Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On said on Thursday that he “fully recognises public servants’ achievements and contributions” during the past 10 years, and he urged all public servants to “fully support” the future administration headed by fifth-term Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng, according to a statement by the Chief Executive Office (GCE).
Chui made the remarks during a closed-door meeting attended by senior public servants at directorate and vice-directorate level and principal officials, according to the statement. The meeting was held at the JW Marriott Hotel at Galaxy. All of Macau’s current and future policy secretaries attended the meeting but not Chief Executive-designate Ho Iat Seng who is scheduled to be sworn next Friday.
According to the statement, Chui encouraged the officials to make “fresh contributions” to Macau including the city’s sustainable development.
The statement quoted Chui as saying he felt “especially grateful” that he had been able to work with all public servants for the good of the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) and Macau people during the past 20 years.
Chui headed the local government in the past 10 years. He was the government’s policy secretary for social affairs and culture during the MSAR’s first decade. His second 5-year term ends next Thursday.
Chui pointed out that he had participated in and witnessed different stages of Macau’s development since 2009 and been able to overcome all challenges together with the city’s public servants, the statement said.
Chui said he believed that during the past 10 years, all officials had learnt through their work that the government system should be “more open” to listening to public opinion, the statement noted.
About 32,000 people are employed by the government, accounting for about 8 percent of the workforce.
According to the Macau Post Daily, Chui also said the public administration should “work harder” to “uphold the principle of serving the public”, and of enhancing Macau people’s sense of “happiness and satisfaction”, the statement said.
During the meeting, Chui talked about his three working experiences and gave some advice to the attendees. Chui, 62, said he hoped officials at all levels would score greater achievements in the future, according to the statement.
Firstly, Chui pointed out that the principles and concepts of public governance must always adhere to the implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle.
Based on his experience in public governance, Chui stressed that the “key to success” is to uphold the principles of “One Country, Two Systems”, “Macau people administering Macau” and Macau’s “high degree of autonomy”.
Chui also said that Macau had “always followed” the “correct path” of implementing the “One Country, Two Systems” principle, adding he hoped that all principal officials and public servants would continue upholding their belief in these principles and implement them in their future work.
Secondly, over the past 10 years, through the practice of public governance, the government has been adhering to the approach of making progress while ensuring social stability, Chui underlined.
Chui said that Macau had managed to maintain “overall stability”, achieve gradual economic growth, improve people’s livelihoods and strive for continuous progress in a stable environment.
Chui said he hoped that all public servants would “bear in mind” the importance of “safeguarding Macau’s stability and social harmony”. Chui also urged the public servants to ensure Macau people’s peaceful lives and continue to make progress based on this “well-established foundation” – for the benefit of Macau people.
Thirdly, Chui urged public servants to continue considering “long-term development” and provide strong support for the “stable and long-lasting” implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle, as well as for the well-being of Macau people.
Chui said his administration had set up “sound fiscal reserves and land reserves, and improved the governance system”.
Chui also said that his administration had nurtured more talents and coordinated the work of the five policy secretariats in “fostering new generations of officials”, with the aim of supporting the long-term implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle in Macau, as well as for the development of the nation as a whole.
Chui told lawmakers last month he expected the financial reserves of the MSAR to reach 627.3 billion patacas at the end of this year.
