The Macau Metro Monitor, January 16, 2013
SANDS CHINA TO CONSIDER DIVIDEND macaubusiness.com
Sands China's board of directors will meet on January 25th to consider the payment of an interim dividend
OKADA FACES FBI PROBE ON PHILIPPINES LICENSE: PAGCOR BOSS bloomberg
Okada is now facing a FBI investigation on how he obtained a gaming license in the Philippines. “We were informed of the FBI investigation and we are always open to agencies that would like to investigate,” Mr Naguiat, the chairman and CE of PAGCOR told Bloomberg.
DOUBLE TROUBLE macaubusiness.com
The CEO of MCE, the unit of Melco Crown being investigated for illegal money transfers between Taiwan and Macau, is also name in a separate litigation in the United States. Clarence Chung Yuk Man, the CEO of MCE, was the target of a suit filed in the US in 2010 by several large shareholders alleging “false misleading statements” made between 2007 and 2008 about a slot business operated by the company.
TOO SOON TO REVIEW CASINO SMOKING BAN: CHEUNG U macaubusiness.com
While its too early to evaluate the impact of the smoking ban, the Macau Gaming Industry Workers Association has suggested casino operators give some concessions to croupiers working in smoking areas, including an extra rest day or a cash allowance, plus fewer working hours.
TOURIST PRICE INDEX FOR THE 4TH QUARTER 2012 DSEC
The Tourist Price Index (TPI) increased 4.45% YoY to 133.78 in 4Q12. Sectors with the the highest increase in the price index included: Clothing & Footwear (+16.46%); Transport & Communications (+7.15%); and Entertainment & Cultural Activities (+6.73%) on account of rising prices of handbags, as well as higher charges for outbound transport and entertainment services. Price index of hotel rooms decreased by 2.40% year-on-year.
CHUI GOES TO BEIJING TO DISCUSS NEW BORDER CHECKPOINT macaubusiness.com
CE Fernando Chui Sai On will be heading to Beijing from January 21-23rd, to discuss the construction of the new border checkpoint between Macau and Zhuhai. The border is expected to function 24 hours a day and handle the flow of 250,000 daily crossings.
