Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng (centre, first row) poses yesterday with members of the influential General Union of Neighbourhood Associations (generally known as Kai Fong – its name in Cantonese) at Government Headquarters yesterday. According to a statement by the Macau Government Information Bureau (GCS), Ho listened to the Kai Fong representatives’ views and proposals about next year’s government programme. Ho is slated to deliver his 2021 Policy Address next month. The statement said Ho told the representatives that he planned to reform the public Macau Foundation (FM) to ensure a “more efficient” use of public funds. The foundation, which is funded by 1.6 percent of the gross gaming revenues of Macau’s casinos, has been widely criticised for its seemingly erratic way of handing out or refusing subsidies to local organisations that observers have described as “unfair” and “spendthrift”. According to the GCS statement, Ho also promised that the government’s expenditure on social welfare, education and health would not be affected by its spending cuts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic’s adverse impact on the local economy. Ho also said that “the life, safety and health of the population are more important than economic development.” The chief executive was also quoted as saying that Macau’s efficiency in fighting the novel coronavirus disease was “not an easy conquest”, urging the public not to let their guard down in preventing the epidemic.
Caption: Staff Reporter
Photo: GCS
