Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng yesterday commended the role played by the local Portuguese- and English-language media during the past three years of the COVID-19 pandemic by acting as a bridge between speakers of those languages and the local government.

Both segments of the local media landscape have been active in helping Portuguese- and English-speaking people – locally and elsewhere – keep track of the latest novel coronavirus situation in Macau, Ho pointed out.

In a speech during a Chinese New Year lunch at MGM Macau in Nape with senior representatives of Macau’s  Portuguese- and English-language news organisations, Ho thanked the media outlets for their valuable contributions over the past year, in particular for conveying to the local government the views of Macau’s Portuguese- and English-speaking communities about the difficulties and challenges brought about by COVID-19, thereby tackling the information lag sometimes caused by the language barrier.

Ho also said that thanks to the detailed coverage by the Portuguese- and English-language media, both language communities have been able to better understand the various policy measures taken by the government to protect the lives and overall safety of the city’s residents, maintain the stability of people’s livelihoods; and accelerate the recovery of the economy.

The chief executive stressed that media coverage of these topics enhanced mutual understanding between the government and Macau’s Portuguese-and English-speaking communities.

In his speech, Ho admitted that the past year was the most difficult for Macau during the three-year-long COVID-19 pandemic. Whether overcoming the serious threat of the “June 18 outbreak” or dealing with the impact of the new phase of COVID-19 prevention and control measures launched at the end of last year, Macau residents have kept a positive outlook despite all the adversity caused by the pandemic, Ho underlined, adding that all sectors of the community have been united – through selfless devotion, dedication, and sacrifice – in overcoming all the difficulties brought about by the pandemic.

Now, Ho emphasised, Macau is finally welcoming the gradual lifting of the COVID-19 control measures, the recovery of the local economy, and the resumption of civil society’s normal activities.

Ho also underlined that Macau’s Portuguese- and English-language media have been providing people not just here but also elsewhere with reliable information about Macau and also helped them understand China in a comprehensive way.

The chief executive stressed that local journalists’ fact-finding visits to the Guangdong-Macau In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region last year helped their readers, listeners and viewers gain an objective understanding of the great effort the nation has been making for the well-being of its people in the new era.

“The beneficial outcomes were the result of the professionalism of local Portuguese- and English-language media in carrying out their duties, and an important driving force for the continuous improvement and enhancement of the Macau Special Administrative Region government’s work in various areas,” Ho added.

Ho reaffirmed that the local government will continue this year to work in line with its overall policy direction of “boosting the economy, fostering economic diversification, relieving livelihood hardships, preventing and controlling COVID-19, and promoting Macau’s steady overall development”, in the context of its 2^nd Five-Year Development Plan.

Ho pledged that the government will continue to actively participate in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA) and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), as well as take pragmatic measures to promote the development of the Guangdong-Macau In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin.

Ho also said that the government remains committed to ensuring that the media can better perform their duties in accordance with the Basic Law and other relevant laws.

The chief executive also said he hoped that the Portuguese- and English-language media will continue to play the role as a watchdog and bridge in local society by keeping a close eye on the government’s performance. 

Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng (front, sixth from right) poses with senior local Portuguese- and English-language media representatives during yesterday’s Chinese New Year lunch at MGM Macau in Nape. – Photo: GCS