Ho Iat Seng expresses support for English-language media

Ho Iat Seng and some of his aides visited the office of Macau Daily Times yesterday

There should be an English-language newspaper in every premium hotel room, said Chief Executive frontrunner Ho Iat Seng when visiting the office of Macau Daily Times yesterday.

“Every hotel room should have an English- language newspaper, even though most visitors to Macau are from the mainland,” said Ho. “That should be the case for five-star hotels with international guests; but not necessarily for three- star hotels.”

Ho said that the provision of English-language newspapers in premium hotels was a standard practice in top tier mainland cities such as Beijing and Shanghai.

The former President of the Legislative Assembly threw his support behind English-language media during yesterday’s visit, agreeing that it was an important component in the building of an international city.

Ho also said he recognizes the challenges faced by small and medium-sized businesses in Macau, notwithstanding the competitive tax environment in place.

Ho is seen as the favorite to succeed incumbent Chief Executive Chui Sai On.

When obtaining his election nomination form earlier this month, Ho told the media that he would reach out to all members of the 400-person Election Committee.

Apart from that, he will also meet local organizations to hear their comments and suggestions and use them to compile his manifesto. DB