• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

FOUNDER & PUBLISHER Kowie Geldenhuys EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Paulo Coutinho www.macaudailytimes.com.mo FRIDAY T. 16º/ 21º Air Quality Good MOP 8.00 3487 “ THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN’ ” N.º 06 Mar 2020 HKD 10.00 MACAU MUST REPORT ANY SECRETARY LEI URGES ONE DOWN: BRITISH AIRLINE OUTBREAK OF ANIMAL FLYBE COLLAPSED AMID DISEASES TO THE CENTRAL MACAU TO IMPLEMENT DROPS IN DEMAND CAUSED GOVERNMENT: LAWMAKER BY THE NEW CORONAVIRUS P4 DIVERSIFICATION P2 P12 AP PHOTO China To keep his 40 employees indoors and P5 away from China’s virus FLIGHT60 RESIDENTS TO LAND COVID-19 TOMORROW AFTERNOON outbreak, the manager of an electronics factory in Dongguan, near Hong Kong, says he hired a cook and arranged dormitories for them. Cjtouch Electronic Co., is one of thousands of manufacturers trying to protect employees. More on p6 AP PHOTO China says a visit by its president, Xi Jinping, to Japan in April has been called off because both countries are focusing on combating the virus outbreak. The two countries both agree that “President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Japan must take place under the most appropriate timing, environment and atmosphere, and must be a complete success,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said. Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says Japan will impose a 14-day quarantine on all visitors from China and South Korea before they are allowed an entry permit. They will be sent to a government facility for the quarantine and will not be allowed to use public transportation, Abe said as officials stepped up their efforts against the spread of the virus. Australia has banned travel from South Korea and will BLOOMBERG more thoroughly screen travellers from Italy in a bid to Recovery curb the spread of the new coronavirus. The travel ban from late yesterday follows timeline similar bans on travel from China and Iran. Australian uncertain citizens and permanent residents are exempt from the ban. Those returning without from Korea are asked to self-isolate for 14 days when China’s help they return home. More on backpage P3 ANALYSIS, P12 EDITORIAL page 2 www.macaudailytimes.com.mo MACAU 澳門 06.03.2020 fri MACAU’S LEADING NEWSPAPER it was just a schedule. “We need XINHUA a direction to relieve the public,” referring to the fact that the com- munity is expected to hear details of the campaign. Thirty-two government public service points and 130 bank outle- ts will help with the distribution of cards, “in order to avoid people crowding,” the secretary explai- ned. People have raised concerns that Macau Pass will be able to obtain the personal data of indi- viduals. The secretary reassured the press that Macau Pass would obtain no personal data. “The re- gistration process is conducted by the Monetary Authority,” Lei said. When a registered resident col- lects the card, the ID number will be scanned. The secretary did not explain why this step would be required, nor did he explain who would provide the machine used to scan the ID card. The secretary also advised that a previously announced policy whereby the government would cover the water and electricity bills for the three-month period from March to May for all Macau private households would be extended to Financial Secretary urges cover companies, excluding casi- nos and 3- to 5-star hotels. In contrast to the unlimited Macau to study diversification coverage, companies will enjoy as much as MOP3,000 for water and a ANTHONY LAM the secretary emphasized. “I’ve new areas, such as e-sports deve- ongoing encouragement of local MOP10,000 monthly allowance for seen many intellectuals give their lopment. retailers to install the payment electricity use. The programs are HE Covid-19 outbreak in Ma- opinion. I encourage the public to The secretary was confident console. expected to cost the government Tcau is a lesson for the city to do so too, from which we can see that his team is doing enough A special Macau Pass card MOP1.8 million and MOP240 learn about the importance of more possibilities to diversify our work to support this group. “The will be issued for this cam- million respectively. economic diversification, Lei Wai economy.” scope of the self-employed can paign, after which the card will Another topic of great concern Nong, Secretary for Economy and Many small to medium si- be wide. They can be lawyers or remain functional. Registration in the community is the possibili- Finance, told the government’s zed enterprises have petitioned taxi drivers,” the secretary pointed will start this month, with cards ty of an extra cash handout, which daily press conference yesterday. the government for further relief out. being issued in April for use be- was considered unlikely by the fi- It has been about three weeks measures. The financial head said “Considering the difficulties tween May and July. nancial policymaker. Macau has a since the secretary last presented that the government must consi- now faced by the self-em- financial reserve of MOP570 himself at the daily press confe- der benefits to help people from ployed, I think the most ef- billion. Lei expects this year’s rence. all walks of life. People should be- fective way is by contacting financial deficit could go up “The current outbreak has gi- nefit from the measures fairly. the Labor Affairs Bureau, ”The current to MOP40 billion. However, ven us an important lesson: a nar- “We should see the whole pic- which offers job-matching outbreak has given he expressed his belief that row economy leads to a narrow ture when we make our policies,” services,” the secretary ela- the cash handout policy will employment market,” the secre- the secretary stressed. borated. “We hope they can us an important continue into next year. tary said. “Once the tide comes, it He was reminded that the relief have a job stability, so that Lei also referred to the gets extremely bumpy.” measures might have overlooked they can solve the current lesson: a narrow proposed financial relief The secretary believes that eco- an expanding group of self-em- challenges.” economy leads to a measures. Citizens will be nomic diversification is a must. ployed freelancers, which is an The main reason the se- able to enjoy as many as “Economic diversification must emerging profession in Macau. cretary appeared at yester- narrow employment nine types of allowances, be faced and must be faced now,” Many of these freelancers work in day’s press conference was while enterprises had access to disclose further details on market. to 11 types. The secretary the anticipated e-coupon LEI WAI NONG once again emphasized that measure. It was confirmed SECRETARY FOR ECONOMY AND FINANCE it was made possible due to First quarantined workers enter that the government had as- the foundation of Macau’s THE first batch of mainland non-res- land within the past 14 days were signed Macau Pass to manage the All Macau ID holders – perma- financial reserve. ident workers who were required to required to undergo quarantine. service. nent or non-permanent – will be The financial head is confident be quarantined at a designated hotel They were then given a no-infection For the time being, there are eligible for the relief measure. Each that when the situation improves, in Zhuhai entered Macau yester- certificate by the Zhuhai authority. about 13,000 points of sales instal- registered ID holder will enjoy a tourists will return to Macau. He day after completing their 14-day Afterwards, they were driven directly led with the Macau Pass payment MOP3,000 spending limit, with a also added that it would be un- quarantine period. The measure was to Macau by charter vehicles to avoid gateway in Macau. The number daily cap of MOP300. likely that gambling tax is cut, as enacted jointly by the Macau and any possible infection. As of 4 p.m. is expected to rise as the govern- When asked why he was confi- it is a legally stipulated policy and Zhuhai authorities on February 20. on March 4, some 1,114 people had Workers who have been in the main- been quarantined. ment rolls out the relief measure, dent that the campaign could roll any change will require it be pas- in addition to the government’s out in May, the secretary noted sed by the legislature. www.macaudailytimes.com.mo EDITOR-IN-CHIEF (DIRECTOR)_Paulo Coutinho [email protected] A MACAU TIMES PUBLICATIONS LTD PUBLICATION MANAGING EDITOR_Daniel Beitler [email protected] CONTRIBUTING EDITORS_Leanda Lee, Severo Portela, Sheyla Zandonai ADMINISTRATOR AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Kowie Geldenhuys [email protected] NEWSROOM AND CONTRIBUTORS_Albano Martins, Annabel Jackson, Anthony Lam, Emilie Tran, Irene Sam, OFFICE MANAGER Juliana Cheang [email protected] REACHING OUT! Ivo Carneiro de Sousa, Jacky I.F. Cheong, Jenny Lao-Phillips, João Palla Martins, Joseph Cheung, Julie Zhu, Juliet ADDRESS Av. da Praia Grande, 599, Edif. Comercial Rodrigues, 12 Floor C, Risdon, Linda Kennedy, Lynzy Valles, Paulo Cordeiro de Sousa, Renato Marques, Richard Whitfield, Viviana Seguí MACAU SAR Telephones: +853 287 160 81/2 Fax: +853 287 160 84 DESIGNERS_Eva Bucho, Miguel Bandeira | ASSOCIATE CONTRIBUTORS_JML Property, MdME Lawyers, Advertisement [email protected] +17,000 PokerStars, Ruan Du Toit Bester | NEWS AGENCIES_ Associated Press, Bloomberg, MacauHub, MacauNews, Xinhua For subscription and general issues: [email protected] | Printed at Welfare Printing Ltd Like us on facebook.com/mdtimes SECRETARY_Yang Dongxiao [email protected] SEND NEWSWORTHY INFORMATION AND PRESS RELEASES TO: [email protected] WEBSITE: WWW.MACAUDAILYTIMES.COM.MO www.macaudailytimes.com.mo page 3 fri 06.03.2020 澳門 MACAU MACAU’S LEADING NEWSPAPER two months. He also said that no- body can be certain how long the crisis will last.

Load more

  12

Copy Link