THE BENEFITS OF HOTEL ESTORIL INELIGIBLE NUKE LOYALTY PROGRAMS FOR PROTECTION Loyalty programs maximize hotel The Cultural Heritage THREAT occupancy and guest satisfaction, Council backs the decision NOT ALL according to Sheraton Macao’s not to list the Hotel Estoril BLUFF AND managing director for protection BLUSTER P2 P5 P11,12 NORTH KOREA WED.16 Mar 2016 T. 14º/ 17º C H. 70/ 98% Blackberry email service powered by CTM MOP 7.50 2518 N.º HKD 9.50 FOUNDER & PUBLISHER Kowie Geldenhuys EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Paulo Coutinho “ THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN’ ” AD SURVEY | 17 PERCENT OF HK MAIDS ENGAGED IN FORCED LABOR Forced labor of domestic helpers ‘less likely’ in Macau P3 WORLD BRIEFS CHINA plans to set up a commercial rocket- launch company in view of the market’s potential, the official Xinhua news agency reported. Sanjiang Space Group Co. is preparing to enter the commercial-rocket business with a launch slated for 2017. More on p11 AP PHOTO MYANMAR’s parliament yesterday elected Htin Kyaw as the country’s new president in a watershed moment that ushers the longtime opposition party of Aung San Suu Kyi into government after 54 years of direct or indirect military rule. AFGHANISTAN President Ashraf Ghani says the Islamic State group is “on the run” in an eastern border province where in recent months the militants had taken Associations join forces against over some remote districts. P6 More on backpage infectious diseases facility 16.03.2016 wed th Anniversary 2 MACAU 澳聞 TOURISM Hong Kong teenage Manager discusses benefits suicides draw local of loyalty programs attention situation involving stu- own lives in Hong Kong. HE British Business Asso- A dents committing suici- According to Cheong, stu- Tciation of Macau (BBAM) de in Hong Kong has come dent suicide occurs mainly yesterday launched the BBAM to public attention in Macau. in September and October, Breakfast Business Briefings, a The Education and You- which corresponds to the be- new initiative to commemorate th Bureau (DSEJ) recently ginning of the new semester. its tenth anniversary, at The St. held a workshop to encoura- “When students are afraid to Regis Macao. ge schools to send students face a new environment, whi- Invited speaker Janet McNab, with potential suicidal incli- le nobody is there to provide managing director of Sheraton nations to psychologists and them with help, they may at- Grand Macao Hotel and The counselors. tempt to kill themselves. But St. Regis Macao, shared her Cases of student suicide pressure from school is not insights on how Starwood’s have been increasing in fre- the only reason. The reasons innovative loyalty programs quency. Twenty-two stu- are always a mix of physical, maximize hotel occupancy ra- dents in Hong Kong have mental, and financial issues,” tes and guest satisfaction, in a reportedly killed themselves Cheong said. session titled: “Keeping loyalty since last September. More During the workshop, sexy with today’s Generation Y than half of these cases in- DSEJ urged teachers to take travelers.” volved high school students. the initiative if they notice BBAM’s Breakfast Business Cheong Pek Ut, consultant anything abnormal by, for Briefings are a monthly initia- senior officer at the Centre instance, asking students tive for Macau-based senior of Psycho-pedagogical Su- whether they are planning practitioners. Each briefing pport and Special Education to commit suicide, as well as offers discussions of new bu- of DSEJ, commented that entrusting potentially suici- siness practices as well as ne- “these reports will affect Ma- dal students to counselors tworking opportunities, packa- cau, particularly by putting and psychologists. The num- ging local and international in- pressure on education staff. ber of student counselors sights into a “compact format” Macau and Hong Kong are has been steadily increasing, for attendees. Janet McNab neighboring regions; suicide according to DSEJ. There McNab introduced the is infectious.” are currently 225 counselo- “Starwood Preferred Gues- distinctive qualities consumers entertained, and ensure that In 2014, 11.4 individuals per rs, each of them supporting ts” (SPG) loyalty program to look for when traveling; an as- they tell their friends and come 100,000 tried to end their 365 students. BBAM members and guests. pect under consideration many again,” he said. When asked how SPG deals businesses nowadays. “This event highlights BBAM’s with the Chinese market in “It’s a real ‘what’s in it for members’ genuine interest in Companies encouraged both mainland China and Ma- me?’ kind of society that we live growing Macau’s reputation cau, McNab said, “The Chine- in, and it’s not age-specific,” the for excellence in hospitality. to step into e-commerce se market is just as willing to hotelier added. Through similar future events, participate, as you can see in Henry Brockman, Chairman BBAM will continue to provide the growth of the Asia-Pacific of BBAM, believes that it is im- its members with the oppor- business market. […] The growth for us portant for Macau to maintain tunity to broaden their un- is not in North America, but good relationships with guests. derstanding and increase their HE Youth Entrepreneu- keeping an eye on the de- outside [of that region].” “It is vital for Macau to keep competitive edge,” Brockman Trship Incubation Center velopment of e-commerce, McNab also mentioned the its hotel visitors happy and added. Staff reporter organized a range of lectu- encouraging small and me- res on cross-border e-com- dium sized local busines- merce over the weekend. ses that are currently based The founders of several around traditional trading companies were invited to to change to an online for- ONE SHOT NEWS share their experiences, mat, and hence promote Journal Va Kio reported. youth entrepreneurship. The large market sur- “The government hopes rounding online shopping that through these lectures in China has encouraged both companies and young companies to step into the people will gain a deeper e-commerce business. The understanding of e-com- blend between traditional merce, and that we can also trading and online business speed up the connections is a novel way to develop in- between traditional and on- dustries, believes Sou Tim line trading,” Sou informed. Peng, director of the Macau Since last year, the center Economic Services. “It’s one has received 570 inquiries, of the paths young people, 48 applications asking for who want to establish their free temporary offices, two own business, might walk,” renewal applications, and a said Sou. total of 30 enterprises recei- Professor Hu Angang, director of the Center for China Studies at Tsinghua University, delivered a seminar on “Macau’s Since Macau has been ved assistance in setting up strategic development opportunities” yesterday at the East Asian Games Dome. Hu elaborated on China’s 13th Five-Year trying to diversify its eco- new companies operating re- Plan and and gave suggestions on the MSAR’s five-year development plan. nomy, the government is tail and catering businesses. www.macaudailytimes.com.mo DIRECTOR AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF_Paulo Coutinho [email protected] A MACAU TIMES PUBLICATIONS LTD PUBLICATION MANAGING EDITOR_Paulo Barbosa [email protected] MDT’s Website has logged over CONTRIBUTING EDITORS_Eric Sautedé, Leanda Lee, Severo Portela ADMINISTRATOR AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Kowie Geldenhuys [email protected] 120 million page views DESIGN EDITOR_João Jorge Magalhães [email protected] | NEWSROOM AND CONTRIBUTORS_ SECRETARY Juliana Cheang [email protected] since January 1st, 2012 up to today. Albano Martins, Annabel Jackson, Daniel Beitler, Emilie Tran, Grace Yu, Irene Sam, Jacky I.F. Cheong, Jenny Lao-Phillips, ADDRESS Av. da Praia Grande, 599, Edif. Comercial Rodrigues, 12 Floor C, João Palla Martins, Joseph Cheung, Juliet Risdon, Renato Marques, Richard Whitfield, Robert Carroll (Hong Kong MACAU SAR Telephones: +853 287 160 81/2 Fax: +853 287 160 84 correspondent), Rodrigo de Matos (cartoonist), Ruan Du Toit Bester, Sandra Norte (designer), Viviana Seguí | ASSOCIATE Advertisement [email protected] Thank You! CONTRIBUTORS_JML Property, MacauHR, MdME Lawyers, PokerStars | NEWS AGENCIES_ Associated Press, Bloomberg, For subscription and general issues: Lusa News Agency, MacauHub, MacauNews, Xinhua | SECRETARY_Yang Dongxiao [email protected] [email protected] | Printed at Welfare Printing Ltd Like us? facebook.com/mdtimes SEND NEWSWORTHY INFORMATION AND PRESS RELEASES TO: [email protected] WEBSITE: WWW.MACAUDAILYTIMES.COM.MO wed 16.03.2016 th Anniversary 澳聞 MACAU 3 LAWYER ACCORDING TO CARitas Lorenzo to Local domestic workers ‘less likely’ plead guilty in UN bribery to experience forced labor scheme case NE in six migrant domestic workers A Filipino domestic helper, who decli- Oin Hong Kong is a victim of forced la- ned to be identified, told the Times that bor, working an average of over 70 hours she works for 12 hours every day for a defense lawyer says a U.S. a week. According to a Justice Center sur- meager salary of MOP3,300. A citizen charged in the Uni- vey of more than 1,000 domestic workers The helper, who starts work at 9:30 ted Nations bribery case will in the neighboring region, some work up a.m., explained that she is forced to work plead guilty today to charges. to 20 hours a day. for her employer and her employer’s dau- Attorney Brian Bieber said More than 80 percent of the territory’s ghter, who lives in another apartment. Monday that Francis Lorenzo 336,600 domestic workers – the vast ma- “It’s tiring. I don’t want to go to another will plead guilty to three char- jority of whom are women from Indonesia house to clean, but I have to because my ges. Lorenzo is a suspended am- and the Philippines – are exploited, the stu- employer says so,” she said.