CE departs for Beijing | Local marine sovereignty to come at year-end

The Governor Nobre de Carvalho Bridge, foreground, and the Friendship Bridge link Taipa island to the Macau peninsula in Macau, China, on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012. Macau gaming revenue rose 5.5 percent in August, a pickup in growth from the previous month when a typhoon and a pullback by high-stake gamblers hurt spending in the territory. Photographer: Daniel J. Groshong/Bloomberg

Chief Executive Chui Sai On has pledged to protect the government’s social welfare packages in order to safeguard residents’ initiatives from being impacted by the economic downturn caused by shrinking gambling revenues. In addition to that assurance, the region’s leader indicated that Macau could be granted nautical management of its waters as early as the end of the year.
Chui’s remarks came yesterday morning ahead of boarding a flight to Beijing to meet with mainland authorities from the State Oceanic Administration and the General Administration of Customs over the city’s jurisdictional rights to its surrounding seas and a new format of customs clearance.
The CE disclosed tha the Chinese administration has already issued written instructions after multiple discussions with the local government in the past. Currently, both sides are negotiating specific details, namely, the area of the seas to be under supervision, related regulations and how the oceanic economy could benefit from the new initiative.
“On the one hand, we must thank them for their support. On the other hand, we need to seek [a consensus] according to both sides’ frameworks on the development and their technologies and strengths, which could be of great support to us,” said the top official.
The government has been closely monitoring the city’s economy since two years ago when the authorities had already foreseen the possibility of a slump, said Chui, adding that policies targeted at local livelihoods would remain intact.
“The government will ensure the normal operation in the city, especially social welfare and the operation of government departments,” he said. “However, if the gaming earnings fall to a specific level, we can carry out internal adjustments, which won’t affect the citizens’ livelihood, especially access to social welfare.”
Regarding the government’s resolution to forge ahead with the controversial investment of Macau’s financial reserves in Guangdong, Chui consented to Secretary Lionel Leong’s desire to raise profits through investments instead of the former patterns that have previously generated low returns. He told the media that the officials have always been cautious about the government’s coffers.
“The general principle is about security, capital preservation and low risks. How the investment will go in the future in conformity with this principle is within the initial stage of discussion,” reassured Chui. Staff reporter

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