2015 honors titles given to 63 individuals and entities

Up to 63 individuals and groups officially received honors yesterday afternoon from the Chief Executive Chui Sai On at the Macau Cultural Center in recognition of their contributions to the region’s development.
The former Secretary for Administration and Justice Florinda Chan, who was awarded the highest accolade, the Golden Lotus, delightedly told media how excited she was at being bestowed the honor.
“I didn’t ask for the prize, it’s given by the Chief Executive and so I feel exceptionally appreciative,” she said. “But for sure such an honor is not only mine but to all civil servants.”
In the meantime, the former official’s efforts were also marked by three members from the pro-democracy New Macau Association, who devised their own ceremony outside the gates – “The first edition of the Golden Durian medal awarding ceremony.”
The group’s vice-president Cheng Ming Hin said that no one could surpass Chan’s contributions in bringing down civil servants’ morale, being tardy in leading legal reform and her questionable role in the cemetery grant scandal. In response to her other “award,” Florinda Chan refused to offer comments on it and turned on her heels.
Besides Ms Chan, the Golden Lotus awards went to the former Secretary for Security Cheong Kuok Va, the former Secretary for Economy and Finance Francis Tam, and the previous head of the Unitary Police Service José Proença Branco.
Medals of merit in the professional field were presented to several figures, including the controversial Ho Weng Cheong, recipient of the medal for the labor and business sector and also the owner of the contractor responsible for the troubled Sin Fong Garden residential block, said that he had “a clear conscience for everything” he had done before.
“Until now, no Sin Fong flat owners ever came to my office and accused me of anything,” he claimed.
Other awardees included Macau’s bishop José Lai, who expressed his “great appreciation” for the Silver Lotus. The same title was also given to lawmaker Chan Meng Kam. AU