Legislator urges timetable for full smoking ban

A legislator representing the Federation of Trade Unions, Ella Lei Cheng I, has urged the government to set a timeframe for a full smoking ban in casinos during the political address in March, indicating that the government should not decelerate the process of conducting a full smoking ban as gaming profits dropped in 2014.
“I hope there should be a very determining decision on turning the partial smoking ban in casinos to a full smoking bank during the Chief Executive’s political address in March, which [I believe] should be a deadline for the government to tell the public when the [full] smoking ban in casinos will be carried out,” the legislator said during Macau Forum, a TDM radio show.
“Gaming profits dropped by 2.6 per cent compared to 2013. However, the amount was still higher than in 2012, 2011 and even in 2010. In addition, the gaming profits form the mass gaming floor increased from those of 2013. The drop in [overall] gaming profits was only due to the great decrease in VIP rooms,” she said, perceiving that the government should not only stress the simple fact that gaming profits are dropping without giving details.
“I am worried if only simple facts are introduced to the public the [full] smoking ban may [lose momentum],” she said. “There should be a timeframe for the public and for gaming workers on [the full smoking ban] instead of only putting the simple fact that the gaming industry [had dropped] to scare people so that [they] may say a full smoking ban is not necessary in casinos.”
K.L.