Q4 REAL ESTATE INSURGENTS FIGHT ON DESPITE CHIMELONG SALES UP ADVENT OF DEMOCRACY ANIMAL The volume of real estate Myanmar’s civil war hasn’t CARE transactions in the fourth ended, even with democracy CONCERNS quarter of 2015 registered triumphant in recent growth over previous period elections P5 P7 P12 THU.18 Feb 2016 T. 11º/ 16º C H. 70/ 90% Blackberry email service powered by CTM MOP 7.50 2499 N.º HKD 9.50 FOUNDER & PUBLISHER Kowie Geldenhuys EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Paulo Coutinho “ THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN’ ” WORLD BRIEFS HUMAN RESOURCES PHILIPPINES Four people, including a six-year-old girl, were killed in a roadside bombing in the southern Skilled expats stall, Philippines by suspected Muslim insurgents who wanted to attack military reinforcements, police said yesterday. The non-skilled soar 160 pct victims were in a van in P2 MDT REPORT Datu Saudi Ampatuan town in Maguindanao province Tuesday night when the improvised bomb went off. GOOGLE MAP China deploys missiles AP PHOTO on disputed island P10,11 AUSTRALIA A Virgin Australia flight from Sydney to Los Angeles was diverted after the airline received a bomb threat that turned out to be a hoax, the airline said. The plane was forced to land in the eastern city of Brisbane yesterday after the threat was called in. Police searched the plane and determined there was no danger. The plane resumed its flight to LA. AP PHOTO AUSTRALIA The prime minister warned that resettling asylum seekers in New Zealand instead of deporting them to the Pacific atoll of Nauru could encourage more asylum seekers to try to reach Australian shores by boat. The plight of 267 asylum seekers facing deportation from Australia to Nauru will be discussed when Malcolm Turnbull meets his New Zealand counterpart John Key for annual talks in Sydney tomorrow. More on backpage 18.02.2016 thu th Anniversary 2 MACAU 澳聞 Ho: AL facing ‘multiple HUMAN RESOURCES challenges’ Skilled expats stall, while non-skilled soar 160 percent The Legislative Assembly’s (AL) president, HE number of non-re- Ho Iat Seng (pictured), said yesterday that sident workers in Ma- the parliament’s projects have been facing cau has risen unaba- “multiple challenges.” “The constant social tedly over the last five BLOOMBERG changes, together with historical issues Tyears, largely due to the growth inherited from the past and other problems, of the gaming industry over the have contributed to the appearance of past decade. numerous interests and demands. As a Over the same period, the result, the Legislative Assembly is facing number of skilled imported more complex tasks,” the president said at workers in Macau has grown yesterday’s Spring Festival lunch, organized only marginally, which has by the AL for the local press. Speaking to been attributed to difficulties in journalists on the sidelines of the event, Ho criticized some local public departments, renewing work permits for fo- commenting that some officials did not know reign workers. how to apply the law. He also said that the According to data from the government is taking too long to amend its Statistics and Census (DSEC), proposals if the AL’s committees oppose them. there were around 70,000 fo- Hence, the 10 draft laws currently under reign workers in mid-2010. The discussion may not be approved before the Public Security Police (PSP) summer. reported up to 181,415 as of Ja- nuary 31, 2016, an increase of ‘Pop-up Canada’ event almost 160 percent in just over half a decade. A man pulls a handcart loaded with boxes along a street in Macau to boost Macau interest Foreign workers in Macau ef- fectively account for just over been a rise in skilled foreign workers who are currently avai- The Consulate General of Canada in Hong a quarter of the territory’s total workers from France, due to lable. As such, it facilitates the Kong is hosting the first “Pop-Up Canada! population. the country’s growing status as employment of foreigners whi- in Macao” event at the Grand Lapa Macau This growth is mostly dri- a key supplier of cosmetics, lu- The le also protecting local citizens’ hotel between February 22 and 24. The event, ven by the arrival of mainland xury goods, wine and spirits. importation of jobs.” modeled after the successful pop-up store Chinese workers, who are lar- Howard Stribbell is the Head “Anecdotally, it seems like the concept sweeping many countries, will give gely involved in non-skilled of School at The International non-resident number [of expat workers] is the Consulate General a greater presence labor. By late January 2016, School (TIS) of Macau and Pre- remaining the same or slightly in Macau and offer the public the chance PRC nationals accounted for sident of the Canadian Cham- workers is only decreasing,” he added. to take part in several events and seminars approximately 63.7 percent of ber of Commerce in Macau; In contrast, Kam Man Ho on Canada. The seminars will include talks the imported labor workfor- both positions keep him infor- allowed on estimated that the size of Ma- on studying in the country, immigration to ce (115,688), while those from med about the recruitment of cau’s French population might Canada, and Canadian tourism, trade and a temporary investment. The information booth will be the Philippines (24,934), Viet- workers from abroad. have doubled over the last five open to interested parties on all three dates, nam (14,989) and Hong Kong “We continue to see expats basis (…) years, despite government figu- while the seminars will be held on Tuesday, (8,821) accounted for roughly coming into Macau,” Stribbell when the local res revealing little change in the February 23. 13.7 percent, 8.3 percent and told the Times. “However, we number of aggregate foreign 4.9 percent, respectively. are also hearing of some expa- workers from Europe, the Ame- However, while non-skilled ts’ [applications] being declined labor force is ricas, and Oceania. Zika to be recognized as labor is on the rise, the propor- when their work visas are due insufficient or This may be a deliberate po- tion of imported labor that falls for renewal.” licy on the part of government infectious disease under the category of “profes- The exact reasons for the decli- non-existent. agencies. A DSAL representati- sional” (skilled, qualified em- ne remain unclear in some ins- ve told the Times that the Hu- ployees) has steadily declined tances. A representative of the DSAL man Resources Office “adopts proportionally from 7 percent Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) a pragmatic attitude to appro- in January 2011 to 3.68 percent told the Times that under the few difficulties securing em- priately adjusting the number in November 2015, according to law, “the importation of non-re- ployment. of non- resident workers in res- DSEC. sident workers is only allowed Furthermore, the growing ponse to social economic deve- Most foreign workers from the on a temporary basis under the population of wealthier and lopment trends.” The inclusion of Zika on the official list of Americas (683), Europe (985) conditions of equal cost and ef- better-educated local residen- Imported skilled workers infectious diseases was approved yesterday and Oceania (355) are involved ficiency when [the] local labor may find it difficult to obtain at the Legislative Assembly following the ts (the average wage reached outbreak of two cases in mainland China. in skilled employment. force is insufficient or non-exis- MOP15,000 in November) long-term employment in the The Health Bureau has now enacted a Kam Man Ho, the PR and tent.” According to the bureau, is looking at occupations in MSAR if the Human Resour- serious of preventative measures, including Communications Manager at this policy is in place to protect the service sector, crowding ces Office someday deems the the suspension of the acceptance of blood the Consulate General of France employment opportunities for out skilled imported workers local labor market sufficiently donations from persons who have visited in Hong Kong and Macau, told locals. from the market. qualified for job postings. affected territories, unless the persons have the Times that many French With the unemployment rate On the government’s grants of However, with a growing been back in Macau and symptom-free for nationals in the MSAR are “in- hovering around a healthy 2 work visas to skilled foreigners, number of qualified local resi- more than 28 days. Secretary for Social Affairs volved in trade and retail activi- percent (the rate stood at 1.9 Stribbell said: “The government dents, Macau’s population of and Culture, Alexis Tam, said that authorities ties (wholesale, retail, import/ percent throughout the se- acknowledges that the demand imported non-skilled workers must prepare for the occurence of imported export, logistics).” cond half of 2015), local Ma- for service sector workers ex- is set to continue its upward cases of Zika in the region. Kam added that there has cau residents reportedly have ceeds the number of Macau trajectory. 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