Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng yesterday listened to views and suggestions from board members of two local community associations on his upcoming 2023 Policy Address, according to two Macau Government Information Bureau (GCS) statements last night.
The two associations are the Alliance for Common People Building Up Macau (API), and the Friendship Association of Macau Members of Provincial Committees of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).
According to the statements, the meetings were held separately at Government Headquarters behind closed doors.
A delegation of API members who attended yesterday’s meeting with Ho was led by its chairman, Si Ka Lon, who is also a directly-elected lawmaker.
During yesterday’s meeting, Si welcomed the measures recently announced by the central government to support Macau’s tourism industry.
API members raised suggestions during yesterday’s meeting on various topics such as safeguarding national security, launching “accurate” measures to ease residents’ financial difficulties, measures to support employment, appropriate economic diversification, the setting-up of a population-wide health insurance system, urban renewal, young people’s competitiveness, and public administration reform.
According to GCS, Ho said during his meeting with the API members that his government will continue to organise job-matching sessions to help unemployed residents find a job.
Ho also said that the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA) and the Guangdong-Macau In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin are providing Macau with “very good” opportunities supporting its continuous development.
Meanwhile, a delegation of members of the Friendship Association of Macau Members of Provincial Committees of the CPPCC who met with Ho was led by the association’s chairman, Frederico Ma Chi Ngai, who is also a member of the government’s top advisory Executive Council.
Ma and his fellow members raised suggestions about various topics such as Macau’s strengthened participation in the Guangdong-Macau In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, supporting Macau’s scientific and technological sector, and strengthening young people’s patriotic education.
According to GCS, Ho said that his government will continue to organise more training courses to increase residents’ occupational skills.
Ho also said that the in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin will provide Macau with favourable conditions for its economic diversification drive.
Ho is slated to hold his 2023 Policy Address in the Legislative Assembly in November.
