Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, meets the press.
The Government has officially applied the management of Macao’s jurisdiction over its customary waters to the Central Government, and hoped the approval would be made within this year, the Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, said today. Mr Chui told this to reporters at the airport before leaving for a two-day visit in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province. The visit is to study the experience in maritime economy of the city. The Government was grateful to the Central Government for the support on the work of jurisdiction over customary waters. In the past year, the Government has formed a task group to actively engage in discussions with related departments from the mainland. The work of defining Macao’s jurisdictional roles over local waters is directed by the Central Government. It was announced by President Xi Jinping when he was here last December for a series of activities celebrating the 15th anniversary of Macao’s return to the motherland. The Chief Executive was also asked about the financial situation of the Government. Mr Chui said he was optimistic about this year’s fiscal surplus despite Macao was undergoing a period of consolidation. He stressed the Government would devote its best efforts in managing budget proposal for the coming year, and ensuring the financial surplus were used in projects outlined in the Policy Address. The Government hoped to share surplus with the people, such as by offering the Wealth Partaking Scheme and other one-off subsiding measures. On the Macau (Yat Yuen) Canidrome, Mr Chui said it has commissioned the Institute for the Study of Commercial Gaming of the University of Macau to study the concession issue in-depth. The Chief Executive said the Government would heed the people’s opinion on the issue, adding there were several factors to consider, such as the component of diversified gaming, continuity of dog racing in Macao, suitability for the development in its neighbouring area, the location, and the possibility of combining the racing of dog and horse. On the strike held by a few of local recyclers, Mr Chui said the Government would spare no effort in maintaining Macao’s environment, while remained close touch with the recycling sector to learn more on the challenges and difficulties it faced. Supportive measures from the neighbouring areas would be considered and the Government would support the sector with all its strength, he said. When asked, Mr Chui said the old campus of the University of Macau was the Government’s efforts to support the development of public and private tertiary institutes, stressing it was not for profit and other commercial purposes. The Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Tam Chon Weng, would give more details on the issue in the near future. For salary adjustment of civil servants, Mr Chui said the consultative council for pay offer of civil servants would propose a referencing scale after regarding the inflation, financial ability of the Government, adjustment level of the private sector, and the overall purchasing power. The Government would decide the scale based on the situation, he said.