FOUNDER & PUBLISHER Kowie Geldenhuys EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Paulo Coutinho www.macaudailytimes.com.mo MONDAY T. 18º/ 22º Air Quality Moderate MOP 8.00 3727 “ THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN’ ” N.º 08 Mar 2021 HKD 10.00 THE PANDEMIC OUTBREAK HAS GOV’T REFUTES US-BASED FAOM: 73% OF SURVEYED WOMEN USHERED IN AN ECONOMIC CRISIS IN REPORTED WORRIES ABOUT THEIR THE CITY CAUSING A GDP DECLINE OF REPORT ON ECONOMIC FUTURE EMPLOYMENT AND ARE 56.3% IN THE WHOLE OF 2020 FREEDOM INDEX FACING FINANCIAL STRESS P2 P3 P2 AP PHOTO China’s foreign minister warned the Biden A TRIBUTE TO administration yesterday to roll back former President Donald Trump’s “dangerous practice” of showing support for Taiwan, the island democracy claimed by Beijing as its own territory. FALLEN COMPATRIOTS The claim to Taiwan, which split with the mainland in 1949, is an “insurmountable MARQUES RENATO red line,” Wang Yi said at a Myanmar nationals news conference. in Macau held a AP PHOTO candlelight vigil to mourn the victims Thailand Demonstrators of the military coup, from student-led pro- democracy movement held a peaceful protest outside which saw at least 56 Bangkok’s Criminal Court to bring public attention protestors fighting to the plight of several of their detained leaders. The movement, a coalition for democracy shot of several groups, was P3,12 launched last year with demands for Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and his government to step down, the constitution to be amended to make it more democratic and the monarchy to be reformed to make it more accountable. AP PHOTO India The Dalai Lama, the 85-year-old Tibetan spiritual leader, was administered the first shot of the coronavirus vaccine at a hospital in the north Indian hill town of Dharmsala. After receiving the injection, he urged people to come forward, be brave and get vaccinated. TWO SESSIONS GRAND PRIX India Authorities in Indian- controlled Kashmir have Work has been AGENCY PHOTO MACAU sent at least 168 Rohingya F3 race refugees to a holding center, police said yesterday, in conducted a process that they say subject to is for the deportation of to ensure thousands of the refugees living in the region. The move uncertain began the previous day that Macau is following a directive from the future: region’s home department governed by to identify Rohingya living in reports the southern city of Jammu. patriots More on backpage P4 P5 page 2 www.macaudailytimes.com.mo MACAU 澳門 08.03.2021 mon MACAU’S LEADING NEWSPAPER nancial support from the govern- XINHUA ment is needed. Considering the situation, the lawmaker took the chance to request another phase of financial support from the go- vernment. Lei added that the survey showed that respondents are ha- ppy to see the third phase of con- sumption vouchers conducted again. In terms of livelihood stress, about 67% respondents reported significant level of pressure, with 417 respondents reporting heavy pressure and 379 extremely heavy pressure. Comparatively, 72 responden- ts reported minor stress, with 45 respondents reporting light stress and 27 extremely light stress. Nearly 70% of the respondents cited financial condition as the major source of stress. About a Over 70% local women worried quarter attributed the source to family relations. Meanwhile, lawmaker Leong regarding employment prospects Sun Iok, who is also an executive ANTHONY LAM total of 3,900 questionnaires were As such, they have been facing fi- most respondents reported ear- at the FAOM, called for a more distributed. nancial stress. ning between MOP10,000 and woman-friendly workplace by UT of 1,186 valid responses Only 80, or about 7%, of res- About a half of the respon- MOP14,999 per month, with offering more flexible schedules, Oreceived in a survey, 73%, or pondents reported no worry at all. dents reported working “nor- 17% having reported so. A simi- as well as improving support for 869, respondents reported wor- Lawmaker Ella Lei, who is also mally,” otherwise understood as lar percentage of respondents children’s education and protec- ries across two different levels an executive at the FAOM, poin- being employed. About a quar- reported an average monthly in- tion. about their future employment, ted out that nearly half of the ter, meanwhile, reported jobless. come between MOP15,000 and The survey was released yes- the Macao Federation of Trade respondents work in culture and Nearly 120 respondents reported MOP19,999. terday, a day ahead of the annual Unions (FAOM) said yesterday. entertainment, gambling or retail having unpaid leave or suspen- Similar percentages – about International Women’s Day that is The FAOM ran the survey by industries. Under the conditions ded from work, while 111 respon- 17% - were recorded for each celebrated today. random sampling on various of the Covid-19 pandemic, they dents were waiting or looking for of the groups earning less than March 8 marks the annual ce- social media platforms, as well were forced to take unpaid leave another job. MOP4,350 and above MOP20,000. lebration of the social, economic, as through FAOM members be- or have their commissions deduc- In terms of average monthly More than 90% respondents cultural, and political achieve- tween February 27 and March 4. A ted, if not resign or get dismissed. income in the past 12 months, agreed that a third phase of fi- ments of women. ECONOMY GDP decline in line with Lei Wai Nong’s forecast of over 50% LYNZY VALLES by 15.1%, resulting from a quarters, the growth will mic relief measures, which decline in private construc- almost duplicate,” Martins drove up government final HE pandemic outbreak tion investment. previously told the Times, consumption expenditure Thas ushered in an eco- BLOOMBERG Private consumption de- yet adding that the city may by 11.4%. nomic crisis in the city, creased by 16.3% year-on- see a two-digit growth next With respect to external causing a gross domestic -year as residents went out year. demand, visitor arrivals to product (GDP) decline of less and made fewer trips Another economist, José Macau dropped by 85.0% 56.3%, of which the gross abroad amid the pandemic Luís de Sales Marques, also due to travel restrictions im- domestic product amoun- and uncertain economic previously said that “Macau posed on different places; ted to MOP194.4 billion pa- outlook. would not have a V-shaped hence, exports of services tacas. Th GDP decline was, recovery,” as the Chinese slid by 74.9% year-on-year, The downturn was in however, lower than the outbound tourism market, with exports of gaming ser- line with the forecast of Se- forecast of economist Al- despite its strong recovery vices and other tourism ser- cretary for Economy and bano Martin, who belie- speed, is behaving cautiou- vices falling by 80.4% and Finance Lei Wai Nong, who ved that the year-to-year sly towards Macau. 73.4% respectively. On the predicted during his Legis- GDP real decrease would Meanwhile, in response other hand, the export of lative Assembly (AL) ple- be between 61% to 64%. to the pandemic, the SAR goods soared by 128.9%. nary meeting in November “In the future, I think that government has scaled up GDP contracted by that the estimates on GDP Previously, during the fall by 60.9% this year. the first quarter of 2021 the procurement of protec- 45.9% year-on-year in real for this year suggest that it height of the sluggish eco- In 2020, the domestic may see a decrease becau- tive gear and medical su- terms in the fourth quar- may decrease by approxi- nomy due to the outbreak, demand shrank by 10.3% se of the ‘strong’ [GDP in] pplies, rented hotels to be ter of 2020, a lesser decline mately 56.8%, “a shrinking the government forecast year-on-year; while gross January and […] February used as quarantine facili- than in the preceding quar- rate of over 50%.” that Macau’s GDP would fixed capital formation fell of 2020. But in the next ties and introduced econo- ter (-63.8%). www.macaudailytimes.com.mo EDITOR-IN-CHIEF (DIRECTOR)_Paulo Coutinho [email protected] A MACAU TIMES PUBLICATIONS LTD PUBLICATION ASSISTANT EDITOR_Lynzy Valles SENIOR WRITER_Honey Tsang 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, Daniel Beitler, Emilie Tran, OFFICE MANAGER Juliana Cheang [email protected] REACHING OUT! Irene Sam, Ivo Carneiro de Sousa, Jacky I.F. Cheong, Jenny Lao-Phillips, João Palla Martins, Joseph Cheung, Julie ADDRESS Av. da Praia Grande, 599, Edif. 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