The Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Leong Vai Tac, has exchanged views with gaming operators on how to maintain economic vitality, enhance Macao’s competitiveness, stable job market and strengthen social responsibility of the sector.

Mr Leong said the Government has always concerned with healthy development of the sector and employment opportunities of local people, stressing the principle of non-resident workers were only to serve shortfalls of local human resources.

In a meeting with the representatives of six gaming concessionaires on 18 September, the Secretary urged the operators to continuously provide more on-the-job training to the workers to improve their upward mobility while the Government would make more efforts in job matching and career changing.

As one of the pillars of local economy, healthy development of gaming industry had profound impact on Macao, he said. The Government would optimise legislations to strengthen regulation on concessionaires and junket operators, and would encourage more contributions of non-gaming elements to further expedite adequate diversification of economy and enhance the sector’s competiveness in worldwide.

Representatives of gaming concessionaires said they would follow the Government’s policy direction to propel development of non-gaming features and support locally made products, and hoped for more support during the consolidation period and more quality visitors to accommodate the tourism.