Among the government’s five policy secretaries, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Cheong U was given the highest marks – 63.7 points, while Secretary for Administration and Justice Florinda Chan Lai Man obtained just 53.5 points – merely 3.5 points higher than the “pass mark” and the lowest among the quintet, according to the findings of a survey released Thursday.
The survey also found that Secretary for Transport and Public Works Lau Si Io was given a mere 57.1 points.
The secretary has lately got a lot of flak for the government’s housing and public transport policies.
According to The Macau Post Daily, the survey – Macau Public Confidence Index (MPCI) – is a monthly poll conducted by the Macau Polling Research Association (PRA).
Athena Seng I No, a vice-president of the association, presided over a press conference at Royal Hotel to announce the findings of last month’s poll.
According to the survey, respondents were given zero to 100 points to rate the performance of Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On and his government, as well his team of five policy secretaries.
50 points indicate the survey’s “pass mark.”
A total of 1,000 residents aged 18 or above were chosen randomly for the telephone interview held on November 12-14. Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On delivered his 2013 Policy Address on November 13. He answered legislators’ questions about the address on November 14.
According to the findings released during the press conference, the respondents gave the government 63.5 points. Chui garnered 64 points – 6.9 points higher than October’s poll. Chui got the highest marks of any senior policy official.
Seng said that Chui last month also received the highest mark of any month this year. He was given just 57.1 points in both September and October.
Regarding the rating of the performance of Chui’s five policy secretaries, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Cheong U obtained 63.7 points – the highest. Secretary for Economy and Finance Francis Tam Pak Yuen garnered 62.3 points, Secretary for Security Cheong Kuoc Va got 62 points, Lau obtained 57.1 points and Chan obtained 53.5 points, the lowest of any policy secretary, according to the findings.
The administration and justice portfolio has traditionally been the Achilles’ heel of the Macau government.
Seng said that Chui was given the highest marks by the respondents in November possibly because of some of the measures he mentioned in his 2013 Policy Address.
Chui announced a string of benefits, subsidies, allowances and tax cuts in his policy guidelines for next year, including a “wealth-sharing” cash handout of 8,000 patacas for all permanent residents.(macaunews)
