Roundup: Macao SAR Witnesses More Efficient Civil Service

Besides the localized high-ranking Chinese officials, the general civil servants in the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) remain the same as those under the Portuguese rule, but they tend to show higher efficiency since Macao's return to the motherland a year ago.

Most Macao residents now share the common feeling that civil servants have taken on a new look and actually acted as public "servants" who try their best in their daily work.

Overelaborate formalities and dilatory work used to the frequent complaints of residents. For example, the installation of an antenna atop a residential building might take as long as three months due to complex government procedures.

Since the founding of the SAR, the government has paid special attention to enhancing administrative efficiency and raising civil servants' awareness of serving the masses of residents well.

"What we do is to solve the problems of the residents and provide them with high-quality services," said Florinda da Rosa Silva Chan, secretary for administration and justice of the Macao SAR government.

"We cannot make promise of perfect work, but we are ready to listen to the opinion and suggestion from various social sectors, so that we can make improvements in the future," she added.

A new assessment system, which covers recruitment, promotion, discipline, reward and punishment, has been introduced in the civil service. In addition, more than 2,300 civil servants have received training this year.

Thanks to simplified government formalities and better investment policies, more business people have decided to invest in Macao. In the first ten months this year, the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute succeeded in approving 25 projects which involved a total investment volume of 120 million patacas (US$15 million).

A special investment committee comprising members from 10 government departments has also been set up, so that the institute can make more efficient contacts with various government departments and investors do not have to go through procedures one after another all by themselves.

In the law-enforcement sector, better coordinated and more disciplined police forces have improved public security. In comparison, the percentage of criminal cases have been cracked has increased to great extent this year.

At present, all major government departments have designated an official to take charge of collecting complaints or suggestions from residents. The officials are expected to respond to complaints as soon as possible.

Many departments concerning the daily life of residents have applied a "promise mechanism" in an effort to give better services to the public.

Next year, the SAR government will continue to optimize the administrative structure and introduce modern means of management to achieve more efficient civil service, official sources said.






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