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Macao Boom Good For All Citizens

Government Director announces rise in the numbers of middle-aged people employed at casinos.

Wednesday 16th April 2008

According to the Government of Macao, the area’s casino industry not only registered strong growth last year but also created more jobs for local middle-aged citizens.

Shuen Ka Hung, Director of the Bureau of Labour Affairs for the Macao Special Administrative Region, stated that the number of people aged between 35 and 54 employed by the gaming industry increased by over 10,000 in the fourth quarter of last year compared with the same period in 2005.

Responding to lawmakers’ questions on job security, Shuen stated that there were 44,743 paid employees engaged in Macao’s gaming industry at the end of last year, which was an increase of 22.9 percent over the previous year. The Director said average monthly earnings excluding bonuses and allowances for full time employees in the industry stood at $1,862 and promised that the Government would continue to encourage local casinos to hire middle-aged locals through measures such as providing more vocational training and stepping up the fight against illegal migrant workers.

He also stated that companies found violating the area’s employment and labour laws would have the number of non-Macao employees they were allowed to hire decreased in order to protect the employment rights of local residents.

According to Macao employment laws, only local residents are allowed to work as croupiers in the island city’s casinos. Official figures released last week showed the former Portuguese colony of 538,000 featured an unemployment rate of 2.9 percent from December of last year to February.

 


Source: OnlineCasinoNews