Group protests against illegal workers

Cheong Weng Fat

The local group “Labour Party” yesterday afternoon staged a demonstration outside the entrance to the Border Gate checkpoint protesting against several issues, including the hiring of illegal workers by Macau casino project contractors.
Cheong Weng Fat, the group’s representative, told the Times that contractors of several casino projects in Cotai have been hiring illegal workers for overnight labour on their construction sites. “There are many people who work on the construction sites in Cotai at night because nobody will inspect the sites at night,” he said. “I have already talked to the DSAL about the issue but the police would not handle it at night.”
He also slammed the recent performance of the Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) director Wong Chi Hong. “We have received complaints from many workers, saying that DSAL was stalling industrial dispute cases. [Wong] was very efficient when he first took office but his current performance has been awful. Therefore, we ask the government to replace him alongside those old Secretaries,” he said.
Moreover, Mr Cheong said that they are dissatisfied with the current commissioner general of the Unitary Police Service, Ma Io Kun, who was recently promoted to his position. He also criticized the decision of some local restaurants to increase prices, arguing that this is the reason behind the rising inflation. Cheong revealed that they will organize more demonstrations before Chinese New Year. JPL