New Secretaries share ambitions and goals for the gov’t term

Several new Secretaries from the sixth term of government have shared their ambitions and goals for the term that started just a few weeks ago.

Four Secretaries, André Cheong (Administration and Justice), Tai Kin Ip (Economy and Finance), O Lam (Social Affairs and Culture), and Raymond Tam (Transport and Public Works), have shared some thoughts and main lines about their roles in different statements from their respective offices.

Cheong promises reforms in administration

Taking as a background the recent speeches from President Xi Jinping and the director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, Xia Baolong, Cheong stated that the Administration and Justice Department will study and absorb the spirit of these speeches with great care, actively act and fulfill its responsibilities, and make every effort to promote the relevant work.

In response to President Xi’s call to promote reforms in public administration to elevate the government’s efficiency and respond promptly to the population’s ambitions, Cheong said that the government would create a leadership mechanism to promote public administration reform.

He added that he will move forward in fostering public administration reform, optimizing the organizational structure, innovating governance concepts, perfecting governance methods, strengthening macro-coordination, and improving the management system for public service workers, focusing on raising governance efficiency.

The same official, the number two of the government after the Chief Executive, is also said to promote continuous improvements, such as the legal system and the mechanisms for defending state security and, on the other hand, by strengthening coordination in the legal field.

He also stressed that, while maintaining Macau’s original legal traditions, it will absorb the most recent results of the reform of the laws of the European continent, taking into account the reality of Macau, and perfect the regulatory system of the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) with an emphasis on optimizing the business environment, among other vital areas, as well as improving the legislative coordination mechanism between the Government and the Legislative Assembly.

Tai aligned with diversification efforts

Remarking on Xi’s call to promote diversified economic development and create a platform for opening up to the outside world while maintaining social harmony and stability, the Secretary for Economy and Finance said that such guidance is fundamental to promoting actions that will boost Macau’s development.

Tai added that a task force from his secretariat would pursue its duties diligently, persisting in the balance between development and social security, in favor of taking the initiative in terms of identifying changes, responding to changes, and seeking changes, raising the effectiveness of economic governance based on an open mindset, pushing forward the development of appropriate diversification of the economy, and making efforts not to disappoint the Central government.

The same official also said he would make the best efforts to align with the national development strategies, enrich the elements and functions of the Sino-Lusophone platform, take more proactive actions in participating in the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area, foster results in the development of the In-Depth Cooperation Zone, redouble efforts in promoting the development of appropriate diversification of the MSAR, and make more significant contributions to serving the motherland within the framework of the national development framework.

Concurrently, Tai also promised to launch various economic development projects to improve people’s well-being, continuously improve the business environment, and support the development and upgrading of SMEs so that more residents and businesses can share in the fruits of economic growth.

O Lam emphasizes importance of fostering youth success

In her turn, the new Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture highlighted that the speeches helped clarify the many tasks and duties she would have to perform.

O Lam noted that besides all the efforts to maintain the stability and harmony of the social environment in Macau and continue to promote the MSAR as a platform for the internationalization of China and the promotion of Chinese and Eastern culture to Western countries through exchanges, two main tasks interlink.

These tasks relate to integrating education, learning, and the development of sciences and technology as the main strategies for promoting the success of the younger generations.

She explained that these efforts are also linked to the training of highly qualified staff, which can help the MSAR achieve its goals and improve the State Key Laboratories.

“Based on the scientific research power of the State Key Laboratories, the development of education and scientific research will be promoted, spreading the deep integration of the chain of industries, qualified staff, and innovation to make Macau a place of gathering qualified staff in the world and introduce them to the country’s needs, thus creating an outstanding hub at the international level,” O Lam said.

She also stressed that Macau will fulfill its role and do its best to strengthen the country’s strategy in the areas of education, science and technology, as well as in the development of qualified staff.

Concerning the work to be explicitly developed with youth, O Lam said that it “will focus on the physical and mental health and development needs of young people in Macau, listen more to their voices, and increase the channels of positive interaction between young people and the government to formulate more practical and popular youth policies.”

Efforts also encourage the new generation to participate in constructing the Guangdong-Macau In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin.

This zone promotes the deep integration of Hengqin and Macau and the integration of young people into the country’s development “so that they can understand the value of their lives in the wider world.”

Tam to focus on infrastructure interconnection

Following a significant focus on the construction of new infrastructure in Macau in the past five years and the contracting of others that will extend for at least three to four more years, the new Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Raymond Tam, said that his primary focus will be interconnecting all these new infrastructures so that people in Macau can take the best advantage of them.

Tam’s major tasks include “interconnecting infrastructures, fostering a more convenient and efficient flow of cross-border elements, and jointly boosting the high-quality development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area and the Guangdong-Macau In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin.”

Additionally, Tam pledged to establish a patriotic and efficient team, focusing on optimizing services and facilities for the population’s well-being and strengthening interdepartmental cooperation to build a better Macau with concrete actions.