Legislators want talks with Macau govt on casino concessions

Oct 23, 2020 Newsdesk Latest News, Macau, Top of the deck  

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A ranking member of Macau’s Legislative Assembly said on Thursday that the sub-committee she heads would like meetings with the city’s government administration, regarding the future of Macau gaming rights. The current six licences are due to expire in June 2022.

The Legislative Assembly (pictured in a file photo) sees its current term run until the summer next year. That will be followed by a fresh election process for a portion of assembly seats – probably in September that year.

Ella Lei Cheng I – who currently chairs a sub-committee reviewing Macau’s land grant system and public concessions – mentioned the wish for consultation with the government when she gave a briefing to local media on Thursday, regarding the sub-committee’s main tasks for the remainder of the current legislative term.

“We would like to hear the government’s views and what arrangements they intend for the [gaming] concessions,” said the legislator, noting that the expiry date for the current rights was not far off.

Ms Lei is also a representative of the city’s traditionalist labour grouping, the Macau Federation of Trade Unions.

Macau’s Secretary for Economy and Finance, Lei Wai Nong, told local media earlier this month that the government planned to have ready by next year, a bill amending the city’s gaming law. The local authorities say such a step is necessary, ahead of a public retender process for gaming permits.

GGRAsia approached the Secretary’s office, seeking more information on the  government’s timetable for the intended amendment to the city’s gaming law. The office said it had no comment for the time being.

Under Macau’s system, all the bills left pending in the legislature at the end of a legislative term are tossed out.

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