Residents voiced concern about the government’s policy of importing talents from elsewhere during a current affairs radio phone-in programme on the Chinese-language radio channel of public broadcaster TDM yesterday.
Earlier this month the government launched a 45-day public consultation on the setting-up of a new legal system to import non-local talents from all over the world, such as Nobel laureates and Olympic medallists winners, with the aim of supporting its drive of creating a more appropriately diversified local economy.
Ricardo Siu Chi Sen, associate dean of the University of Macau’s Faculty of Business Administration, said that it would take a while for Macau to train local talents for new industries, adding that it would take even longer for them to become industry leaders. Therefore, he agreed with the view that at the current stage, the government should attract non-local talents to guide the new generation of graduates. He also said that the government should be a good “gatekeeper” and not let the imported talents overtake local industries.
Meanwhile, many callers also voiced concern during the programme about the Central Provident Fund and the annual wealth-sharing cash handout, as well as subsidies for disadvantaged groups. Siu said he concurred that there is room for improvement for the wealth-sharing cash handout and Central Provident Fund systems. He suggested that the Social Welfare Bureau should launch subsidies targeting those groups, adding that he believed fairly dividing the subsidies from the fund would be more effective.
Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng announced in his 2022 Policy Address on Tuesday that the government will continue its wealth-sharing and other subsidy, allowance and financial support schemes next year.
Permanent and non-permanent residents will, once again, receive 10,000 patacas and 6,000 patacas next year respectively.
Ricardo Siu Chi Sen, associate dean of University of Macau’s Faculty of Business Administration, attends yesterday’s current affairs radio phone-in programme on the Chinese-language radio channel of public broadcaster TDM.
