Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai convened and chaired a meeting on Friday urging all respective public entities to enhance their efforts to identify and address safety risks and hazards in various aspects of Macau’s civil society, in compliance with the local government’s commitment to resolutely preventing any major and serious accidents from occurring in the city, according to a statement by the Macau Government Information Bureau (GCS).
The GCS statement on Friday said that with the aim of putting into practice President Xi Jinping’s various important instructions concerning flood prevention, disaster relief, the resolute prevention of major and serious accidents, and the effective safeguarding of people’s lives and property, Sam convened a meeting on Friday on ensuring Macau’s “summer safety”, where he instructed all respective public entities to strengthen coordination and planning for the local government’s safety campaigns so as to enhance Macau’s safety in all aspects, thereby ensuring Macau’s harmony and stability and the safety of residents’ lives and property.
In addition to top and senior officials including the government’s five policy secretaries and the directors of the relevant bureau-level public entities, Legislative Assembly (AL) President André Cheong Weng Chon and Court of Final Appeal (TUI) President Song Man Lei also attended the meeting, which was held at Government Headquarters.
Building upon the framework established during a meeting, which he convened late last year, on ensuring Macau’s “winter safety”, and in accordance with a task allocation plan drawn up by the local government to ensure Macau’s safety across various sectors, Sam urged all respective public entities to ensure that the division of labour is appropriate and that the respective responsibilities are correctly assigned to specific individuals, to prioritise prevention, and to ensure an efficient response.
According to the statement, Sam underlined that all respective public entities must assume their responsibilities and act with determination, thoroughly identifying and addressing all types of potential risks and hazards. The public entities must execute their safety-campaign tasks rigorously and meticulously, strengthen monitoring and warning systems, enhance emergency relief preparedness, effectively respond to extreme natural disasters, resolutely prevent major accidents, and safeguard the lives and property of all Macau residents through concrete actions.
6 safety aspects
During the meeting, Sam urged all respective public entities to strengthen their work in six aspects to ensure Macau’s safety.
First, to address prominent safety issues and intensify rectification measures. The respective public entities must strictly fulfil management responsibilities, with an emphasis on identifying fire hazards, ensuring safety at construction sites, and preventing and preparing for extreme disasters such as severe winds, rain, and tides, comprehensively screening for all types of risks and clearly defining responsibilities, measures, and deadlines for rectification, Sam said.
Second, to concentrate efforts on strengthening safety work in high-risk venues, the city’s old quarters, and during major holiday periods, while pragmatically accelerating the city’s urban renewal process.
Third, to meticulously execute flood, wind, and storm surge prevention. Meteorological forecasting and extreme weather alerts must be enhanced, Sam said, adding that the public entities must ensure the concrete and thorough implementation of various prevention measures against floods, winds, and storm surges.
Fourth, to boost the capabilities of Macau’s professional rescue teams, optimise the city’s civil protection and fire safety systems, draw up contingency plans, accelerate the rectification of deficiencies, and improve emergency response efficiency as well as organisational and command capabilities.
Fifth, to intensify public education on safety awareness. The respective public entities must effectively strengthen public outreach and education regarding fire safety, disaster prevention, mitigation, and rescue operations, Sam said.
Sixth, to strengthen collaboration with major community associations to identify all types of safety risks, mobilising the strength of these associations to help screen for different types of hazards within residential properties, Sam said.
Sam’s absence from Macau for 8 days
Meanwhile, Sam is not in Macau for eight days between Saturday last week and this coming Saturday, according to an executive order published in the Official Gazette (BO) on Saturday.
According to the order, which was signed by Sam on Friday last week, Secretary for Administration and Justice Wong Sio Chak is assuming the duties of acting chief executive during Sam’s ongoing eight-day absence from Macau.
The order did not mention the reason for Sam’s absence from Macau. Neither did the local government issue a statement on the matter.
Officials listen to Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai (centre, back) addressing Friday’s meeting about Macau’s “summer safety”, at Government Headquarters. – Photo: GCS
