CE criticizes ‘unreachable’ casino operators for not offering quarantine facilities

Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng has criticized Macau’s six gaming concessionaires for their unwillingness to allow their integrated resorts to be used as quarantine hotels amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Ho made several comments to express his dissatisfaction during yesterday’s press conference, and called on the casino operators to fulfill their corporate social responsibility obligations.
With the recent addition of Grand Lapa, the Macau government has confirmed eight hotels for quarantine, which are mostly occupied by local returnees.
However, as of today, none of the quarantine hotels are managed by the city’s gaming concessionaires, a fact that the Chief Executive has interpreted as a lack of willingness of the behalf operators to meet their responsibilities to society.
In Ho’s words, the gaming concessionaires “donated many facemasks to relevant organizations and to the government,” for which the local government “is grateful.” However, during the process of finding more hotels for quarantine, Ho was met with disappointment.
“We could not reach [an agreement with] a single integrated resort,” said Ho, indicating that none of the operators were prepared to lease their properties for the government’s quarantine measures.
The Chief Executive explained that the local government does not necessarily need to use integrated resorts for those who are under quarantine because integrated resorts have restaurants and casinos.
“But when we have to, we cannot find more places,” said Ho.
The Chief Executive questioned if the gaming operators should do more to live up to their corporate social responsibility obligations.
“This is a test to the new SAR government and a big test to the six gaming operators. What social responsibilities should they bear? What is called corporate social responsibility? Social responsibilities are not just publicity in some newspaper or some donation,” said Ho.
In the case of one integrated resort approached by the government, Ho said that the government had offered to “pay for all hotel rooms, but they were still unwilling” to lease the property for this purpose.
The Chief Executive said that the Macau’s financial reserves meant the territory was able to cover the expenses incurred with repurposing hotels into quarantine facilities.
Although the city’s infectious disease law gives the Macau government the power to seize hotels, Ho noted that the SAR government “does not want to use this article.”
Nevertheless, despite the eight confirmed quarantine facilities, Macau’s top official stressed that it has been “very difficult” for the SAR government to find another quarantine hotel.
Last month, the Macau government suspended casino operations for 15 consecutive days due to the registration of Covid-19 infections among local casino workers. However, despite 15 new imported cases this month, the local government said it has no intention to suspend casino operations a second time.
“We will not suspend restaurants nor will we suspend casinos. I don’t want to instill panic and terror in the public, and I don’t want to make it impossible for the city to recover” said Ho, claiming this is because the government was able to diagnose all these recent cases in a speedy manner and thereby monitor the extent of their contact with the public.
As of today, more than 600 people are still under home quarantine. All of these people under home quarantine returned to Macau before March 17. In Ho’s opinion, the risk of a Covid-19 community outbreak still exists because of these people.
The policy was later changed to require those under quarantine to be medically observed at government-designated facilities.