The government will introduce a new round of electronic consumer cards (e-vouchers), Secretary for Economy and Finance, Lei Wai Nong, announced on Friday at the Legislative Assembly.
The details of the new round was not revealed but the measure could go ahead as early as May.
Lei stressed that the decision to re-launch the electronic consumer cards was not a continuation of the government’s welfare measures from the previous year, but rather a re-launch in view of the current economic environment under the pandemic and the special circumstances of this year, in the hope of providing a certain degree of liquidity in the Macau market, supporting livelihoods and stabilizing domestic demand, preserving employment and even creating jobs.
Last year, a total of MOP5.27 billion was approved under the consumer e-cards, bringing MOP8.24 billion into the market in the first round of consumption.
The government has recorded a deficit budget of MOP125 billion in the past three years.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the government issued two rounds of e-vouchers, each round worth MOP8,000, to all local residents, aiming to stimulate the economy.
Recently, a group of lawmakers, namely those linked to the Macao Federation of Trade Unions, urged the government to review the support measures for the population and companies to help them cope with the economic downturn resulting from the Covid-19 crisis.
Lawmaker Ella Lei had previously stated that economic recovery announced by the government is progressing very slowly which is ineffectual in supporting a population in distress and facing urgent problems.
Lawmaker José Pereira Coutinho has also urged the government to provide a new round of financial support using consumption cards, stressing that the pandemic has dealt a hard blow to local residents. Thus, the implementation of a new round of cash support is urgently needed, through monetary injection via electronic cards.
Back in February, the Chief Executive (CE) Ho Iat Seng advised that Secretary for Economy and Finance has been undertaking constant evaluation of economic circumstances, saying that Lei had been evaluating the situation and more news will be released as it becomes available.
