Heated debate between Portuguese-speaking candidates

Jorge Neto Valente

The third candidate of Melinda Chan’s List 18 – “Aliança Pr’a Mudança” [Alliance for Change], Jorge Neto Valente, has publicly accused the head of List 6 – “Nova Esperança” [New Hope] José Pereira Coutinho of pandering.

In a debate broadcast on the Portuguese channels of TDM Radio and TV, Valente accused Coutinho of trying to “please Greeks and Trojans,” when presenting two versions of his list’s political program with different content in Chinese and Portuguese.

Coutinho replied that his list’s political platform has many topics to address, which were adapted to target the different communities in Macau.

He said Valente’s list represents the values that have over the years “[caused] trouble for the population” in the legislative system, such as the gaming, real estate and the business sectors.

Pereira Coutinho

Coutinho claimed that “to vote on list 6 is to have a useful vote” and said it “is important to keep a voice in the Legislative Assembly (AL) that represents these communities and speaks their language. I’m the only first candidate that is in the position to continue to do this,” he said, appealing to the voters to “think usefully.”

Valente retorted that lawmaker Coutinho has criticized others’ proposed solutions throughout the years without providing any alternative of his own.

“You in fact presented many drafts and projects, but because you can’t [enter into a] dialogue [about] any issue with partners in order to reach some consensus; you can’t get any of those bills approved. Your efficiency equals to zero,” Valente said.

“Which dialogue? The pataca (MOP) dialogue? In the AL everyone plays by their own interests,” responded Coutinho. “Do not count on me for such deals.”

The debate only involved candidates from these two lists as they were the only ones to accept the invitation from TDM.

This was revealed by Valente as he mentioned that there was “little interest from other lists in the Macanese and Portuguese communities” and justified that his list’s first priority – to “make the teaching of the two [official] languages in all Macau schools mandatory” – was an idea already being prepared in proposals intended for the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau (DSEJ).

Acknowledging that Valente does have some good ideas and proposals, Coutinho noted that “to vote in the list you represent is to vote for Melinda Chan and not for Jorge Valente,” he said, adding that his first act after the election would be to “fight for the right of collective bargaining” by introducing a trade union law. RM