Government annual honors recipients revealed

Florinda Chan

Three former secretaries and the chief of police were awarded one of the government’s highest accolades, the Golden Lotus.

Francis Tam

Cheong Kuoc Va

The administration announced the awards yesterday, stating that 59 individuals and organizations received other medals and certificates, respectively, for their contributions and achievements.
Recipients included the former Secretary for Administration and Justice, Florinda Chan; the former Secretary for Economy and Finance, Francis Tam; and former Secretary for Security Cheong Kuoc Va, together with the former Commissioner General of the Unitary Police Service, José Proença Branco.
Lau Si Io, who immediately took on the position of Secretary for Transport and Public Works after the departure of his disgraced predecessor Ao Man Long, has yet to make the list.
He passed two laws related to land and urban development during his mandate. The former Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Cheong U, also failed to get recognition this time.
The secondary distinction of awards went to José Lai, sitting Roman Catholic Bishop in the territory; Sin Wai Hang, seasoned educator and founder of the General Association of Chinese Students – Macau; Chan Meng Kam, lawmaker and a member to China’s CPPCC and Macau’s executive council; and Chan Kam Meng, vice head of the Macau Federation of Trade Unions and the association to promote the region’s Basic Law.
Ho Weng Cheong, one of the executive directors at the Macao Association of Building Contractors and Developers – who also partly owns the contractor for the troubled Sin Fong Garden building – has been distinguished with the industry and commerce medal of merit.