Briefs | Overpass planned for Amizade roundabout

The Advisory Committee has supported the plan to build an overpass at Amizade roundabout. During a meeting on Friday, the committee discussed two plans for the overpass and decided to adopt the plan that proposed a four-month period for completion of the bridge. The director of the Transport Bureau, Lam Hin San said that the project, once it starts being implemented, will be completed in two construction phases. Lam also claimed that there were lots of difficulties in designing the overpass, including its height and ensuring the safety of drivers, especially motorbike drivers.

Casino smoking inspections double in first two months

In the first two months of 2019, the Health Bureau (SSM) and the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau  conducted a total of 428 casino inspections for illegal smoking. The figure is over double the number of inspections during the same period last year. In January and February, the SSM issued 1,032 prosecutions, 1,026 for illegal smoking and six for sales of non-compliant tobacco products. Of the illegal smoking prosecutions, 30 percent were regarding smoking in casinos and 16 percent were prosecuted in gardens. As of last Thursday, the SSM received 35 applications from casinos applying to set up 578 smoking lounges. Licensing has been approved for 460 of these lounges from 28 casinos.

Lisbon university awards Tam with honoris causa

Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Alexis Tam was awarded with a doctor honoris causa by the University of Lisbon for his “commitment” to the development of Portuguese language teaching in the SAR. Director of the Institute of Education at the University of Lisbon Luís Miguel Carvalho highlighted the official’s involvement in the reformation of the city’s educational policies, according to reports. Carvalho described Tam as “a person particularly committed to the development of Portuguese language teaching and learning in Macau.” The director also recalled Tam’s initiative in creating a degree in Portuguese at the Macau Polytechnic Institute.