Lawmaker report | Agnes Lam: gov’t measures show ‘double standards’

Some government measures have “recently begun to show double standards, and public opinion has rebounded,” said lawmaker Agnes Lam during a press conference held yesterday, where she reported on her work in her third year at the Legislative Assembly.
In Lam’s opinion, this year’s Macau Grand Prix is one example of the Macau government’s double standards.
“For the Macau Grand Prix, the government allows foreign racers to come, but for other foreign nationals, even if they go through quarantine, they are not allowed to [enter],” said the lawmaker. “But what are the differences between these foreign people [who want to come back] and the racers? If the racers can come to Macau and undergo a 14-day quarantine, then why not the others? I think this is a double standard and not humanitarian,” Lam said.
The lawmaker said that Macau should allow foreign passport holders to enter the city gradually, starting with those from the countries with the lowest infection risk.
Lam also hopes that the government strengthens policy consistency and puts forth measures that will build the public’s trust in the government.
The lawmaker has also commented on the exclusion of non-resident workers in the reopening of barbecue facilities at the Hac Sa Beach Park in Coloane as part of a new rule from the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM). The imposition of a maximum of four people per griller and a requirement for pre-booking that must have been made by a local resident are among the rules IAM implemented.
“I found it strange when the government [announced] that they are not allowing the non-residents to use the [BBQ facilities]. We don’t need to do that,” said Lam.
In the coming year, based on her experience of advocating for caregiver allowances, Lam will continue promoting system reforms to improve the lives of disadvantaged people. Lam’s team will also continue to monitor the acceptance procedures and the quality of public works in Macau, the reform of the procurement system and the government’s compensation system.
She will also continue to follow up on long-term measures for victims of domestic violence.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has caused residents to think deeply about the problems caused by [heavily relying on the] gaming industry. Therefore, I will promote the legal system and related polices to build industrial diversification,” said Lam.
As of September 30, Lam’s office received up to 2,200 requests for assistance from both Macau residents and foreign workers. Lam’s team organized these requests as 435 cases, 35% of which were directly related to the pandemic, and 25% were from disadvantaged groups.
“With the sharp increase in help-seeking cases, […] I believe that the legislators have shown [they have] a significant role in providing service to citizens. […] However, the current government response mechanism is not very helpful for urgent cases,” said the lawmaker.