Policy Address – Lionel Leong | Human resources and economy diversification top lawmakers concerns

Lionel Leong (center) smiles

Questions on human resources and economic diversification topped lawmakers’ concerns during the first day of presentation by the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Lionel Leong.

During his Policy Address (LAG) for 2017, Leong faced many lawmakers who, in addressing the issues, often presented opposing views.

In the initial presentation speech, Leong remarked that the economy of the region “continues to be in an adjustment phase,” leading on to present a number of ideas of little concrete substance. These, according to Leong, are part of his action plan to “consolidate the foundations of the development of privileged industries as well as emerging ones based on the elevation of their quality.”

In this sense, the Secretary for Economy and Finance elected as the main points the “promotion of employment” and to “secure the employment of local residents”, articulating these measures with the so-called “mechanism of exit of non-resident workers (TNR).”

Lawmaker Ella Lei, who is known to frequently call on the government to “close the doors” to the TNR, insisted on the need to implement stronger measures to limit the access of such workers to the region.

Yesterday was no exception for Lei’s rhetoric. She advocated that the secretary was “advancing many measures to protect and give priority to the hiring of the local labor force,” however “to guarantee that this [protection of local workers] will be achieved is far more difficult.” “Policies should be [pursued] to help local workers to have an [effective] career progression,” said Lei.

In reply to the lawmaker, Lionel Leong said: “I want to reaffirm that it is government policy that the TNR are only to fulfill the lack [of labor force]. It’s our priority to protect the rights of local workers,” although recalling that “in the emerging industries we have to note the [available] human resources as some industries might not have professionals of several levels.”

“So while we have to give [to locals] opportunities to move up in their career we also have to import other [workers] to meet the needs” of industry, added Leong.

However, lawmaker Kou Hoi In took the opposing stance, noting that employees and employers cannot reach a consensus over whether or not there exists a lack of labor power in the region.

Kou remarked: “There are two different markets; the big companies and the SMEs,” adding “to say that the TNR have to go away is to kill the SME business.”

Visibly disappointed with the measures presented, the lawmaker said, “I hope the government can make a real and effective study of how to support the SMEs of Macau. The first thing to solve is the lack of human resources.”

Partially agreeing with both the ideas expressed by Ella Lei and Kou Hoi In was Au Kam San, who noted: “We need to see both sides.”

He remarked that it “is ridiculous that we are assisting in a salary decline [for local workers] when we are supposed to be seeing an increase,” before attributing part of the blame to the hiring en masse of the TNR who are on lower salaries. The situation is “affecting the local workers in terms of job and in salary,” claimed Au.

An earlier question, posed by lawmaker Ma Chi Seng, questioned the secretary on the possibility for a second chance for young entrepreneurs that while trying to create their own businesses had failed to achieve immediate success.

He remarked that young entrepreneurs “lack training to understand [the theory of] business” and “merely copy what they see others do.”

Replying to Ma, Secretary Leong did not refuse the idea of giving a second chance to young entrepreneurs by potentially allowing them to reapply for government financial support. However, “in the future, youngsters [who want] to benefit from this support will need to attend courses with the support of CPTTM [Macau Productivity and Technology Transfer Center] so they can be more prepared,” warned Leong.

The discussion of the action plan for the Secretariat of Economy and Finance will continue today at the Legislative Assembly with the second day of lawmakers’ questions.

CPCS to discuss seven priority topics

During the policy address discussion, Secretary Lionel Leong noted that there are seven “priority topics” to be discussed at the Standing Committee for the Coordination of Social Affairs (CPCS). Explained in further detail by the Director of the Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL), Wong Chi Hong, the seven topics include the increase from three to seven days of paid paternity leave, an increase of 14 days for non-paid maternity leave, the overlapping of weekly rest days with obligatory holidays, the mechanism of obligatory holidays that includes the authority of employers to determine days to compensate, as well as other measures concerning obligatory holidays.

Portuguese-speaking countries pavilion to be own fair

Among the measures presented by Secretary Lionel Leong to benefit relations and the role of Macau as a platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries is the decision of this year’s Macao International Trade & Investment Fair (MIF) Products and Services of the Portuguese-speaking countries Pavilion to “an independent fair.”