Labor Day demonstrations cooled off the streets

The May 1 – International Workers’ Day demonstrations in Macau have historically been accompanied by days of turmoil, with many demonstrators on the streets frequently clashing with police, involving injuries, arrests, and gun shots fired by authorities to contain the fury of unhappy demonstrators.

Those days look to be long gone judging by the official numbers of the protesters that hit the streets on May 1 this year. A mere 800 protested this year, the Public Security Police Force (PSP) told the media.

From the three main groups who requested authorization to conduct street protests that day, the Pearl Horizon demonstration gathered the most participants, similar to previous years. Around 520 demonstrators attended, according to police figures, although the figure reported by organizers is between 600 and 700.

Still, such figures are a significant reduction from last year, when the combined demonstrations were said to have gathered a total of over 2,600 people.

Two petitions were delivered to the government by a group that marched from the Area Preta area. Starting at 2 p.m., the group marched a route that stopped at the Central Government Liaison Office, where the first petition was delivered, and concluded at the government’s headquarters, where the second petition was delivered.

As in several past demonstrations, the group, led by Kou Meng Pok, demanded that the government and project developer and contractor (Polytec) solve the unresolved class action between several thousands of small buyers of housing units that were ultimately not developed. Kou is the head of the Pearl Horizon Condominium Owners United Association and was a candidate for the Legislative Assembly during last year’s elections. The government has since claimed back the land due to the non-development of the project within the deadline of the land concession.
This time, the group is attacking on two fronts – one towards the government and the other towards the company, shouting through megaphones: “The Government has no credit and Polytec has no heart.”

Another of the groups that marched along the streets of Macau demanding government and employer action was the New Macau Gaming Staff Rights Association. The group is one of several groups led and represented by gaming workers’ rights activist Cloee Chao, who, followed by a group of casino workers, marched from the surroundings of the Wynn Macau resort to the government’s headquarters. This group called for added benefits to gaming workers similar to those offered to civil servants, such as 14 months of wage per year as well as continuing its campaign against smoking inside the gaming areas of the casino, especially in VIP rooms.

Chao, who previously told the Times that she expected over 500 participants to join the protest, saw her figures reduced to about 300, according to the police.

Earlier in the day, the Macao Federation of Trade Unions also walked to the government headquarters in order to submit a petition. In the petition, the organization calls for an acceleration of the procedures for the review of the Labor Relations law. This is in line with their representatives at the Legislative Assembly, who have been urging the government to approve several changes in the law to give greater benefits to workers, in particular the compensation of public holidays that fall on weekly rest days of the workers, among others.

According to the PSP, a total of 250 officers were assigned to follow the demonstrations and to make sure that they ran without any problems.
All of the demonstrations took place in a peaceful manner and the protesters were able to deliver their petitions to the intended places.

HK Pearl Horizon buyer refused entry into Macau

A resident of Hong Kong, who is believed to be one of the pre-sale buyers of the Polytec’s Peal Horizon development, saw his entry into the region refused by the Public Security Police Force (PSP), according to the leader of the Pearl Horizon Condominium Owners United Association, Kou Meng Pok.

Kou made the comments while speaking to the media as his group delivered a petition to the government’s headquarters on Tuesday.

According to Kou, the man was travelling to Macau from Hong Kong in the company of his wife to participate in the rally on May 1, but was barred by the Macau authorities at immigration.

At the time Kou did not provide any concrete reason given by the PSP for the man’s refusal of entry, but accused authorities of trying to reduce the number of participants in the demonstration.

A woman, said to be the wife of the barred man, corroborated the story but did not provide further details.

The PSP said in a statement, “[the force] does not comment on individual cases,” adding, “all procedures [performed by the PSP] are in accordance with the rules of the Immigration Services.”