No time to waste
It’s understandable that the new ChIef and the team assigned to inspect gaming
Executive is paying extra attention to his are public knowledge. With the inclusion
Policy Address. of Florinda Chan, there is nothing to
By and large, it provides the pillars confound analysts about the competency
of the government’s strategy for the first of the team led by Jorge Oliveira and that
of its five years, and it provide us with a of the Gaming Inspection Bureau led by
strong indication of what to expect from Manuel das Neves.
our ruler in the near future. The less than amicable relationship
Fernando Chui Sai On’s character between Florinda Chan and Jorge
leads him to use a different approach to Oliveira is also widely known and since
that of former Chief Executive Edmund Edmund Ho is currently unable to exert
Ho Hau Wah. his influence, the “weakest link” is out.
Ho allowed more freedom to his But this alone is not dramatic.
team and was rewarded in return with It’s true – as we write in this issue - a
the essentials of what he had to present number of laws are still overdue. But
at the Legislative Assembly. He would clearly Oliveira shouldn’t be held
then make the necessary adjustments and accountable for that. Stopping or halting
corrections. specific laws has always been a political
Chui favours marathons as he decision. It’s more likely that Chui Sai
hears the views of countless numbers of On is more comfortable with Florinda
associations and individuals. In the end, Chan than with Edmund Ho’s “man”.
the result will be the same, but the new After all, it’s his turn to steer the
Chief Executive needs to feel prepared, boat. But, just in case, he reinforced his
considering that he is not as comfortable position in the new gaming commission
in key areas such as the gaming industry, by including his chief of staff, Alexis
where Ho excelled. Tam, as well as another member still to
Perhaps that’s the reason why he be appointed. Better safe than sorry.
made some surprising changes in the And what of criticisms like those
Gaming Commission – with the inclusion from Stanley Ho Hung Sun’s fourth wife,
of the Secretary for Administration Angela Leong, who is angry that Chui
Florinda Chan, and the exclusion of Jorge didn’t choose representatives from the
Oliveira, the man credited with creating gaming industry? To us, his decision is
the entire legal framework in which our obviously correct.
gaming sector operates – albeit according The gaming operators already have
to Edmund Ho’s directions. their own discussion and understanding
Let’s be honest. The former platform which allows them to lobby
commission was little more than the the government. To also have them at
Edmund Ho and Jorge Oliveira show. the table of this political advisory body
The differences between the legal expert would compromise Chui’s ability to act.
March 2010
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140