Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai visited small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in local neighbourhoods on Saturday, the fourth day of the Chinese New Year (CNY), extending his CNY greetings to passers-by, shopkeepers and sales assistants there, while also encouraging SME operators to upgrade and transform themselves to seize new business opportunities.
Accompanied by Secretary for Economy and Finance Anton Tai Kin Ip, Sam visited the old districts of Rua dos Ervanários (關前街), Rua da Tercena (果欄街), Rua de Cinco de Outubro (十月初五街) and Largo do Pagode do Bazar (康公廟前地) in the Macau peninsula, as well as the temporarily pedestrianised “Old Taipa” zone.
According to a statement by the Government Information Bureau (GCS), during his visit, Sam was briefed by officials from Tai’s portfolio on their work plans to promote Macau’s “community economy” and assist SMEs in enhancing the quality of their development. Sam also talked to various SME operators in the districts, aiming to hear first hand about their business environment.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of his visit, Sam admitted that “I haven’t been to Rua dos Ervanários for years”, but he was quick to add that Saturday’s fact-finding tour showed him the ongoing changes in that particular street’s business environment, including its “cultural and creative atmosphere”.
Underlining that there are examples of revitalisation of old quarters in many cities around the world that incorporate innovative culture, Sam said he hoped that local SMEs would transform themselves, based on the assurance of financial support from the Economic and Technological Development Bureau (DSEDT).
The GCS statement noted that along the way, Sam got in touch with several business operators who said that they could sense the considerable importance that the new government has placed on promoting the city’s “community economy”, expecting the government, on the current basis, to continue to come up with financial support measures for them.
The “community economy” concept refers to an economic system that places special emphasis on the well-being and sustainability of a community, such as a neighbourhood. According to economists, it is supposed to focus on local resources, businesses, and social ties, aiming to create economic activities that benefit the community as a whole.
Considering that “Old Taipa”, i.e., the junction of Rua de Fernão Mendes Pinto (飛能便度街) and Rua do Supico (素啤古街), the junction of Rua Correia da Silva (告利雅施利華街) and Rua Governador Tamagnini Barbosa (巴波沙總督街), as well as the section between Calçada do Quartel (澳門兵房斜巷) and Avenida de Carlos da Maia (嘉路士米耶馬路) has been pedestrianised during the mainland’s eight-day CNY “Golden Week”, Sam asked shop operators in the zone about the effectiveness of the temporary pedestrianisation and received feedback indicating that the measure has been effective in managing the area’s footfall, hoping that the government could reintroduce the scheme during future public holidays as well.
The eight-day “Golden Week” ends tomorrow.
The statement also noted that when speaking to SME operators during the visit, Sam pointed out the government’s commitment to improving the local business environment, with schemes including special measures and celebratory activities during festive periods, with a view to attracting more residents and tourists alike to splash out in local neighbourhoods, thereby boosting the economic vitality there.
Sam also highlighted the importance for Macau to leverage its external promotion campaigns, urging the bureaus overseen by Tai as well as the social and cultural sectors to discuss how to make good use of the platform of China Central Television (CCTV) to publicise Macau’s cultural and tourism industries elsewhere.
During his afternoon tour, Sam and his entourage also visited the old Iec Long Firecracker Factory and Anim’Arte Nam Van, where he expressed concern about their current state and future development.
Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai extends his Chinese New Year greeting to a vendor during his Saturday afternoon fact-finding visit to the erstwhile Iec Long Firecracker Factory in Taipa. – Photo: GCS
