Secretary for Economy and Finance Lei Wai Nong reaffirmed yesterday that the government will launch a public consultation in the second half of this year on the drafting of amendments to the city’s current gaming industry law, “according to schedule”.
The policy secretary also said that the government now aims to launch a public consultation on the drafting of a trade union bill in the next quarter.
Lei made the remarks while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of yesterday’s opening ceremony of the two-day 12th International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum (IIICF) at the Venetian in Cotai.
Lei underlined that the government’s preparation work for the upcoming public consultation on the drafting of the gaming law amendments is well underway, adding that the matter is “crucial” to Macau’s overall development in the future.
Meanwhile, Lei also said that the Standing Council on Social Concerted Action – a government-appointed consultative body tasked with advising the government on its labour policies – aims to complete gathering opinions from various segments of civil society, including various trade unions, at the end of September about the drafting of the trade union bill, after which a public consultation could be carried out in the next quarter after the government has finalised its public consultation document on the matter.
However, Lei was quick to add that a trade union bill is not the only way to resolve labour disputes. The policy secretary insisted that Macau has a tradition of having a good relationship between employers and their employees, adding that 96 percent of labour disputes in Macau have been solved after coordination by the Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL), which he oversees.
Meanwhile, Lei noted that Macau’s visitor arrivals last month saw a month-on-month decrease of about 40 percent due to the then COVID-19 transmissions in Guangdong, an important source of visitors for Macau. Lei said that since the validity of the negative nucleic acid test (NAT) result for those travelling between Guangdong and Macau on July 10 was once again increased to seven days from just 48 hours, the average daily number of visitors to Macau is again exceeding the average daily number in the first six months.
Lei pointed out that the daily number of visitors to Macau stood at over 30,000 on Friday and Saturday last week.
Lei also admitted that the 49 billion patacas of gross gaming revenues in the first six months was 25 percent lower than the government had forecast. But he was quick to underline that for the time being the government maintains its forecast of 130 billion patacas of gross gaming receipts for this year.
He pointed out that the current summer holidays and the upcoming National Day “Golden Week” and Grand Prix could be expected to increase Macau’s gross gaming revenue in the second half of the year.
Secretary for Economy and Finance Lei Wai Nong talks to reporters after attending yesterday’s opening ceremony of the two-day 12th International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum (IIICF) at the Venetian casino-hotel resort. Photo: Prisca Tang
