Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On reaffirmed Monday that since there will be changes in his team of policy secretaries he will not, as usual, appear before the legislature in November to present his policy address for next year but instead give a wrap-up of his work during his first five-year term.
Chui did not elaborate on whether there will be a question-and-answer session after the wrap-up, merely repeating his previous remark that he would do the same as Macau’s then chief executive Edmund Hau Wah did in 2009.
Ho gave a wrap-up of his work during his final year in office and presented a mini-budget without a Q&A session. Neither did any of Ho’s five policy secretaries present details of their respective portfolios in 2009.
Chui made the remarks to the media before attending a reception marking the 30th anniversary of the Macao Daily News Readers Charity Fund.
Last week, Legislative Assembly President Ho Iat Seng urged Chui to think about the possibility of doing it differently to the way the then chief executive did in 2009. He also said that he would pass on the view that there should be a Q&A session to allow lawmakers to ask Chui questions about his first five years in office.
Ho made the remark when answering reporters’ questions on whether the legislature would ask Chui to attend a Q&A session after his wrap-up.
On October 8, Chui told the media he would give a wrap-up on his first term in a plenary session of the legislature next month.
According to a statement from the Government Information Bureau (GCS) yesterday, Chui will present a budget for the first quarter of next year to the legislature next month.
Asked by reporters as to why he is doing the same as his predecessor in 2009 which excluded a Q&A session, Chui said his decision was due to upcoming changes among his five policy secretaries.
“I have told the media before…I hope to present the policy address [for next year] in March and in November [next year] there will be another policy address…I will also attend the Legislative Assembly in August [next year] to answer lawmakers’ questions,” Chui said.
Customarily, the five policy secretaries present details of their respective portfolios to the legislature in November after the chief executive’s policy address about the next year.
Chui said that apart from taking into account the experience, capability and educational background when considering his future team of policy secretaries he would also take their public recognition into consideration.
He also said he would listen to public opinion when choosing his new team.(macaunews/macaupost)
