The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, said today the Government would introduce a host of measures to share the economic gains among the residents. Speaking at a press conference after delivering the Policy Address for the Fiscal Year 2011, Mr Chui said the Government would inject 6,000 patacas into each eligible Central Provident Fund account, and give cash handout of 4,000 patacas to every permanent resident and 2,400 patacas to every non-permanent resident. He said other tax cuts, waivers, subsidies, Healthcare Voucher Scheme and the new Continuing Education Programme were also means to help allocate economic benefits to the people. Macao would not establish a Community Care Fund as Hong Kong did since a wide range of community organisations in Macao had long been assisting the disadvantaged groups in diversified means and the Government would continue to support these organisations, Mr Chui said. He assured disadvantaged groups that the Government would continue to support them and would introduce more measures to help if there is an increase in inflation rate. He re-iterated that with the support of the Central Government, Macao would discuss with the relevant Mainland authorities for a more diversified source of daily essentials and food. Speaking on rising housing prices, Mr Chui said the Government would not only ensure the construction of 19,000 public housing units by 2012, but also relax the income restrictions for future first time house buyer who could not afford to buy a housing unit in the private market. He said he believed that it is necessary to separate the private and public housing market and the Government placed great importance to guarantee that Macao people could live in peace and contentment. The Government would also revise housing related laws and restrictions, such as releasing market data, enhancing real estate agent systems and control inflation on actual floor space in flats, he said. He also reiterated that about 72 per cent of Macao people own a home and some of them had to repay the mortgage for a long time, and these people were very concerned about the healthy development of the housing market. On gaming industry, the Government would ensure its healthy and adequate development, he re-iterated.
