Residents interviewed in the central district yesterday said that they found the government’s cash handout in its wealth sharing scheme to be helpful, telling The Macau Post Daily that they were glad to be able to receive it.
The handouts will be distributed in batches. Old-age subsidy beneficiaries will be among the first to receive the handouts from today. The last batch will be paid out from May 13. A total of 697,000 permanent residents can receive 10,000 patacas each, while 42,000 non-permanent residents can receive 6,000 patacas each.
“I think the government subsidy is a good help” said Zita, a local resident aged 32 who is a doctor. She noted that it gives residents the ability to purchase things, as well as help low-income citizens lessen some of their financial burdens. She said she thought that more money may go towards spending in markets and supermarkets, among others. Due to the economy’s difficult situation, Zita said she hoped that that the government will launch more cash handouts in the future.
A local teacher added that she felt “grateful” for the cash handout. She said she believed that it is a great help to those who do not have a stable job, adding that it could help those who do not have a well-paid job or those who earn substandard salaries. When asked by The Macau Post Daily about what other policies she would like to see the government push forward, she said that a good policy could be to include non-residents in the cash handout scheme during the pandemic, noting that perhaps even a small amount could be helpful.
Meanwhile, Maevis, a local resident aged 27, said that there was a time when she thought that the money [cash handout] was not as important, noting that it was “something like [a] bonus”. However, she was quick to add that considering the dire economic situation, “these few years, I really need this money”. She emphasised that the cash handout is helpful, but also said that she thought that it is not enough to help people cover some of their daily expenses.
She noted she was happy that the government has continued to push the handout scheme forward, but did not think “it’s a very good situation” as although money is provided, the economy is still in dire straits. She added that she also hoped that policies to improve areas such as education and traffic jams could also be brought in.
Photo courtesy of MacauNews
