Speaker confident all bills to be voted on before end of term

Legislative Assembly (AL) President Ho Iat Seng said yesterday he was confident that the bills which are being reviewed in the legislature’s standing committees can be resubmitted to the legislature’s plenum for their final article-by-article votes, by the time the legislature completes its current term later this year.The city’s top lawmaker also said that if the business sector supports him to run in the upcoming indirect legislative election, he will stand for re-election.Ho, an

February 15, 2017 | BY admin

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60 pct of casino workers back smoking lounges

Research findings show that 60 percent of Macau’s casino workers think that a full smoking ban in casinos would have a positive impact on them, but when given options, only 40 percent chose a full smoking ban whereas 60 percent preferred the retention of smoking lounges, University of Macau (UM) Faculty of Business Administration Associate Professor Desmond Lam Chee Shiong said yesterday.Among the 60 percent who preferred the retention of smoking lounges, 47 percent opted for improved air

February 14, 2017 | BY admin

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Police nab suspected robbers

The Judiciary Police (PJ) have arrested two men from the mainland on suspicion of robbing a male compatriot of his mobile phone, PJ spokeswoman Lei Hon Nei said during a special press conference yesterday.Lei identified the two suspects as surnamed Rao, aged 29, and Li, aged 32.Lei said that last Tuesday, the victim was sitting in Nam Van after gambling in a casino nearby. Rao went up to the victim and asked him whether he would like to borrow some money to gamble with.Judiciary Police (PJ)

February 14, 2017 | BY admin

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Relaying of cable is ‘isolated case’: CEM

CEM Customer Liaison Committee Vice President Iun Iok Meng yesterday described the relaying of the underground high-voltage cable connecting the power utility’s substation in Ilha Verde to its substation in Cotai only five years after the cable was first laid, which was designed to last 30 years, as an “isolated case”.Local think tank Macau Synergy Association held a press conference about the issue last week, urging the government and CEM to explain why the cable needed to be relayed.The

February 14, 2017 | BY admin

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Govt to consult public on LRT law

The government launched a two-month public consultation yesterday on proposed legislation on the future operation of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) system, with the aim of finishing a draft bill regulating the matter by the end of this year.A press conference about the public consultation was held yesterday at the Transport Bureau (DSAT). It was co-hosted by Transport Infrastructure Office (GIT) Deputy Director Ng Keng Chung. The government has said that the Taipa segment of the LRT is scheduled

February 14, 2017 | BY admin

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Group petitions govt to preserve 11 Coloane shipyards

The grassroots New Macau Association (NMA) handed in a petition, addressed to Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On, at Government Headquarters yesterday, urging the government to preserve all 11 derelict shipyards in Coloane’s Lai Chi Vun Village and redevelop them in line with the research into the site by the government in 2012.A total of 11 dilapidated shipyards out of 14 in Coloane’s Lai Chi Vun Village will be demolished starting next month, Marine and Water Bureau (DSAMA) Director

February 14, 2017 | BY admin

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Woman cheated out of 1.2 million yuan in diamond scam

A mainland woman was cheated out of 1.2 million yuan in a diamond investment scam by a mainland man she met online, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokeswoman Lei Hon Nei said yesterday during a regular press briefing.Lei said the woman became friends with the man, through an online messaging application in 2015, who claimed to be involved in the VIP rooms in one of the local casinos as well as investments in diamonds.According to Lei, the woman came to Macau on January 11 to meet the man, who then

February 14, 2017 | BY admin

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Bill offers minors better protection: lawmakers

During a meeting of the legislature’s 3rd Standing Committee yesterday, lawmakers agreed with the government’s intention of making people who pay for sex with minors criminally responsible, as well as those who produce, sell and distribute pornography involving minors, Cheang Chi Keong, who chairs the committee, said.Cheang briefed reporters after a closed-door meeting with government officials, including Secretary for Administration and Justice Sonia Chan Hoi Fan, at the Legislative

February 14, 2017 | BY admin

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Leong expects economy to show ‘modest’ growth

Secretary for Economy and Finance Lionel Leong Vai Tac says the government is confident that Macau’s economy will record “modest” growth this year.Leong made the remarks on Friday at the headquarters of the local branch of Bank of China (BOC) on the sidelines of a Chinese New Year reception hosted by the Macau Association of Banks (ABM), saying that while Macau’s economy in the first half of last year continued the downward trend seen in 2015, the second half of 2016 recorded a

February 13, 2017 | BY admin

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USJ to teach local Creole

The Lifelong Learning Office of the private University of St. Joseph will launch a three-month course on Patuá, Macau’s critically endangered Creole.According to the university’s website, the course will be taught by Alan Baxter, a creolist and dean of the USJ Faculty of Humanities.The 20-hour course, which will be taught in Portuguese and English, will run every Wednesday from 6:30 p.m. to 21:00 p.m. from next week to April 12. The course fee amounts to 1,600 patacas.Cover of a brochure

February 13, 2017 | BY admin

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Forum backs 2-stroke engine bike subsidy

Panellists at yesterday’s Macau Forum supported the government’s subsidy which aims to scrap motorcycles with two-stroke engines, but urged the government to implement longer-sighted plans to improve Macau’s air quality.The weekly open-air debate is hosted by government-owned broadcaster TDM in Areia Preta Park every Sunday.The Environmental Protection Bureau (DSPA) has launched a 3,500 pataca subsidy to encourage residents to give up their vehicles with two-stroke engines which produce

February 13, 2017 | BY admin

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Group aims to enhance youth’s spirit of humanity

The Rotaract Club of Macau announced yesterday that it will organise its annual “Macau Goodwill Ambassador Programme”, with the theme this year being “humanity in action”, which aims to enhance young local people’s humanitarian concerns.Rotaract, which originally began as a Rotary International youth programme in 1968, is a service, leadership, professional and community service organisation for young men and women between the ages 18 and 30, according to Wikipedia.The Rotaract Club

February 13, 2017 | BY admin

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Govt finishes study on manufacturing development

The Economic Services Bureau (DSE) has finished a study on how Macau should reposition itself in the development of its industrial sector, according to a statement from the bureau yesterday.Macau’s industrial sector consists of manufacturing, public utilities (electricity, gas and water supply), plus mining and quarrying. According to the Statistics and Census Bureau (DSEC), mining and quarrying are a negligible part of the city’s industrial sector.The city’s manufacturing sector was once

February 13, 2017 | BY admin

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High death rate for lung cancer: surgeon

For many years lung cancer has been the biggest killer compared to other cancers in the city, local surgeon Chu Wai Kuok said yesterday.Chu made the remarks while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a forum organised by the Macau Medical and Health Federation. The forum, about the latest cancer treatments, was held at Macau Fisherman’s Wharf Convention & Exhibition Centre.Chu said that according to data from the Health Bureau (SSM), lung cancer has been the number one killer of

February 13, 2017 | BY admin

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