经济危机冲击，澳门赌博业下滑

　　昨日，全国人大代表表示，占特别行政区财政收入近70％澳门的赌博业，在全球金融危机后受到强烈的冲击。

　　在全国人民代表大会年度会议召开期间，来自澳门的代表崔世安告诉《中国日报》：“我们现在需要把重点放在发展其他产业上，以帮助该地区经济的发展，”。

　　今年一月，澳门的博彩收入为9.28亿美元，与去年同期相比下降30％，消息来自澳门统计暨普查局服务处。

　　消息人士称，去年第四季度的收入与第一季度相比下降了20％。

　　“由于人们普遍认为我们还没有看到危机的最高峰，所以每个人都担心该地区的赌博业可能会进一步低迷。”崔世安说。

　　他说，澳门与广东省西南地的珠海接壤，应将两地加强合作，以发展一个多元化的产业结构。

　　“中央政府的计划是，要在珠江三角洲地区深化改革和开放，这将有助于澳门将其赌博业转移到比较完善的多元化的经济模式中去。”崔世安说。

　　他说，澳门要在该地区的大型基建项目中发挥了积极的作用，这将有助于创造就业机会。”

　　根据统计暨普查局调查，在去年11月和今年的一月之间，澳门的失业率为3.4％。

　　由于金融危机的影响，崔治安也表示担心该地区的就业率是否会进一步下降，可能会因经济危机而要付出代价。

　　“与其赌博业相比，结合澳门的经济发展的一个特色，政府应制订更加优惠的政策来支持发展展览，文化创新和旅游产业。”崔世安说。

　　Leong Vai Tac，另一位来自澳门的全国人大代表，呼应崔世安的建议，他说：“最近，由于广东省出入境当局的政策限制大陆人民来澳门，这一政策对澳门赌博业和旅游业产生了一定的影响。”

　　自去年以来，广东省当局作出规定，停止让没有特别通行证的内地旅客进入澳门。

　　“政策实施以来，来自内地的旅客人数有所下降，它已经阻碍了赌博业和旅游业的发展，”Leong表示。

　　译文

　　Macao's gambling industry, which contributes nearly 70 percent of the special administrative region's revenue, has been hit hard in the wake of the global financial crisis, a NPC deputy said yesterday.

　　"We now need to focus on developing other industries to help the region's economy," Chui Sai Peng, a deputy from Macao, told China Daily on the sidelines of the annual session of the NPC.

　　In January, Macao's gambling revenue was $928 million, down 30 percent over the same period last year, sources with the Statistics and Census Service of Macao said.

　　The revenue in the fourth quarter last year was down 20 percent over the first, the source said.

　　"Since it is widely believed we have not seen the crisis bottom out, everyone is worried about the region's gambling industry, which might see a further slump," Chui said.

　　Macao, which borders Zhuhai of Guangdong province in the southwest, should strengthen cooperation to develop a diversified industrial structure, he said.

　　"The central government's plan to deepen reform and opening up in the Pearl River Delta region will help Macao shift its gambling industry to a relatively sound diversified economic mode," Chui said.

　　Macao should play an active role in the development of large infrastructure projects in the region, he said. "It will help create jobs."

　　Macao's unemployment rate was 3.4 percent between last November and January, according to the statistics and census service.

　　Chui also voiced concern over a further decline in the employment rate of the region this year as the financial crisis continues to take its toll.

　　"The government should draw up more preferential policies to support the development of exhibition, cultural innovation and tourism industries, which combine a meager share of Macao's economic development compared with its gambling industry," Chui said.

　　Leong Vai Tac, another NPC deputy from Macao, echoed Chui's suggestion, saying: "The recent policy by Guangdong exit and entry authorities to limit

　　people from the mainland visiting Macao has had some impact on the gambling and tourism industries."

　　Guangdong authorities, since the last year, have stopped allowing visitors from the mainland enter Macao without special passes.

　　"The number of visitors from the mainland has declined since the policy was implemented. It has hampered the development of the gambling and tourism industries," Leong said.