Identification Services Bureau (DSI) Director Lai Ieng Kit will become the chief-of-cabinet of the Office of Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture-designate Alexis Tam Chon Weng, an informed source told The Macau Post Daily Thursday.
Tam is the outgoing chief-of-cabinet of the Chief Executive Office and chief government spokesperson.
Tam will succeed Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Cheong U, who has held the post for five years, on December 20, when Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On will start his second five-year term and he and his new team of five policy secretaries and five other principal officials will be sworn in.
Lai will replace Cecilia Cheung So Mui.
According to the source, Lai has been working in the government long enough to retire and submitted his retirement request to Chui three months ago, but Tam asked Lai to head his secretariat’s office because he found Lai to be particularly suitable for the post.
The source said that Tam had been meeting bureau directors under his future portfolio and there would be no major changes in personnel but since Tam has ambitious plans for his five-year term, he would be very demanding of the bureau directors under him.
The source pointed out there could be changes if the bureau directors fail to live up to Tam’s expectations.
Tam will oversee, among others, the Health Bureau (SSM), Education and Youth Affairs Bureau (DSEJ), Cultural Affairs Bureau (ICM), Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO), Social Welfare Bureau (IAS), Macau Sports Development Board, Tertiary Education Services Office (GAES), Institute for Tourism Studies (IFT), Social Security Fund (FSS), Macau Grand Prix Committee, Tourism Crisis Management Office (GGCT), Macau Tourism Promotion and Information Centre in Portugal, University of Macau (UM), and Macau Polytechnic Institute (IPM).
Bureaus are the highest entities in the public administration overseen by the five policy secretaries whose powers are delegated by the chief executive. The local government does not have a cabinet system. The five policy secretaries are individually answerable to the chief executive.
Chui announced on Monday that Victor Chan Chi Ping, director of the Macau Government Information Bureau, will replace Tam as the government’s chief spokesperson. Chan is now the deputy spokesperson.
Wallis O Lam, secretary-general of the Executive Council, will replace Tam as Chui’s chief-of-cabinet.(macaunews/macaupost)
