Compensation bill needed but not priority, Sonia Chan says

Last May, a bill granting outgoing top officials lavish compensation and pension schemes sparked some of Macau’s biggest protests in recent years. The newly appointed Secretary for Administration and Justice Sonia Chan said that the legislation is needed in Macau’s legal system, but stressed it is not a priority for her cabinet at the moment.
On the sidelines of the swearing-in ceremony of the new director of the Legal Affairs Bureau and the Identification Services Bureau last week, Ms Chan said this is not the right time to table the bill again, adding there isn’t a specific calendar to submit this piece of legislation in a near future either.
Ms Chan acknowledged that the government needs to have a compensation regime for outgoing officials and for the Chief Executive. However, when the government resumes legislative work on this bill a public consultation will be launched, the Government Information Bureau revealed in a statement.
The compensation bill was withdrawn from the Legislative Assembly last year following two major protests.
Ms Chan said that her cabinet is currently drafting the 2015 Policy Address related to the recruitment of public servants. She revealed that they will be suggesting limitations on the overall number of public servants, thus simplifying the efficiency of Macau’s administration.
The Secretary and her team are also currently following up on the portfolio’s current matters.