Briefs | AL approves law for judge discrimination

The Legislative Assembly has approved the Basic Law of Judicial Organization, including a controversial article that bars non-Chinese judges from ruling on matters of national security. That particular article was approved after a request for a separate vote with 28 in favor and three opposed. According to Radio Macau, Secretary for Administration and Justice Sonia Chan justified the government’s position on the discrimination by reiterating that, “Macau – as part of China – has to safeguard the interests of the State.”

Urban planners approve Lai Chi Vun maps

The Urban Planning Committee has approved draft maps of three areas in the Lai Chi Vun area of Coloane outside of the shipyards buffer zone. According to the plan released after yesterday’s meeting, new buildings in the area will be limited to a maximum height of 8.9 meters. New buildings in one particular zone will be required to adopt the style of the heritage shipyards located in the area. The Executive Council concluded the listing of the Lai Chi Vun shipyards as a cultural and archaeological site of interest in December.

IFT to host ‘smart tourism’ public forum

The Institute for Tourism Studies (IFT) will host a public forum with the theme of “Smart Tourism, Smart Destinations” as its fourth special, open-to-the-public such event. According to the education institution, the public forum forms part of its Greater Bay Area initiatives for training, education and research, undertaken jointly with Sun Yat Sen University’s School of Tourism and the School of Hotel and Tourism Management of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.