Comedy in Shangrila

This is a video. Click the right pointing arrow below.

Me and my girl in Angkor Wat, Cambodia, in October 2007

This wall was built in 12th Century. The jungle's taken over.

Becoming Jane

No Dad, not Plain Jane. I took the kids to see the movie about Jane Austen. Normally we visit the cinema at Macau Tower but now that Macau has a half decent English language newspaper, we get the local cinema advertisements so we get to see what's on there. Since I was going to be out conducting my seminar on Service Quality at the Institute for Tourism Studies when they arrived home and they've been really bad at doing their homework when I've been out, I suggested that if they managed to get it all done and we managed to get dinner over and done with by 7pm that I'd take them out. Wow, bribery actually worked this time, so off we went.

There was absolutely no English at the ticket booth but the lady, although she didn't speak any English (apart from the ticket price) was obviously used to communicating with non-Chinese speakers and we worked out what we were going to see and could choose our seats. And then we climbed up, and up, and up yet more stairs. Surprisingly, this is a very clean cinema. We were in the small theatre with plush velvetine seats. And now I'm into Austen-ese. I end up speaking in long qualified sentences and acting ever so ' the accomplished Victorian lady'. I think the kids enjoyed it. It least it'll open their eyes to some beautiful landscapes, refined behaviour and some questions about history and accomplished people.

We'd parked at the same time as and next to a young couple. When we returned to our car, our meters were flashing the expired sign. I dropped a pataca into their meter as we got into our car but then I noticed the man run up to add coins. He got to his meter as I was backing out, looked at it, checked his watched, scratched his head and walked away. I was tempted to try to say something to him but decided 'what the heck' to let him wonder a little. I giggled. As I drove past him, I smiled and waved and he waved back. I wonder if he'd worked it out.

Movies can make you feel good.

Good things this week

I've had a marvelous time this last week. Lainie and Mark came through Macau on their way home after 9 weeks in China with Aleisha and Torey. Bridget and Benjamin were so excited about having their friends to stay 3 nights - they all slept together in the one bedroom with heaps of room to spare. Bridget and Benjamin in their own beds, Aleisha on the third bed in their room (the one I normally sleep on when Ben's away) and Torey on the floor using the cushion from the couch from the lounge room. They had a ball. They were so tired each night that there was never any problem getting them to sleep. They do play so well together: not one request for television or playstation! Most of the time they played the Macau version of Monopoly.

Ben was here on Thursday night so a nice dinner at home with Lainie and Mark and then the boys went out to view the female sights in Lisboa while Lainie and I caught up over a pot of tea.

Another lovely dinner on Friday night, thanks to the company. A recently won friend, Stanley, came over and although Lainie gave up at 1am and went to bed, Mark continued to talk into the wee hours of the morning. The three of us were in stitches. Stanley tried to leave once or twice but failed miserably until Mark realised the hour! These men did something that I am certainly not used to any more - they cleared the table for me before they retired at 4:30am, Stan to his home with his parents across the road and Mark to bed to join Lainie.

Walking around Coloane and letting the kids play on the grass toboggans and running on the beach, was the order of the afternoon on Saturday. We were awake at 7am thanks to the kids and were somewhat envious of Stan who'd slept in the quiet comfort of his home without kids until 3pm! Grrrrrrr. But, we at least had a day to enjoy.

We went out to diner without the kids as they were exhausted after lumping the toboggans up the stairs for 1 hours and then wushu after that. They were fed and sent to bed by Rhia whilst the adults went for Portuguese in the village. Xiao Xia came along and then we went to show the Bernamoffs the Venetian. Stan joined us for tea close to midnight to introduce us to his really cool mother. We all instantly liked her. The relationship that they have as mother and son is beautiful. They clearly adore each other. I must learn from Ramona, she's certainly done something right in Stan's upbringing. A definite role model.

Apart from that, work wise I've been asked by the editor to be a reviewer for the journal, Personnel Review. I've taken on reviewing for the Academy of Management conference in 2008. Stan's asked me to speak on expatriate issues at Ripples next seminar in December and Soo May's got me doing the service quality workshop next week at the Institute of Tourism Studies. Crown Relocations have asked me to be "Director, Macau Orientations", somewhat tongue in cheek. Things are looking up. The busier I become, the happier I am, as long as I've still got time for my PhD work. But that's coming under control now.

Great meeting with Ross, my supervisor. He's got a promotion and seems really chuffed. Apparently, he was the driving force behind the 2nd world ranking by the Economist for personal development in the Monash MBA. It's great news for him and wonderful news for all his students - good to be associated with the best organisational psychologists.

Oh, and Benjamin's put his hand up for a role in his year level's Christmas show. He has the lead role and is in bed now practising. He only received the script today and still has at least 4 weeks to go. He's clearly happy with the situation and is determined to do it well.

This one's been accepted. Coming up in Macau Business

This article has been accepted for publishing the Macau Business; a monthly magazine here in Macau. This is the final version after to-ing and fro-ing with the editor (lovely chap).

So hard to find good help these days.... at the right price.

The various interest groups in Macau’s new economy, the foreign investors, the gaming industry and those who are effected – workers and small businesses – repeatedly anguish over labour issues in popular discourse: labour shortage, labour mobility, cost increases, the lack of promotional opportunities and youth being lured away from pursuing higher education and opting for entry into the gambling sector. These are all related to each other and affect different segments of the community in a variety of ways – no one seems to be immune from the effects as they permeate our society. As in any case of demand exceeding supply, the labour shortage, particularly in the rapidly developing casino industry, is putting upwards pressure on labour costs. With each new casino opening, more pressure is placed on the market. This is not new. Indeed, this writer could be accused of stating the obvious but it needs to be repeated because this is at the very core of a number of the territory’s most urgent problems.

Any industry requiring semi-skilled staff which is developing at the breakneck speed of the local casino sector would be hard pressed to remain adequately staffed. In this city, the problem is exacerbated by legal restrictions placed on the industry which prevent non-resident workers from being hired as dealers in casinos. The rationale appears to be in the protection of jobs for local residents. If this is so, then it is a law of a bygone era. Placing such an impediment on an economy which has an exponential need for labour can only cause undue damage. It creates bottlenecks for growth as newcomers to the market cannot readily obtain sufficient staffing for their needs unless they poach from others by offering incentives – usually higher salaries – to encourage defection from incumbent employers. Unfortunately, such poaching is much to the chagrin of established local enterprises and bureaucrats. For example, where will the Immigration Department find the additional 1,500 staff which it recently announced it will hire? Combined with the 12,268 jobs vacant across multiple economic sectors at the end of last March – which outstrips the 9,300 unemployed – this restriction and its unabated, deleterious effects can only undermine investor confidence in Macau’s ability to deal with this and other pending constraints. Labour is needed to drive the growth which surely is aimed at improving the living standards of Macau residents. Why impose such bottlenecks on development when they need not exist?

There are other more direct negative effects of this restriction which are somewhat easier to grasp. A common complaint heard from gambling industry staff is the ‘lack of opportunities’ for promotion. With the foreign dealer restriction in place, this lack of opportunity will continue to exist. Counter intuitive? There is a high demand for dealing staff which can only be met by local residents – a finite pool. We are already seeing the effect of this demand on higher salaries and job vacancies in other industries. Thinking to the future, these dealers are unlikely to be promoted off the casino floor if there is no one to replace them. It is not just a matter of skill level and experience but also of high demand and low local staffing supply. Open up the doors a little for foreign dealers and casinos would then able to promote local staff through the ranks from within as merit warrants. A number of mechanisms such as socio-linguistic ability, experience or qualifications can be used to control the percentage of foreign dealers if that is a political necessity. The government’s recent suggestion to introduce licensing for gaming staff could be used in this manner.

There is another indirect consequence of this restriction which impacts resident workers’ opportunities of being promoted. Due to the high dealer salaries, high school graduates are encouraged to forgo further education for the immediate financial benefits of a relatively well paid job straight out of school. Unfortunately, this leaves them poorly placed to compete for future managerial roles against others who have experience, skills and education. One might go so far as to suggest that the restriction on foreign labour manning the gaming floor is causing a ‘dumbing down’ of Macau’s labour force. The government’s initiative to raise the legal age of casino access to 21 years will stem this flow somewhat but it will also further shrink the pool of labour available.

The view here is that the consequences of opening up all roles in the gaming industry to controlled entry of foreign labour would be mostly beneficial in the medium-to-long term. Salaries would stabilize, thus offering fewer incentives to bypass higher studies and reduce the flow of staff from government and other industries to the gaming sector. It would also slow down ‘job hopping’ within the industry which is rumoured to be dealt with by yet more imposed restrictions on the non-resident labour force with a six-month forced “cooling down period” between jobs. This would merely put more power in the hands of employers, a greater burden on immigration authorities and an incentive to hire foreign labour that does not know Macau (a story for another day!) Removing restrictions on dealers – thus dampening the bidding war for staff and encouraging loyalty and commitment to one workplace – would also give the casinos the opportunity to support and encourage their employees with training and career development, something they are now loath to invest in due to the current level of labour mobility.

Without amendments to the foreign worker restrictions on dealing positions, the SAR’s long-term denizens are destined to deal and never to manage. Put another way: Macau’s residents will be dealt their destiny and not be able to choose for themselves.

A new endeavour

This is not something I that truly need at this very moment. There are enough activities in my life to keep me fulfilled and exhausted and adding to them is really not justified, nor, indeed, a sane choice at this moment in my life - PhD write-up time (ah, now the penny drops, procrastination is the name of this game), virtual single mother to twins and all living in a relatively new, significantly distant cultural environment with only just recent signs of cross-cultural adjustment occuring. Still, it might help keep track of my life and thoughts and let a few others into my frame of mind as it occurs at that moment.

Old friends, enjoy the renaissance of my name - a function of my full Christian name not being available on blogspot and not wanting to add the last name for professional reasons. New friends - you're unlikely to find me unless I tell you where I am. Still, in truth, I expect this is really for me. Different from the turgidness of my own private diary with the potential for others to see.

Thought for this week - I miss my old male friends. You know the ones, the ones which I'm really really comfortable with. The ones I trust to take me as I am and love me for it. The ones who'll give me a hug, a smile and a wink and make me feel totally appreciated for what I was, am and will be. The ones who trust in my goodness and know I'll be there for them. The ones who'll take me dancing when I'm 70 (or at least try). Girls, there are a few of you out there too but you're a little easier to make new ones of - none of that bothersome sexual tension to get out of the way first. So, to my good old 'boy' friends (you know who you are), thanks for being there for me. And thanks girls - to my friends the wives, girlfriends and partners - for allowing them to be.