OPINION- Business as usual?

In just 24 hours we were able to see how we continue to have government structures that simply work badly, or don’t work at all. They continue to malfunction and act badly, in many cases harming the population, and without those responsible being held accountable for their actions.

The inhabitants of Ka Ho have already been victims of industrial accidents that put their health at risk. Huge levels of pollution were able to be detected, often exceeding the maximum, without the Environmental Protection Services taking action. Basically, according to representatives of the population of Ka Ho, environmental protection sent them out, as if it was not their responsibility.

In another case, it is now known that neither the Commission against Corruption nor the General Prosecution Office has evidence to confirm the accusations against the former president of the Macau Investment Promotion Institute.

Let’s all remember that he was accused of corruption and has been in jail waiting for the current trial for more than a year. With his life and reputation destroyed, detained, petty, people have every right to ask: what system is it that allows such things? Which government, which judicial authorities?

If you don’t have proof to sustain an accusation, work harder, more diligently. Be competent. Unfortunately, this is not the first case and I believe will definitely not be the last.

In the area of telecommunications, the President of CTM came on the television to remind the Chief Executive that it was he, Ho Iat Seng, who asked to move forward with the 5G generation; something that CTM guarantees to have put in the field soon, ensuring one hundred per cent exterior coverage.

However, the government still has not given the license. It reminds us of those strange land deals: the government gives the land to be developed, within 25 years do not allow any development for several reasons and then take the land back because the developers didn’t build on it.

And in the Cultural sector, we now know that the Cultural Institute can grant projects by a public tender, just to realize that nobody can access the why’s and the how’s and not even the background and experience of the winners. It’s all very convenient, as always, very opaque.

Does this not sound strange to the new Chief Executive, that has a strong entrance in the government, almost promising a revolution of mentalities and procedures?
Apparently we will continue to have Macau as before, with the difference that now, in times of a pandemic, Ho Iat Seng wants to spend less. Way less.

Okay, we understand the concern. Let’s see if these cuts will also affect the big, highly profitable institutions that receive hundreds of millions from the government every year since people who manage those associations and foundations seldom [irony] have breakfast with the elites in power.