Official election campaign kicks off

Candidates running in the September 17 legislative elections and their supporters gathered in Praça do Tap Seac around midnight on Friday to mark the official start of the two-week official campaign period by putting up their respective electoral groups’ campaign posters.Reporters said about a thousand people were present.Officially, the campaign started at 0:00 on Saturday and ends on September 15 at 11:59 p.m. No campaigning is allowed on the eve of polling day. Campaigning is also

September 4, 2017 | BY admin

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Typhoons slow casino revenue growth in August

Macau’s casino revenue growth slowed in August after accelerating for three consecutive months as two typhoons disrupted operations in the city.Gross gaming receipts rose 20.4 percent year on year to 22.67 billion patacas last month, according to data released by the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) on Friday. That exceeds the median estimate for an 18.5 percent increase in a Bloomberg survey of eight analysts. Gaming revenue climbed 29.2 percent to 22.96 billion patacas in

September 4, 2017 | BY admin

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Hato fiasco reveals deep-rooted problems: academic

The Hato disaster could push the 24 election groups in the direct legislative election on September 17 to pay more attention to the solving of deep-rooted problems in Macau’s civil society, Chan Chi Wang, an academic from the University of Hong Kong, said yesterday.Chan made the comments while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a forum about the landscape of the direct legislative election.The forum, organised by the local Catholic publication Observatório de Macau (“Macau

September 4, 2017 | BY admin

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Ex-liaison chief axed, Zhuhai mayor probed

The former director of the Central People’s Government Liaison Office in Macau, Li Gang, has lost his National People’s Congress (NPC) seat and is under investigation for “severe violations of party discipline”, according to a statement on the NPC website on Friday.Li was abruptly removed from his post as deputy chief of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council late last month. He had held the post since July last year.Observers have pointed out that the 62-year-old

September 4, 2017 | BY admin

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Group quits election race ‘to help Hato victims’

Lei Kit Meng, who heads the electoral group Pink Loves the Population, said yesterday his group had decided to withdraw from the September 17 direct legislative election since his group wanted to use its “limited time and resources” to help those who were affected by Typhoon Hato which hit Macau last week.It is the first time since the establishment of the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) that a group has quit the election race after it had officially joined it.The direct and

September 1, 2017 | BY admin

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Sands China to chip-in 65 million-patacas for Hato relief

Gaming operator Sands China said in a statement yesterday that it will donate 65 million patacas to assist with long-term relief, recovery and rebuilding efforts in Macau in the aftermath of Typhoon Hato.According to the statement, the 65 million patacas is a combination of 30 million patacas from Sands China and 35 million patacas from the Adelson Family Foundation.“We are saddened by the loss inflicted on so many, but inspired by the perseverance and dedication of all those who have already

September 1, 2017 | BY admin

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Group urges Chui to quit over Hato fiasco

The New Macau Association (NMA) said yesterday that Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On should take full responsibility for the Hato debacle by resigning, because as the head of the city’s civil protection he performed poorly when responding to the disaster that killed 10 and injured over 200.The association held a press conference yesterday at its office in Nam Van about the aftermath of the super typhoon which hit Macau last Wednesday and how the government should be held accountable for

September 1, 2017 | BY admin

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Lawmaker urges govt to raise transparency

Lawmaker Ho Ion Sang urged the government yesterday to raise its level of transparency and implement an accountability system for senior officials to minimise any damage to Macau like the aftermath of Typhoon Hato.Ho made the remarks at a press conference yesterday about his 2013-2017 legislative work, at the General Union of Neighbourhood Associations’ community service centre in Toi San district. The union is widely known as Kai Fong, its name in Cantonese.Ho said the aftermath of Hato

September 1, 2017 | BY admin

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‘Low probability’ for No. 8 signal on Sunday: weather chief

Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG) Acting Director Leong Ka Cheng said yesterday it was “likely” that the No. 3 signal will be hoisted tomorrow night or in the early hours of Sunday.However, Leong was quick to add there was only a “low probability” that the No. 8 signal will be hoisted on Sunday morning for the tropical depression that formed west of Luzon in the Philippines yesterday morning.Leong made the remarks during a special press conference about the government’s

September 1, 2017 | BY admin

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Govt to cut tax for Hato-hit vehicle owners

Financial Services Bureau (DSF) Director Iong Kong Leong said yesterday that the government will launch a vehicle tax reduction scheme for vehicle owners affected by Typhoon Hato if they buy a new one to replace a vehicle damaged in the severe floods.Iong made the remarks during a special press conference about the government’s ongoing disaster relief measures for the Hato aftermath. Iong, several other officials and Macao Water and power utility CEM representatives attended the press

September 1, 2017 | BY admin

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Kids learn life lessons from Typhoon Hato before school starts

As usual, it was all play-eat-sleep-repeat for children over the summer holidays but this year was a bit different as deadly Typhoon Hato wrapped up the summer where children learnt to live without electricity and water for days.Not only children, but most other people in Macau experienced for the first time how having a shower was a luxury when the typhoon disrupted the city’s power and water supplies.Many residents went out to help clean up the mess Hato left, deliver water and food to

September 1, 2017 | BY admin

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Ballot won’t be put back due to Hato: elex chief

Legislative Assembly Electoral Affairs Committee (CAEAL) President Tong Hio Fong said yesterday his committee had decided not to postpone the September 17 polling day in spite of the devastation caused by Typhoon Hato last week, after evaluating various factors.Tong made the remarks after reporters had asked him about the matter.The direct and indirect legislative elections are scheduled to take place on September 17 while the official campaign period runs from Saturday to September 15.Speaking

August 31, 2017 | BY admin

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Old shipyard wrecked by Hato: culture chief

Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) President Leung Hio Ming said yesterday that a dilapidated shipyard in Coloane’s Lai Chi Vun Village was completely destroyed when Typhoon Hato hit Macau last week.Leung made the remarks during a special press conference about the government’s ongoing disaster relief measures for the Hato aftermath. Lam, several other officials and Macao Water and power utility CEM representatives attended the press conference at the Government Information Bureau (GCS) in Nam

August 31, 2017 | BY admin

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Typhoon Hato damages Cats’ Paradise: Anima

Local animal protection group Anima President Albano Martins said yesterday that over 100 residents had offered to temporarily look after one or two of the cats that usually stay at the group’s Cats’ Paradise, a feline shelter in Coloane, which was seriously damaged by Typhoon Hato last Wednesday.According to a statement by the group on Saturday, Animaasked the general public to foster one or two of the group’s cats from Cats’ Paradise for two months since the group needs some time to

August 31, 2017 | BY admin

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