways to improve the latter’s submission of urgent taxation bills to the legislature as well as their debate and voting procedures.Ho, an indirectly-elected lawmaker representing the city’s business sector, is the sole Macau member of the elite Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) in Beijing.Ho made the remarks while speaking to reporters on the

February 28, 2018 | BY admin

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Galaxy gives pay-rise, paternity leave from April

Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG) is giving eligible staff a pay rise ranging from 2.5 percent to 8 percent, as well as bringing in five-day paid paternity leave, both of which will start from April, the gaming operator said in a statement yesterday.According to the statement, over 70 percent of the staff will have higher than a 2.5 percent salary increase.The statement said that staff at senior manager grade and below who joined the company on or before April 1, 2018 would get a salary review

February 28, 2018 | BY admin

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Vietnamese maid nabbed for slapping toddler: police

A Vietnamese domestic helper was arrested yesterday for slapping a one-year-old toddler, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Choi Ian Fai said during a regular press conference yesterday in Zape.According to Choi, the suspect is a 35-year-old Vietnamese woman surnamed Nguyen, who has been working for a local family in Areia Preta since 2016. She was responsible for looking after the family’s one-year-old toddler, and a two-year-old child.Choi said that on Monday morning the children’s father

February 28, 2018 | BY admin

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