The government has achieved all the objectives set for its five-year term, Chief Executive (CE) Ho Iat Seng stated yesterday during a press conference following his presentation on the implementation of government policies in 2024 and over the past five years at the Legislative Assembly (AL).
In response to media questions at the government headquarters, Ho gave a positive evaluation of the government’s performance, noting that not only did his administration fulfill all its proposed policies and measures, but it was also able to do so despite the challenges posed by the pandemic.
“Over these five years, we faced three years of the pandemic, which was unprecedented. Macau is a densely populated region, and we did our best to protect the lives of our people,” he said.
“When I first ran for office, I had hopes, but the pandemic had a significant impact on us. Nevertheless, we have listed all our achievements, and everything I presented today in the AL has been accomplished. I have personally verified that all the goals outlined in our policy addresses have been met.”
Ho said these accomplishments were only possible because he is a practical person who set achievable goals for his administration rather than pursuing unrealistic ambitions.
“I would never promise something I couldn’t deliver. We’ve worked responsibly over the past years and have achieved our objectives despite the challenges,” he said.
Highlighting some of the key achievements, Ho noted, “We worked hard to provide homes for the people of Macau, and we never reduced benefits, even during difficult times. We’ve made significant progress in infrastructure, not only in projects that are complete or nearly complete, but also those that will be finished in the next government term.”
Among the notable projects, Ho mentioned the expansion of the Light Rapid Transit (LRT) system to the Border Gate and its extension to Qingmao Port.
“I hope the deadlines for these projects will be met,” he said, adding that one of his proudest accomplishments was the progress made in the transportation sector.
“Although we haven’t solved all transportation problems, we’ve made significant strides. We’ve connected all Macau’s border checkpoints through the public transport system, which is a major achievement.”
When asked to assign a score to his government, Ho replied, “Ratings should be given by the people of Macau, based on their own assessment of our work.”
Economic diversification showing results
Ho also spoke about the government’s efforts to diversify Macau’s economy and reduce its dependence on the gaming sector, noting that the results of these initiatives are becoming increasingly apparent.
He expects that by the end of this year, the gaming industry will account for 40% of Macau’s GDP, while other industries will contribute 60%.
“We expect gross gaming revenue (GGR) to reach approximately MOP228 billion this year, which represents a 6% increase. I don’t think this is a difficult target to achieve,” he said. “In general, in 2023, GGR represented a significant portion of GDP. This year, I expect GGR to account for about 40% of GDP, with the remaining 60% coming from other sectors.”
Ho said there has been some misunderstanding about the goal of diversifying away from gaming.
“We’re not trying to shrink the gaming industry; rather, we’re trying to expand other sectors,” he clarified. “Before the pandemic, the gaming industry accounted for 60% of GDP, and when I took office, it was still around 50%. We want to increase the scale of other industries, not reduce gaming.”
Ho also pointed to the growth of Macau’s economy in recent years as evidence of his administration’s success, with the economy growing by 86% year-on-year in 2023 and an additional 11% this year.
“The budget and financial reserves are also in good shape. We have no debts, and we’re not restricting our spending due to any deficits,” he said, noting that the pandemic had taught people the importance of safeguarding financial reserves.
Non-gaming expansion must continue
When asked about the future of economic diversification and the role of gaming operators in expanding non-gaming activities, Ho said the gaming industry should continue to develop, but without hindering the growth of other sectors.
“I believe the policies we’ve implemented are working. The gaming operators have also started to understand our goals and are seeing the benefits,” he said. “They lost a lot of money during the pandemic, but now they are profiting from both gaming and non-gaming activities. Tourists are changing, and we are focusing on attracting different types of visitors.”
According to government data, 40% of current gamblers are from outside mainland China, representing a significant shift in the market.
“At first, the gaming operators didn’t fully understand our intentions, but now they see that our approach is working, and they are seeing results. Some of the non-gaming activities may not directly generate revenue, but they benefit Macau by attracting new groups of people,” Ho explained, adding that the government and gaming operators are working together and that the operators have been supportive of the government’s policies.
No shortcomings in livelihood improvements
Ho emphasized that improving the livelihood of the people has always been the primary goal of his government.
He said the government has consistently invested in people’s well-being and has never reduced benefits or welfare for the population, including in areas like healthcare and education.
“I believe there have been no shortcomings in this regard,” he said, in response to questions about the lack of new policies or increases in subsidies and benefits for 2025.
Regarding the absence of a salary increase for civil servants or an increase in cash handouts in the 2025 budget, Ho said, “This budget proposal is a basic one, developed in collaboration with CE-elect Sam Hou Fai. I’ve discussed this with Sam, and we’ve worked together to prepare the proposal. The next government will follow the policies they see fit and make any adjustments they consider necessary.”
He said the new government has the flexibility to propose amendments to the budget if they decide to raise salaries or increase cash handouts later.
The government anticipates a total revenue of MOP121 billion against expenditures of MOP 113.3 billion, resulting in a projected surplus of MOP 7.7 billion.
Ho hints exit of fatigued Rosário squad
The absence of the Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Raimundo do Rosário, along with Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng, may be among the few changes in the upcoming government under Sam Hou Fai, the CE suggested during a press conference on the government’s performance evaluation.
Commenting on the fact that, unlike his predecessors, he served only one term rather than two, Ho said, “I am no longer young, and given my health condition, I believe it’s time to pass the baton to someone younger.”
He added that the past five years had been particularly demanding for government officials, especially for him and Rosário. “We are the older ones, and we are the most fatigued,” he said, noting that both have endured long periods of sleep deprivation.
Cotai events venue opening Dec. 28
During the same press conference, Ho Iat Seng announced that the new Cotai outdoor concerts and events venue will open Dec. 28 by way of a trial concert.
Although the opening will occur under the new Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai, Ho emphasized that the current administration is working to ensure everything goes as planned, with preparations already underway for events set to take place in 2025.
The Chief Executive also revealed that while the venue was initially designed to accommodate around 50,000 people, its capacity can be expanded to accommodate up to 80,000 attendees.
Ho further clarified that Macau is not competing with Hong Kong for event business, but rather aiming to create a synergy that will make it easier to attract major artists to perform in the region.
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