CE intends to maintain five secretaries

Running solo for the Chief Executive election on August 31, Mr Chui Sai On has revealed that he intends to maintain a team of five secretaries, but refused to disclose their names.
In a press conference that was held on Saturday, Chui stated that the current number of secretaries will remain unchanged, as it is “adequate.”
“[As for] who they will be, I will announce it as soon as possible,” he assured.
Pursuing a second term, the current Chief Executive recently revealed that Macau can expect “a relatively radical change” in his team of secretaries. While presenting his candidacy last month, Chui Sai On recognized that society has voiced a need for change, as some politicians have been in office since MSAR’s establishment.
After presenting his political platform on Saturday, the current Chief Executive acknowledged that there is a need to improve the administration’s organic structure. He will be considering restructuring secretaries’ tasks, which currently overlap.
Lawmaker and president of the Macau Civil Servants Association, José Pereira Coutinho recently said that changes should be made to the services that will come under each secretary’s jurisdictions.
He hinted that the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, for instance, has to deal with a wide range of areas and therefore some services could be transferred to other Secretaries’ offices.
At the press conference, Chui Sai On also said that he intends to maintain the cash handout policy. “I realize it is something that many people expect,” he recalled.
His political platform promises improvements in Macau’s public transportation, namely by increasing the number of licenses “for special taxis.” When asked to elaborate on which type of taxis this policy will focus on, Chui Sai On recalled that the government has recently launched a public consultation on the taxi services and hopes to revise legislation soon.
“The majority of taxi drivers behave well but there is always someone who affects the sector’s [image],” he said. These new licenses might be individual or for a company. Chui Sai On added that further details will be disclosed after the public consultation period ends.
Reviewing his work over the past five years, Chui Sai On said that, alongside his team, he tried his best to accomplish what he had promised.
Asked about family connections and alleged corruption in public bidding processes, Chui Sai On denied any involvement stating: “Myself and the secretaries have always complied with rules in granting construction works [to certain companies].”
Furthermore, he stressed that neither him nor his secretaries had ever interfered in any public tenders related to granting construction work permits.