Briefs | 307,020 singular voters by end-2016

Following a campaign for voter registration, the Public Administration and Civil Service Bureau (SAFP) announced yesterday that there were 25,238 new requests for registration in 2016. During the previous year, 4,117 registered voters were scrapped from the books due to death, judicial rulings and other reasons. By the end of 2016, the total number of registered singular voters was 307,020 and the number of collective electors reached 858. Comparing with the number of singular electors registered by the end of 2015, there was a 7.3 percent increase, representing around 21,000 more people.

University of Macau makes offers to 59 ‘top-scoring’ students

The University of Macau (UM) has completed its “Principals’ Recommended Admission Scheme” process for students for the 2017/18 academic year. A total of 450 “outstanding” applicants were registered, up 10 percent from last year. Of these, almost 400 have confirmed their acceptance of offers from UM. Among them, 59 are ranked first in their respective secondary schools. The university describes these students as “top-scoring” and “outstanding” pupils. UM noted in a statement published yesterday that all students admitted through the scheme will receive scholarships as well as “special guidance and training from the deans and professors in their faculties.” The statement also claimed that many of the students excel in areas beyond academia and have won awards at various local and international competitions.

 Foreign reserves up 2.8 percent

The Monetary Authority of Macao announced yesterday that its preliminary estimate of the region’s foreign exchange reserves amounted to MOP155.7 billion (about USD19.5 billion) at the end of December 2016. According to a statement released by the authority, the reserves increased by about 2.8 percent from the revised value of MOP151.4 billion for the previous month. The MSAR’s foreign exchange reserves at the end of December represented around 12 times the currency in circulation, as was the case for most of 2016 with the exception of November, when they were equivalent to just 11 times the currency in circulation. Meanwhile, the trade-weighted effective exchange rate index for the MOP rose 1.67 points month-to-month and 2.91 points year-on-year to 110.2 in December. This implies that, overall, the exchange rate of the MOP increased against the currencies of the Macau’s major trading partners.

Consultant views air quality index inaccurate

Lam U Tou, a member of a community service advisory board, is concerned that Macau’s air quality monitoring stations are unable to report a valid measure of  Macau’s air quality. The region currently has five of these stations. Lam believes that the location of each station is far from representative of Macau’s air quality, because all of them are distanced from densely populated areas. He further believes that Macau’s air quality has seen an impact from Mainland China. A report by the Stand News says that mainland authorities have ordered mainland air quality app designers to maintain China’s air quality AQI value at below 500 for PM2.5 measures.

Black Box Theatre to be built

Leong Hio Meng, current vice-president of the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC), advised that the city will build a Black Box Theatre next to the Macao Cultural Center (CCM), according to a report by Macao Daily News. It will be situated between Sands Macao casino and CCM. Leong revealed that a plot of land had already been set aside for the theatre back in 1999, when CCM was put into operation. A preliminary design of the theatre has already been approved by local public works departments. The construction is expected to start next year. The theatre is planned to seat more than 300.