Macao News https://macaonews.org Tue, 12 Dec 2023 00:20:29 +0000 Thu, 03 Sep 2020 07:00:09 +0800 Macao News 29282 2021-02-02 16:50:53 2020-09-03 07:00:09 As head of the Macao Trade and Investment Institute Lau Wai Meng has an unwavering commitment to Macao’s governance.]]>ABOUT IPIM Operating under the Office of the Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao SAR, the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) is responsible for researching and formulating economic policies in the areas of promoting external co-operation, investments, MICE and economic and trade co-operation between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries. It assists both local and overseas enterprises to gather all the necessary market data to grasp business opportunities while promoting external trade and attracting investment. EDUCATION Bachelor of Business Administration, University of Macau; Master of Public Administration, University of Sun Yat-sen, Guangzhou LANGUAGES Cantonese, Mandarin and English PREVIOUS ROLES 2016 - May 2020 >> Deputy Director of the Economic Bureau 2013 - 2016 >> Deputy Director of the Labour Affairs Bureau 2011 - 2013 >> Deputy Director of the Human Resources Office 2007 - 2011 >> Deputy Director of The Commission of Audit 2000 - 2007 >> Senior technician, auditor and senior auditor of The Commission of Audit 1990 - 2000 >> Senior technician at the Statistics and Census Service and Financial Services Bureau REPLACES Va Kuan Lau, Irene QUOTE During Lau’s swearing-in ceremony, he expressed that he would strive to scrupulously comply with the SAR’s governance philosophy and lead his team in a unified way. He also said that the work to be carried out in the future will follow the plans stipulated in the policy guidelines, namely with regard to revitalising the economy after the COVID-19 pandemic by boosting the development of industry and commerce and optimising the investment environment.  ]]> Tue, 01 Sep 2020 09:00:33 +0800 Macao News 29278 2021-02-03 10:14:33 2020-09-01 09:00:33 Extensive experience uniquely positions Adriano Marques Ho in his role as Director of Macao’s Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau.]]>ABOUT DICJ Operating under the Office of the Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao SAR, the DICJ is the city’s gaming regulator. It supervises and monitors the activities of the city’s concessionaires and is the bureau responsible for setting out the requirements and bidding process for the city’s upcoming 2022 gaming concessions contracts. It also provides guidance and assistance to the Chief Executive on the execution of economic policies for the operations of casino games of fortunes. EDUCATION Bachelor’s in Law, The Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) LANGUAGES Cantonese, Mandarin, Portuguese and English PREVIOUS ROLES 2014 - June 2020 >> Advisor to the Office of the Secretary for Security Wong Sio Chak 2012 - 2014 >> Head of Gaming-related and Economic Crimes Investigation Department 2010 - 2012 >> Head of Criminal Investigation Department of the Judiciary Police 2004 - 2010 >> Head of the Macao Sub-Bureau of the China National Central Bureau of INTERPOL 1988 - 2003 >> Criminal investigator at the Judiciary Police REPLACES Paulo Martins Chan QUOTE During Ho’s swearing-in ceremony, he promised to implement the SAR’s governance and said that he was committed to leading the DICJ staff to do their best – with honesty and integrity – to monitor and inspect the gaming sector. He also said he would strengthen the use of information technology in DICJ’s daily operations with a view to increase the bureau’s efficiency.  ]]> Thu, 20 Aug 2020 17:45:03 +0800 Macao News 28885 2021-02-03 10:21:37 2020-08-20 17:45:03 Ines Chan is the Government Spokesperson and Head of the Information Bureau ]]>ABOUT GCS The Government Information Bureau co-ordinates, researches and provides technical support to the Macao government in matters relating to the media. It works directly under Macao’s Chief Executive EDUCATION Bachelor of Land Surveying and Planning, South China Normal University; Bachelor of Computer Science, Jinan University; Master’s degree in Public Administration with a major in International Relations, offered jointly by the University of Macau and Portugal’s National Institute of Public Administration LANGUAGES Cantonese, Mandarin, Portuguese and English PREVIOUS ROLES Chan joined the civil service in 1990 working for the Cartography and Cadastre Bureau. She joined the Macao Government Tourism Office in 1994, serving in such positions as Assistant Head of the Research and Planning Department, Head of the Administration and Finance Division and most recently Head of the Licensing and Inspection Department, a position she held from 2001 to earlier this year. She has also been a member of the Preparatory Committee for the Office of the Macao SAR in Beijing, the Working Group on Food Safety Cooperation between Guangdong and Macao, the Joint Working Committee on the Development of Macao into a World Tourism and Leisure Centre, and the Tourism Crisis Management Office, among other roles. REPLACES Chan Chi Ping, Victor QUOTE Chan said during a TDM interview: “We need to know what citizens are thinking and let them know the government’s ideas, as well as what the government wants to tell citizens. During this process, news organisations play an important link between the government and members of the public. Facilitating sound interaction between the government and the public is of primary importance. I will do my best to keep the dignity and professionalism of journalists. GCS is an organisation that supports everyone’s work, not one that controls everyone.”  DID YOU KNOW During Chan’s free time, she likes to read and spend quality time with her family.  ]]> Thu, 13 Aug 2020 12:55:46 +0800 Rafelle Allego 28533 2021-02-03 10:26:21 2020-08-13 12:55:46 Wilson Hoi Wai understands where and when to allocate resources for vulnerable citizens. ]]>ABOUT IAS The Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) cares for the city’s most disadvantaged communities. Founded as the Public Relief Society in 1938, it is one of the oldest government bureaus. Its services include social assistance to vulnerable citizens, drug rehabilitation programmes, the prevention and treatment of problem gambling, social reintegration and many more. AGE 51 [25/02/1969] BORN Guangxi, China EDUCATION Bachelor of Psychology, Taiwan University; Masters of Psychology, Taiwan University LANGUAGES Cantonese, Mandarin and English QUOTES “The Social Welfare Bureau is a support service for those most in need. Its work is not just the icing on the cake but a timely supply of services to those most in need. In good times, we should take care of the vulnerable and in bad times we should provide timely and appropriate support so as to accurately use our resources in the right places,” he said during an interview. DID YOU KNOW After work or at weekends, you can often find Hon Wai playing piano, the drums or the guitar. Rock climbing is also another one of his favourite hobbies, whether he’s climbing around the world or in Ka-Ho, Coloane. Both of his hobbies, he says, are closely related to his work at SWB. He says: “It’s often hard to find common values when working with recovering drug addicts but music is where we connect. They love music and I love music. They like singing Hong Kong band Beyond’s tracks. I know how to play Beyond’s music too. Music is our common language.” When it comes to rock climbing, or to echo Hon’s words ‘ballet on the rocks’, he sees it as a sport that puts him on a level playing field with the teenagers who are enrolled in SWB’s programmes. “It’s not about muscles,” he says. “It’s about technique, balance and training. When they are up climbing on the rocks and they are fully dependent on me on the ground, holding on to their ropes, they are much more willing to listen to what I have to say on battling drug addiction. They understand that just like their lives at that very moment, one slip is all it takes to drop and potentially die.” Besides being able to bring the benefit of these hobbies to the workspace, Hon often ‘jams’ with his wife, his 22-year-old son and 16-year-old daughter, all who play different instruments. He calls these moments his ‘happiest times’. PREVIOUS ROLES December 2019 - early June 2020 >> Interim Director, Social Welfare Bureau 2016 - early June 2020 >> Deputy Director, Social Welfare Bureau 2011 - 2015 >> Department Head, Department of Prevention and Treatment of Drug Addiction at the Social Welfare Bureau 2010 - 2011 >> Deputy Department Head, Department of Prevention and Treatment of Drug Addiction at the Social Welfare Bureau 1999 - 2010 >> Division Head, Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Division, Social Welfare Bureau 1997 - 1999 >> Supervisor of the Therapeutic Technology Centre of the Office, Office for Prevention and Treatment of Drug Dependence at the Social Welfare Bureau 1995 - 1997 >> Senior officer, Office for the Prevention and Treatment of Drug Dependence REPLACES Vong Yim Mui, Celeste]]> Wed, 28 Jun 2017 15:00:46 +0800 Macao News 13206 2021-02-03 10:15:28 2017-06-28 15:00:46 Alexis Tam was Secretary for Culture and Social Affairs until December 2020 and was then assigned as the new head of the Macau Economic and Commercial Delegation in Portugal headquartered in Lisbon.]]>assigned as the new head of the Macau Economic and Commercial Delegation in Portugal headquartered in Lisbon from 1 January 2020 onward. He speaks Portuguese, Cantonese, Mandarin and English. Born in Burma (now Myanmar) in 1962, Tam arrived in Macao when he was only four years old. His parents, who were born in Burma and residents for over four decades, were forced to emigrate when overseas Chinese living in countries like Burma, Indonesia and Cambodia were persecuted in the 1960s. Tam's father, a jeweller and master goldsmith found work in Hong Kong but opted to move the family to Macao. "My father found a good job in Hong Kong; he earned well, sending money to us in Macao. Our childhood was happy, although without luxuries," Tam recalls. Tam attended primary school at Escola da Sagrada Família, a Catholic school. "I went to chapel and attended church every Sunday.” As a child, Tam even dreamed of being a priest. “The sisters of Sagrada Família liked me a lot and wanted to baptise me, but my parents didn’t allow it,” he recalls with a grin. He studied secondary education at Pui Ching School, graduating in 1981. By then, he had stopped attending church regularly, but he was eventually baptized, shortly before his marriage. "My godparents were my wife's parents. Today, I am a Catholic." In the early 80s, Tam went to Taiwan to pursue a degree in Business Administration at the National Chengchi University in Taipei. There, he took the opportunity to study Mandarin. "I learned a little in Burma, but in Macao, I stopped speaking Mandarin because almost no one used it, except for a few teachers from China." Four years later, he earned a scholarship to study the Portuguese language and culture in Lisbon. He also considered taking a course in Law but instead opted for a postgraduate degree in European Studies at Universidade Católica, Lisbon. It was around this time that Tam met the love of his life. "I met her on the bus that took us to school; we both lived in the same area. We were introduced by a colleague who studied law." They would eventually marry before settling down in Macao in 1989. In 1989, Tam joined Macao’s Statistics and Census Bureau. "I was the first Chinese staff member to assume the role of deputy." But Tam wanted to further his academic training: "I wanted to do another course abroad, because I wanted to explore other things; I didn’t want my future to be circumscribed to the Statistics and Census Bureau." After a year, he left to pursue an international master's degree in Business and Entrepreneurship at the University of Glasgow, Scotland. Upon his return to Macao in 1993, the then Secretary for Public Administration, Education and Youth, Jorge Rangel, invited Tam to join the Public Administration and Civil Service Bureau. "I was once again the first Chinese person to head the human resources department [at SAFP], where I spent two years," Tam says. He later undertook another academic degree, earning his PhD from the University of Nankai and later obtained a bachelor degree in Law from China University of Political Science and Law in Beijing. In 1995, Tam left the Administration and Civil Service to take over as Director of Macao Polytechnic Institute’s (IPM) School of Administration and Applied Sciences, which was entering a new phase of growth. After just two years, Rangel appointed Tam Coordinator of the Office for Higher Education. In the meantime, Tam held the post of President of the Fiscal Council of the Social Security Fund where he remained until 1999. In the summer of 1999, the first Chief Executive of Macao SAR, Edmund Ho Hau Wah chose Fernando Chui Sai On to become the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture. Chui then invited Tam to head the office of the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture, a position Tam held from 1999 to 2009. In this post, Tam was appointed to represent the Secretary at the Technology Council, the Standing Committee for the Coordination of Social Affairs and the Women’s Affairs Advisory Council. He was also a member of the Board of the University of Macau and chairman of the Training Coordination Council of the Institute for Tourism Studies. In addition, Tam served as a member of the Board of Education, the Macao Grand Prix Committee and the Coordination Group for the Reconstruction of Sichuan Province after the earthquake. In December 2009, Chui Sai On was appointed as Chief Executive of Macao and chose Tam to head his office once again and be the spokesperson of the Macao government. During this time, Alexis Tam was appointed by the Chief Executive as head of Portugal affairs, coordinating the Macao-Portugal Joint Commission. He was the leader of the Guangdong-Macao Cooperation Framework Agreement and the head of the Preparatory Office for the Chinese Traditional Medicine and Industrial Park. In 2014, Tam was designated as Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, a position he still holds today. [caption id="attachment_13208" align="aligncenter" width="2000"] Alexis Tam Chon Weng[/caption] Serving as Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Alexis Tam’s portfolio includes Health, Education and Youth Affairs, Social Affairs, Social Security, Tourism, Sports, Cultural Affairs and Creative and Cultural Industries. In his spare time, Tam enjoys sports, especially tennis. "In college, I was team captain and dreamed of being a professional." Every week, he hits the court to stay in shape, and he stays up-to-date on the current rankings: "Sampras was my idol, but Federer is in fact the greatest," in his view. Tam also enjoys antiquing and peruses old furniture and porcelain for his collection, which he plans on exhibiting upon retiring. Having now spent almost 20 years in various capacities within public service, Tam advises that “the most important thing is to be ready to step into a role when the opportunity arises," adding that it has been "an honour to serve Macao.”  ]]> Tue, 11 Apr 2017 15:00:18 +0800 Macao News 12572 2021-02-03 10:02:53 2017-04-11 15:00:18 Sonia Chan Hoi Fan is Macao’s Secretary for Administration and Justice and the only female member of the cabinet. She is fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin and Portuguese.]]> Mon, 27 Jun 2016 17:46:07 +0800 Macao News 10522 2021-02-18 18:56:59 2016-06-27 17:46:07 Born and bred in Macao, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes has been Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) since December 2012, fluent in English, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Portuguese.]]> Mon, 13 Jun 2016 16:39:16 +0800 Macao News 10520 2021-02-03 10:23:44 2016-06-13 16:39:16 Fanny Vong Chuk Kwan has been President of the Macao Institute for Tourism Studies (IFTM) since 2001.]]>Macao Institute for Tourism Studies (IFTM) since 2001. She speaks Cantonese, Mandarin and English. A native of Macao, Vong has both a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Business Administration from the University of Macau. She completed her doctoral research at Stockholm University and Instituto Superior de Ciências do Trabalho e da Empresa (ISCTE) on a European Union scholarship. She was a lecturer at the University of Macau before joining IFTM as vice-director of Tourism College in 1999. Vong is currently president of the public institution of higher education in Macao offering degree programmes and professional training in tourism and hospitality. She also sits on the Macao SAR government’s Tourism Development Committee, the Cultural Industry Committee, the Talent Development Committee and the Guangdong-Macao Development Strategies Group. Vong has participated in numerous tourism research and training projects initiated by both the Macao government as well as intergovernmental organisations such as the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Vong believes that “Macao needs an army of well-educated and well-trained professionals stationed throughout all ranks of the tourism and hospitality industries.”  ]]> Fri, 27 May 2016 16:32:50 +0800 Macao News 10517 2021-02-03 10:12:24 2016-05-27 16:32:50 Victor Chi Ping Chan is the former director of the Macao SAR Government Information Bureau as well as Government Spokesperson. He is fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin, and English. He was replaced by Inês Chan Lou in 2020.]]>Inês Chan Lou in 2020. Born in 1961 in Hong Kong, Chan obtained a Bachelor of Social Science in Journalism and Communications from East Asia University. He worked for several Chinese-language newspapers in Macao before joining the Teledifusão de Macau (Macau Broadcasting Company, TDM) in 1987. Chan was later promoted to Deputy News Controller of TDM. Chan has been Director of the Government Information Bureau since 2000. In 2010, he was appointed Assistant Spokesperson by Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On and promoted to Government Spokesperson in 2015. Chan was a member of the Chief Executive Election Committee for the second, third, and fourth terms of Chief Executive Chui Sai On as well as a member of the Electoral Affairs Commission for the fifth Legislative Assembly Election of the Macao SAR. He also serves as member of a number of public entities, including the Committee for Development of the World Centre of Tourism and Leisure, the Emergency Response Committee, the Cultural Industry Council, the Board of Directors of TDM, and other cross-departmental taskforces. “My experience as a journalist and my interest in the field of media are both vital for my present position in the Government whose sole mission is to provide a better life for the people of Macao.”  ]]> Mon, 23 May 2016 16:31:39 +0800 Macao News 10516 2021-02-03 10:28:26 2016-05-23 16:31:39 José Luís de Sales Marques has been President of the Board of Directors of the Institute of European Studies of Macau (IEEM) since 1 January 2002.]]>