Assistant Public Prosecutor-General, Mr Paulo Martins Chan, will be the new Director of the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau, said the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Leong Vai Tac, today.

The appointment has been endorsed by the Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, and will be effective from 1 December. Mr Chan will replace the current Director, Mr Manuel Joaquim das Neves, who is due to retire this month, added Mr Leong.

Speaking to the press this afternoon at a public event, the Secretary said Mr Chan was appointed because of his experience in the Public Prosecutions Office, his legal knowledge and his language proficiency. The appointment is aimed at further strengthening the Bureau’s law enforcement capability and its efforts to continue optimising gaming regulation, so as to ensure the expectations of society are fulfilled regarding the monitoring of the gaming industry, said Mr Leong.

In view of the growing interest of the public in the Bureau’s supervisory work, it is the duty of the Bureau to study how to support further the aims of the existing legislation and regulation and to ensure implementation of those aims. Such efforts would aid the sustainable and healthy development of the city’s gaming industry, stated Mr Leong.

The Secretary said he was announcing to the public the appointment in a timely manner because he understood the public interest in the topic. He did so after receiving official approval from the Chief Executive this morning as well as consent from the Prosecutor-General, Mr Ip Son Sang.