Briefs | CE’s wife becomes Anima honorary president

Winnie Fok, the wife of Chief Executive Chui Sai On, has been formally accepted as an honorary president of animal rights group Anima (Macau), according to information provided by the association’s president. Albano Martins told the Times that Fok’s position was ratified at an annual general meeting on Saturday. The association invited Fok to become an honorary president as part of their outreach to “important members of the Chinese community.” In March, Fok adopted a stray dog, according to Martins, and she now plans to adopt others from Anima.

Red Market library expected to open this year

The refurbishment of the Red Market Library will shortly commence, according to Tang Mei Lin, Head of the Department of Public Library Management of the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC). The library was damaged during last year’s Typhoon Hato. Tang disclosed that the IC has already prepared new books, new furniture and new facilities for the restored library.  The library will be open to the public shortly after the restoration works are completed.  The IC still hopes that the library can begin operating this year.

1,400 students to graduate from UM

More than 1,400 students will graduate from Bachelor’s degree programmes at the University of Macau (UM) and will receive their graduation certificates on Saturday including 42 outstanding students who have completed programmes offered by the Honours College. UM will also present academic awards and scholarships to 63 outstanding graduating students. The university released a statement indicating that graduating students are required to collect their admission tickets for family members and friends at UM’s Registry by May 23. The admission tickets can also be collected at registration desks on the day of the ceremony between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Local artist participates in HK art fair

The Affordable Art Fair in Hong Kong featured 115 works from Chinese and other international galleries during a three-day fair concluding yesterday. During the fair, Macau-based artist Fortes Pakeong Sequeira did a live-sketch as part of his work entitled “Living Painting,” according to media reports. Visitors were invited to make their own additions to a community art piece entitled “Playground” by Hong Kong artist Vanessa Wong. The fair also featured an exhibit known as Young Talent Hong Kong, which began in 2013 and aims to “provide a platform for emerging talent to show their works and further their career through exposure to a diverse audience.”

MGTO head wants to foster non-gaming offer

The MSAR should imitate Las Vegas by aiming for non-gaming attractions to contribute 40 percent of revenue, the director of the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO), Helena Senna de Fernandes, remarked during a panel discussion at G2E Asia last week. “Whatever the mix is going forward, there has to be a balance for the operators and I don’t think Macau can reasonably expect to reach 60 percent like Las Vegas, but I think 40 percent non-gaming is the goal in the mid-term,” the official said, as cited in Gaming Today. Last year, the city only recorded around 12 percent non-gaming revenue.