Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai said yesterday that achieving appropriate economic diversification in Macau requires the government, industry, and labour to foster consensus and strengthen social cohesion, with the aim of enabling Macau to overcome the various difficulties and challenges hindering its efforts to achieve economic transformation and upgrading.
The chief executive also said yesterday that his government will launch a public consultation “soon” on its drafting of Macau’s 3rd Five-Year Plan.
Sam made the remarks when delivering a speech during a reception at The Plaza Restaurant in Zape marking today’s International Workers’ Day hosted by the Macau Federation of Trade Unions, commonly known as Gung Luen in Cantonese.
In his speech, Sam underlined his government’s commitment to protecting workers’ rights and benefits, such as through the setting-up of its Employment Promotion Coordination Working Group, which aims to improve Macau’s system for protecting local residents’ employment through strengthening the government’s cross-departmental collaboration.
The local government’s cross-departmental working group aiming to boost local residents’ employment was set up in May last year.
Sam also underlined that his government is vigorously working on the drafting of amendments to the Labour Relations Law proposing to raise the number of days for private-sector employees’ statutory paid maternity leave and their statutory minimum paid annual leave.
Amendments to laws proposed by the government must be passed by the legislature to take effect. The government completed a 45-day public consultation earlier this year on proposed amendments to the Labour Relations Law and is now assessing the opinions and suggestions gathered during the consultation process. Afterwards, the government will draft an amendment bill and submit it to the legislature for debate, review and vote.
Sam also said in his speech that a high-quality labour force is the “primary” element required for developing new quality productive forces, underlining that the local government attaches great importance to improving workers’ qualifications by developing various initiatives, such as expanding its “training + employment” programmes conducted in collaboration with large enterprises, and setting up a new digital platform making it easier for residents to join vocational training programmes run by the city’s various institutions and organisations.
Sam noted that the initiatives aim to help residents enhance their professional skills and competitiveness, thereby enabling Macau to be equipped with a high-quality labour force.
‘Monolithic industrial structure main problem’
Currently, Sam noted, a monolithic industrial structure remains the main problem affecting Macau’s economy, adding that achieving appropriate economic diversification, which is a “must-answer question” for Macau, requires the government, industry, and labour to foster consensus and strengthen social cohesion, with the aim of enabling Macau to overcome the various difficulties and challenges that it is facing in achieving economic transformation and upgrading.
In his speech, Sam also said that “work is an important link connecting the individual, the family, and society. From this perspective, work has not only an individual meaning at the micro level but also a collective value at the macro level. Work constitutes the basis of life and the main source of progress for each of us, each family, and each society. It is through work that we develop skills, realise our self-worth, increase family income, and promote harmony and stability within the family. At the same time, work contributes to driving social progress and demonstrating the values of citizenship in society.”
The chief executive went on to say that “in short, only by truly respecting working people and valuing the spirit of labour can we continuously create material wealth and promote spiritual civilisation. All of us in Macau must unite efforts to create a more positive and optimistic working environment, in order to build a happier and better future.”
Sam pledged that the local government will collaborate with all sectors of Macau’s civil society to vigorously uphold the spirit of work and the spirit of craftsmanship, characterised by passionate dedication, the pursuit of excellence, and the courage to innovate.
Sam also underlined the local government’s commitment to creating a favourable environment and conditions for workers to pursue their careers, promoting harmonious labour relations, and supporting workers in realising their ideals and life values through honest dedication to work.
Moreover, Sam also said in his speech that the nation’s 15th Five-Year Plan, which was passed by the National People’s Congress (NPC) in Beijing in March, draws a new and grand blueprint for Macau’s development, adding that the local government will launch a public consultation “soon” to gather opinions and suggestions from Macau’s civil society concerning its drafting of Macau’s 3rd Five-Year Plan, which he said, is of great relevance to Macau’s future development.
Sam said he expects Gung Luen to continue playing its important role as a main local force promoting patriotism and love for Macau in uniting the broad masses of workers to offer opinions and suggestions concerning the local government’s drafting of Macau’s 3rd Five-Year Plan.
In addition to Sam, other dignitaries also attended yesterday’s reception such as Edmund Ho Hau Wah, Macau’s first chief executive and now a vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Central People’s Government Liaison Office in Macau Director Zheng Xincong, Foreign Ministry Commissioner Bian Lixin, Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Macau Garrison Deputy Commander Dai Jingsong, and Macau Legislative Assembly (AL) President André Cheong Weng Chon.
Gung Luen vows 4 new contributions
Also delivering a speech, Gung Luen Chairman Lam Lon Wai pledged that his federation will make new contributions to Macau’s development in four aspects, namely improving Macau’s governance level; promoting the city’s talent development; helping Macau better integrate into and serve the nation’s overall development, and better serving workers and all other individuals.
Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai delivers a speech during yesterday’s reception at The Plaza Restaurant in Zape marking today’s International Workers’ Day hosted by the Macau Federation of Trade Unions. – Photo: GCS
