CONFIDENTIAL
2
4.
Light Rail
He was doubtful about this - too much too quickly (NCNA Macau has the same view).
5.
Macau and Hong Kong Airports
He found the mainland attitude very strange. In Macau they listened to Ma Man Kei too much, and in Hong Kong to Henry Fok, Gordon Wu and T S Lo, all of whom, for real or imagined slights, were using China to exercise revenge on the Hong Kong Government. China could not have chosen worse. The airports would happen, he believed, in time. He had been approached by a Guangdong official offering to fix the Macau problem for a 6 figure sum. Dr Ho dismissed this as a serious idea. On Hong Kong he thought the Governor's visit to Peking would help.
6. Macau Governor
He claimed to have told President Soares, at the latter's invitation, that Macau needed a Governor who
a. spoke good English
b.
C.
maintained continuity of Under Secretaries
knew Macau.
Soares agreed, and asked him to increase the number of Macanese employees in his hotels (!). Dr Ho thought the new governor would not arrive until after Soares' reinauguration. Vasconcelos (Public Works) would stay.
7. NCNA
He believed
Dr Ho said he told the Macau NCNA Director that China was in danger of overplaying their hand. If Macau and Hong Kong dropped their airport plans, China would inherit ghost towns.
8.
Comment
A lively monologue. It is worth remembering Stanley Ho owes the Chinese nothing (unlike Henry Fok), so is not in partnership with them on anything and has no fixed assets in China. This gulf between him and the mainland is both a strength and a weakness.
yours
Mard
Richard Graham Consul Macau
CONFIDENTIAL
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