12 YEARS A-CHANGIN’ Double Down! ADVERTISING HERE Kowie Geldenhuys Paulo Coutinho www.macaudailytimes.com.mo +853 287 160 81 FOUNDER & PUBLISHER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF WEDNESDAY T. 17º/ 21º Air Quality Good MOP 8.00 3454 “ THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN’ ” N.º 15 Jan 2020 HKD 10.00 FIFTEEN PERCENT OF HOUSEHOLDS MACAU TRAVELERS RETURN ANALYSTS ARE DIVIDED OVER THE ARE UNCOOPERATIVE WHEN IT IMPACT A PROPOSED VISITOR TAX COMES TO SOLVING COMMON HOME FROM MANILA AFTER MIGHT HAVE ON MACAU’S IMAGE WATER LEAKAGE PROBLEMS VOLCANO DISTURBANCE AND ITS GAMBLING ECONOMY P2 P6 P4-5 China A bus plunged into a sinkhole on a city street in northwestern China, killing at least six people and leaving four missing, authorities said. Some 1,000 MACAU’S ECONOMY TO emergency workers and 30 vehicles were sent to the site, the emergency management bureau in the city of Xining said. A crane was called in FACE HEADWINDS IN 2020 to lift the bus above the sinkhole so rescue workers could look for UNIVERSITY OF MACAU RESEARCHERS SAY CHALLENGING CONDITIONS victims. ON THE MAINLAND WILL DO LITTLE TO LIFT MACAU OUT OF RECESSION China Shanghai ended P3 all official relations with the city of Prague yesterday after the Czech capital chose to partner with Taipei instead of Beijing. The foreign affairs office of the Shanghai municipal government snapped that they “strongly condemn (Prague’s decision) and solemnly protest!” Shanghai will immediately suspend relations and all official contact with Prague, the municipal government said in a notice. AP PHOTO Australia Smoke haze and poor air quality caused by wildfires temporarily suspended practice sessions for the Australian Open at Melbourne Park yesterday, but qualifying began later in the morning in “very poor” conditions and amid complaints by at least one player who was forced to forfeit her BLOOMBERG match. Egypt Officials said yesterday they would investigate the death in BLOOMBERG custody of a U.S. citizen Zhuhai who had gone on a hunger strike as part of a six-year battle against petrochemical what he insisted was wrongful imprisonment. plant goes Mustafa Kassem, 54, an Egyptian-born auto parts dealer from Long up in flames Island, New York, died late Monday of heart after huge failure after a hunger strike he began last year, HK pins hopes on trade, finance his lawyers said. explosion to restore city’s status More on backpage P7 P8 page 2 www.macaudailytimes.com.mo MACAU 澳門 15.01.2020 wed MACAU’S LEADING NEWSPAPER ted out that the quoted 81% LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY could also include situations where property owners fixed the problem, or the cause of the pro- 15% of households uncooperative blem was checked but could not be found, despite the follow-up in solving water leakage problems center still listing the situation as “concluded.” Whether or not the problems were eventually fi- JULIE ZHU cupants upstairs] are either not xed is still unclear, according to there or do not let us in to check Lam. IFTEEN out of every 100 hou- on it and fix it,” said Cheong. According to Cheong, the au- F se owners or occupants have Cheong said that he has per- thorities normally follow up water not cooperated with the Housing sonally experienced water see- leakage cases within two weeks. Bureau in solving water seepage page and leakage problems. The Secretary remarked that and leakages in residential units, He believes that the majority of property owners are responsi- according to Secretary for Ad- people who have been residing ble for resolving any seepage or ministration and Justice André in Macau for some years suffer leakage problem and that the Cheong Weng Chon. from similar problems. problem itself is usually a matter In these cases, either the ow- In 2019, 81% of nearly 19,000 between neighbors. If water see- ner or occupant could not be water seepage and leakage cases page or leakage is found inside a found or, when they were found, were concluded. private property, owners should they did not allow the Housing The government is currently first investigate the case in order Bureau’s water leakage control analyzing the follow-up proce- to co-ordinate with occupants for center officers to enter their dures of the Housing Bureau’s repairs. houses in order to check on or water leakage follow-up team, Only when property owners Secretary for Administration and Justice André Cheong Weng Chon fix the problem. hoping to improve its operations fail to solve the problem them- During yesterday’s Legislati- and solve related problems more selves can the relevant building ve Assembly, lawmakers Agnes Macau law does not allow go- “The greatest difficulty is for effectively. management company interfere. Lam and Mak Soi Kun asked vernmental entities to enter pri- the center’s officers to enter into Lawmakers Agnes Lam and Otherwise, if the property mana- about persistent water seepage vate houses to solve water seepa- people’s houses. Upon finding Au Kam San expressed doubt gement company cannot solve and water leakage problems in ge or leakage problems without that the problem lies in the ups- that Cheong’s statistics were ac- the problem, governmental de- Macau. the permission of their owners. tairs house, they [owner or oc- curate. Lam in particular poin- partments can provide help. experience of staying hungry, alongside promotional ses- Series of gov’t sions held during the camp. Charity expects HKD1.1m This year, it will be held on events to May 17. celebrate CNY from famine campaign World Vision is responding to hotter weather and tough ANTHONY LAM meteorological conditions collection of 27 activities will be held by that put those living in poorer A the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) to cele- ACAU Famine 2020, a countries in life and death si- brate the Chinese New Year. M charity campaign inclu- ANTHONY LAM tuations, the charity noted. It “The Long Journey: The Forbidden City ding a core event that requires is calling people to act against and Maritime Silk Road” is the biggest of the its participants to refrain from climate change by conserving activities. It is jointly organized by the Macao eating for 10 hours, is expec- energy and reducing their Museum of Art (MAM) and Beijing’s Palace ted to generate about HKD1.1 waste. Museum, featuring nearly 150 cultural relics million in cash donations. Drinks sponsored by Co- related to the Maritime Silk Road selected Amelia Che, Macau Office ca-Cola will be provided to from the Palace Museum’s collection. Director for World Vision, the participants at the Famine The Macao Chinese Orchestra will pre- international Christian chari- Camp. When asked if she sent the “Spring Festival Concert” at 3 p.m. ty organizing the campaign, has discussed waste and on January 18 at Rotunda de Carlos da Maia, announced this projection at recycling issues with the and at 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. on January 22 a press conference yesterday sponsor, Che said, “We have at the Jao Tsung-I Academy. The final con- held to announce the opening Amelia Che, Macau Office Director for World Vision made agreements with Co- cert will be held at 6 p.m. on January 23 at of the campaign. ca-Cola to provide water Anim’Arte NAM VAN. Che recalled that the ben- we will reach the benchmark,” of which is officially known as in barrels. Therefore, par- The School of Music of the Macao Con- chmark for the same cam- said the office director. “A Lai See Per Student,” accu- ticipants are encouraged servatory will host a concert at 3 p.m. on paign, known as the Macau Individuals from both the mulate small contributions to bring their own reusable January 19 at the Auditorium of the Macao Famine, is HKD1.1 million private and public sector have from the general public to tumblers or bottles to use at Conservatory. each year. Last year, the orga- expressed concern over the expand donations. Last year, the Camp.” Various “Chinese New Year Activities nization managed to attract city’s economic performance the charity attracted over Companies interested in 2020” will be held throughout the Chinese about HKD1.2 million in do- this year. “We have events sui- HKD500,000 of cash dona- helping also have the option New Year period at Iao Hon Market Garden, nations from the campaign. table for different people,” ex- tions from schools in the lai of joining the “One-meal Fa- Leisure Area at Edf. Lok Yeung Fa Yuen in Fai She is confident that the plained Che. “Our lai see [red see event. mine” event or souvenir sale. Chi Kei, Barra Square, Rotunda de Carlos da campaign this year will meet envelopes] and flag-selling Macau Famine has a core Regardless of whether peo- Maia, Pak Tai Temple in Taipa and Eduardo its benchmark. “Referencing events have been proven very event, the Famine Camp, whi- ple are joining any of the even- Marques Garden in Coloane. the donations received from effective in attracting dona- ch requires its participants to ts, donations can be made di- There will be lion dance performances at previous years, as well as the tions.” fast for 10 hours. It is held to rectly via Tai Fung Bank, Bank the Mandarin’s House and the “Chinese New programs this year, I believe The two events, the former allow participants gain a vivid of China, or by check. Year Concert” at the Lou Kau Mansion. AL 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 + 4 Million page views Kowie Geldenhuys [email protected] NEWSROOM AND CONTRIBUTORS_Albano Martins, Annabel Jackson, Anthony Lam, Emilie Tran, Irene Sam, OFFICE MANAGER Juliana Cheang [email protected] PER MONTH Ivo Carneiro de Sousa, Jacky I.F.