Chief Executive Edmund Ho Hau Wah has said that he holds an optimistic attitude toward the development of Macao in the new year.
In his new year message, the chief executive said that 2003 will be a year of great significance for the Special Administrative Region (SAR) in its development track.
Liberalization of the gambling industry will be speeded up and the revitalization trend of related industries will be more evident, he cited.
Edmund Ho pointed out that the investment and employment markets will provide impetus for each other to generate more job and business opportunities in Macao this year.
Consumption will be further activated and local markets will be more brisk, he said.
And large-scale construction of basic facilities and projects to beautify the environment will "inject more color" into the people's lives, he noted.
The chief executive also urged all civil servants to better serve the society.
He said in his message that Macao's economy entered "a new historical period" last year. Earlier, he predicted that the SAR's economy should grow more than 5 percent in 2002 and another 4 percent for 2003.
(Xinhua News Agency January 2, 2003)
