Manufacturing suffers in Macau casino boom Macau's manufacturing sector has shown signs of withering as booming casinos continue to drain talent from industrial sectors. The gross output of the sector last year was 12.6 billion patacas, down 10.8 per cent from 2004, the Macau government yesterday. Last year, 1,238 manufacturing establishments were operating, down 2.5 per cent from 2004. In the second quarter of this year, 31,600 people were working in manufacturing, compared with 35,400 last year and 44,100 in 2001. By comparison, the number of employees in the gaming and entertainment sector rose to 50,400 in the second quarter, from 40,300 last year and 22,100 in 2001. Fox Yi Hu Prosecution delayed in Albert Ho bashing case The recent arrest of three further suspects in connection with the attack on legislator Albert Ho Chun-yan has delayed prosecution of the four suspects held earlier, Eastern Court heard. Prosecutor Chu Chung-keung said legal advice was being sought on what additional charges should be laid against the four - Cheung Wing-ho, 29, Chan Chun-kit, 27, Leung Fu-keung, 57, and Leung Kwan-ping, 44 - who have entered no plea to a joint charge of wounding with intent. One of the four is alleged to have contacted two of the other defendants and other people still at large when people were being hired for the attack on the Democratic Party vice-chairman. Mr Ho suffered serious injuries in August when he was attacked by three baton-wielding men inside a McDonald's restaurant in Central, while a fourth man acted as a lookout. The case was adjourned to November 28. Chandra Wong Temporary jobs to be made permanent More than two-thirds of temporary government jobs, including over 2,000 Hospital Authority posts, are to be made permanent. A further 1,700 temporary staff will be given another year's contract. The remaining 2,100 temporary jobs, mainly those of youth training assistants, will be scrapped when current contracts run out, according to a Labour Department review. Unionists welcomed the decision to make most jobs permanent. Joshua But
