Viva Macau: Flights to resume

Viva Macau, the cash-strapped budget airline whose operations license was suspended by the Macao authorities Sunday, said it's in talks with the government to resume flights Friday.

Voicing shock and regret at the Macao government's decision, the airline promised to refund all affected passengers within 14 days.

A total of 33 flights were cancelled between Sunday and Thursday, affecting some 4,700 passengers, including 668 from Hong Kong.

Cruise terminal ahead of schedule

The government will seek HK$5.8 billion from the Legislative Council (LegCo) next month so the main building for the new cruise terminal at Kai Tak can be completed a year ahead of schedule.

Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Rita Lau said the government has finished assessing tenders for the design-and-build contract, which initially was expected to be completed by 2014.

If the LegCo approves the funding, the building could be completed in 2013, she said.

60% schools start smaller classes

About 60 percent of primary schools in Hong Kong have implemented small-class teaching, said Secretary for Education Michael Suen Monday.

The government has set aside HK$100 million to promote small-class teaching for the coming academic year starting in fall. Schools that have adopted smaller classes can access the fund to hire one additional certified teacher, he said.

Suen also said that HK$320 million, of the HK$500 set aside for the Language Fund in Financial Secretary John Tsang's budget, will be used to improve English proficiency among students. This includes assistance for secondary schools to adjust their medium of instruction beginning with the next academic year.

Manager jailed for embezzlement

A former payroll manager of Wharf (Holdings) has been sentenced to five years and five months in prison for embezzling HK$1.2 million from the company by authorizing falsified salary payments.

Lau Yuen-how pleaded guilty to stealing the money over a seven-year period.

District Court judge Susana D'Almada Remedios said Lau's scam was bold and well-planned but it only served to ruin his family.

The court heard earlier than Lau exploited a loophole in the company's salary system, forged his supervisor's signature on payment instructions, and made the accounting department issue checks and set up automatic payments that benefited himself, his family members and two other accomplices.

Lau's wife Liu Cho-ching and sister Lau Heung-kiu received 18-month and 8-month jail terms on related fraud charges, respectively.

Security guard attacks colleague

A 33-year-old security guard who allegedly attacked his colleague with a fruit knife Monday morning has been arrested by police.

The attack, believed to have stemmed from a work-related dispute, took place at a shopping center on Tai Ho Road in Tsuen Wan at around 1 am. Four teenagers bicycling past the center helped subdue the assailant.

The 47-year-old victim suffered head and neck injuries, and was taken to Yan Chai Hospital for treatment.

China Daily

(HK Edition 03/30/2010 page1)